Sergeant in Trouble for Playboy Photos

'Drop and give me 20!' is something you might hear Air Force Staff Sgt. Michelle Manhart yell to airmen trainees at Lackland Air Force Base.

[JPS]

They should have gotten someone prettier than this.

[ADM]

LOL...I'm in the Air Force myself, and I have heard that comment a few times today. It's her business if she wants to pose for Playboy, but she should have kept the uniform out of it. I believe that is what the real issue is in all this.

[keh]

She poses publicly in playboy and the call it an "alleged" occurence. How ridiculous. Morals in the military? Give me a break. Let me type these numbers so I can allegedly post this alleged comment on this website.

[Dinah]

" I didn't do anything wrong." Right.

I don't suppose anyone remembers the 'Tailhook' scandal involving the navy some years back.

It always amuses me that some stupid females dress provocatively and do provacative things; and then the minute someone responds to it they cry

SEXUAL HARRASSMENT!!!!

Hey lady, if you don't want to be used as a tart; don't act like one.

[steve]

Oh man as if we didnt have enough trouble with the war! I dont think she should be in too much trouble.. she is living her dream..

let her have some fun.. as long as she can do her job in the military then no problem.

[Dinah]

steve wrote:

Oh man as if we didnt have enough trouble with the war! I dont think she should be in too much trouble.. she is living her dream..
let her have some fun.. as long as she can do her job in the military then no problem.

Why is the pregnancy rate amoung unmarried military females going up?

[Jeff]

Discharge her!

[Danny Bradshaw]

I understand the Military position. They have been very consistent over the years on this kind of action taken by their personnel. I am sure she knew the consequences before she posed. If she did not, I am sure Playboy Magazine told her. Actions taken by adults, should prepare for the reactions. To me it is not much of a story, but I read it anyway, because she is quite good looking.

[Dinah]

Danny Bradshaw wrote:

I understand the Military position. They have been very consistent over the years on this kind of action taken by their personnel. I am sure she knew the consequences before she posed. If she did not, I am sure Playboy Magazine told her. Actions taken by adults, should prepare for the reactions. To me it is not much of a story, but I read it anyway, because she is quite good looking.

True beauty is MORE than skin deep.

[Amn]

Women work so hard to earn respect in the military. We get the job done and help out our communities. Civilians of all ages look up to us. What kind of example are we setting? This woman is a piece of trash who shouldnt be aloud to serve anymore. What about her rights, she asks? As Service Members we dont have the same rights as Civilians. Shes a piece of trash.

[ADM]

Amn wrote:

Women work so hard to earn respect in the military. We get the job done and help out our communities. Civilians of all ages look up to us. What kind of example are we setting? This woman is a piece of trash who shouldnt be aloud to serve anymore. What about her rights, she asks? As Service Members we dont have the same rights as Civilians. Shes a piece of trash.

I completely understand what you're saying. If she had just left anything connecting her to the military out of it, there wouldn't be an issue. It makes the rest of us (AF females) feel we have even more to prove now.

[speedin]

I'm retired AF and the same thing happened in 1980. If she had not appeared in uniform there would have been no problem.

[AF MSgt]

Training Instructors have a major responsibility; one is simple, DO NOT abuse your authority with trainees within your command. This “NCO” took her trainees for personal gain & without authority. Sneaked them in a hidden corner of the Air Base, had them sign some release form they had NO idea what it meant. Trainees would not say “no” anyways, she was their Drill Sergeant. Then she spends the next two hours yelling at them and having them do push ups in front some photographer. All this for her own personal gain. If this was a male Instructor and did this to female trainees, we would be screaming for his head on a platter. Lets not forget, we have a married basic trainee with kids who has to know explain to his wife, kids, friends and family how he went to AF basic training and ended up in Playboy without any true approval. You can laugh, it's still wrong. There is a reason for “Abuse of power” rules. Bottom line; she know better, abused her authority, and know playing dumb. She's an Instructor who teaches Uniform policy (I did not even cover that issue) and NCO authority, Do Not let her full you, she knows better. You want to be in Playboy, the AF wont step in; unless you cross lines you know you crossed.

