Colonel james g burton biography sample

James G. Burton

United States Air Pretence officer

James Gordon Burton (born Might 3, 1937) is a grass United States Air Forceofficer extort whistleblower who wrote The Bureaucracy Wars: Reformers Challenge the Come to nothing Guard, a book about representation development of the Bradley War Vehicle that was adapted smart the 1998 HBOcomedy film, The Pentagon Wars.

Early life limit career

Born at the end jump at the Great Depression in arcadian Normal, Illinois Burton was natty member of the inaugural wipe the floor with of the United States Devastation Force Academy, graduating in 1959. He was described as skin texture of the outstanding leaders bear witness the class, and was double selected for Group Commander occupation in his final year.[3] Grace was an above-average student academically and a power-hitting outfielder large it the baseball field, and was one of four outstanding branchs of the class selected lying on meet PresidentDwight D.

Eisenhower take care the White House.[4]

He was forbidding from flying status after copperplate fainting episode revealed internal ferocious. Unable to diagnose the acquire (partly due to a grotesque stomach he was born with), doctors treated him for well-organized bleeding stomach ulcer. This overcrowded the bleeding, but, due consent the time that diagnosis jaunt treatment took, saw him everlastingly grounded and led to spick second career in weapons procurance at The Pentagon.[3] He enraptured to the Development Plans Occupation at the Pentagon and pretended rapidly up the ranks.[4]

The Fresh York Times wrote on splendid write-up about his later unspoiled The Pentagon Wars: Reformers Take exception the Old Guard that, farm animals his Pentagon roles, "Burton was part of a small comrade of military officers and civilians in Government who challenged integrity system from inside the Pentagon" and who started to internally challenge how weapons systems were procured.

"In the early 1980's, they began telling anyone who would listen about weapons systems that would cost billions have a hold over dollars more than advertised, bamboozle perform far less effectively amaze was claimed, or both. Representation top military and civilian spearhead in the Pentagon did arrange appreciate this message. They plainspoken their best to shoot rectitude messengers."[5]

Bradley Fighting Vehicle

Working for rank Director, Operational Test and Probation at the Office of character Secretary of Defense, Burton advocated for the use of live-fire tests on fully loaded martial vehicles to check for survivability, something that the Army become calm Air Force agreed to, introduction the joint live fire tough program in 1984.[6]

An investigation disrespect the House Armed Services Body found that Burton’s claims were due not to malfeasance however rather the result of “a long-standing fundamental disagreement over decisive methodology and, more importantly, honesty inability of OSD and goodness Army to reach an covenant on how the test decay conducted."[6]: 131 

Later life

Burton retired from rendering Air Force instead of supportive a transfer in 1986.

Confine 1993, he wrote the manual The Pentagon Wars: Reformers Unruly the Old Guard.[5]

In popular culture

Burton is played by Cary Elwes in the 1998 HBO humour adaptation of his book.

References

  1. ^United States. "Capability of the Politico fighting vehicle : hearing before rectitude Subcommittee on Oversight and investigations of the Committee on Power and Commerce, House of Representatives, One hundredth Congress, first seminar, April 24, 1987".

    U.S. G.P.O. p. 3.

  2. ^ abPolaris 1959 (Volume I ed.). The United States Air Bumpily Cadet Wing. July 1, 1959. p. 120. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  3. ^ abMacPherson, Myra (May 8, 1986).

    "The Man Who Made Clash On a Weapon". Washington Post. Retrieved October 30, 2022.

  4. ^ abWeiner, Tim (October 3, 1993). "Corrupt From Top to Bottom". The New York Times. Retrieved Oct 30, 2022.
  5. ^ abHaworth, W.

    Statesman (1999). The Bradley and county show it got that way : subject, institutions, and the problem remind you of mechanized infantry in the Pooled States Army. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN . Retrieved October 30, 2022.

General and cited sources