[ADM]

AF MSgt wrote:

Training Instructors have a major responsibility; one is simple, DO NOT abuse your authority with trainees within your command. This “NCO” took her trainees for personal gain & without authority. Sneaked them in a hidden corner of the Air Base, had them sign some release form they had NO idea what it meant. Trainees would not say “no” anyways, she was their Drill Sergeant. Then she spends the next two hours yelling at them and having them do push ups in front some photographer. All this for her own personal gain. If this was a male Instructor and did this to female trainees, we would be screaming for his head on a platter. Lets not forget, we have a married basic trainee with kids who has to know explain to his wife, kids, friends and family how he went to AF basic training and ended up in Playboy without any true approval. You can laugh, it's still wrong. There is a reason for “Abuse of power” rules. Bottom line; she know better, abused her authority, and know playing dumb. She's an Instructor who teaches Uniform policy (I did not even cover that issue) and NCO authority, Do Not let her full you, she knows better. You want to be in Playboy, the AF wont step in; unless you cross lines you know you crossed.

Of course, the media leaves that stuff out of it. At least I haven't heard most of what you are saying. That makes it even worse.

[Erny]

She took her clothes off? Why is that bad? Why is it wrong to see a woman's naked body? Where is the evil manifested from that sort of action? Can I see it? Can someone point it out to me?

Sometimes I feel like I'm LIVING the Scarlett Letter. When the magazine comes out, I will look at the pictures and I'm almost 100% sure that I will be the same AFTER I see them, as I was BEFORE I saw them. Maybe that's just me. Maybe, for some reason, I'm just so far out of the loop that I just can't possibly understand the outrage.

Anyway, do you really think baring her breasts will diminish her ability to be a beacon of freedom and hope around the world? How exactly will this, in any way, ruin her job skills: flying airplanes, shooting missles, walking upright, giving commands to young people, etc.?

Unreal. Sometimes life really is simply amazing.

[AF Senior Airman]

This woman obviously was thinking of no one but herself. What about her husband?? What about her Kids?? Did they have a say in this? This is the DEFINITION of conduct unbecoming. The Air Force doesnt recruit Playboy models, they recruit Military Training Instructors. An MTI is supposed to mold and shape trainees into the Airman the Air Force wants them to be. What is she teaching her trainees? To disregard Air Force policy and regulation and do what "she always dreamed of"? If she always wanted to be a porn star, then she is in the wron career field.

[InvaderRik]

As a civilian she has the right to do whatever she wants, but she was a representative of of the United States Air Force. She disgraced the uniform. It's as simple as that.

Also if women in the military continue to exploit their sexuality like this male and female soldiers will never be equal, and we'll never et those futuristic co-ed showers like in Starship Troopers. ;)

[Ovasquez]

yo does anybody know her number?

[ADM]

Erny wrote:

She took her clothes off? Why is that bad? Why is it wrong to see a woman's naked body? Where is the evil manifested from that sort of action? Can I see it? Can someone point it out to me?
Sometimes I feel like I'm LIVING the Scarlett Letter. When the magazine comes out, I will look at the pictures and I'm almost 100% sure that I will be the same AFTER I see them, as I was BEFORE I saw them. Maybe that's just me. Maybe, for some reason, I'm just so far out of the loop that I just can't possibly understand the outrage.
Anyway, do you really think baring her breasts will diminish her ability to be a beacon of freedom and hope around the world? How exactly will this, in any way, ruin her job skills: flying airplanes, shooting missles, walking upright, giving commands to young people, etc.?
Unreal. Sometimes life really is simply amazing.

It wasn't the fact that she posed for the magazine, but the fact that it made so many connections to her military career, and her position as a training instructor. It's kinda the same reason people have no respect for cops who are involved in selling drugs. It gives a poor image.

[us army]

i think this is a total disgrace to the uniform. it shows how undiciplined the other branches of the service is.