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‘Favoritism’? Jill Kelley Was Awarded Joint Chiefs’ Second-Highest Civilian Honor in 2011

Nov. 22, 2012 9:30am

Jill Kelley, the Florida socialite responsible for outing Gen. David Petraeus’ mistress, Paula Broadwell, in 2011 was awarded the Joint Chiefs of Staff Award for Outstanding Public Service, the Joint Chiefs’ second-highest civilian honor.

The award consists of a silver medal, lapel pin, citation and certificate signed by the chairman, said Navy Cmdr. Patrick McNally, spokesman for the office of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The reason for the award? Kelley’s “selfless contributions” and “willingness to host engagements” for politicians, foreign dignitaries, and military leaders.

“You’re connected, you get it. You’re not connected, you don’t get it,” Central Comand’s (CentCom) Coalition Intelligence Center founder Col. E.J Otero, Ret., told FOX 13.

“When a senior national representative from the coalition had a visitor from another country coming into town, they would call her — ‘I have General such-and-such. Do you mind if we go and have dinner?’” he added.

Gen. Petraeus recommended her for the award while he was still commander of CentCom, according to the Tampa Tribune. Adm. Mike Mullen signed off on the recommendation.

Col. Otero suggest there may have been some favoritism at play in the decision to give Kelley the award.

“Soldiers that work in that command — the captains, the majors, the sergeants, the master sergeants — they don’t have access to the four-star [general]. It’s impossible to have access to the four-star,” he said.

At a ceremony in Washington, D.C., last year, Gen. Petraeus personally presented Kelley with the award and a citation praising her for her, “outstanding public service to the United States Central Command, the MacDill Air Force Base community and the Department of Defense from October 31, 2008 to May 31, 2010.”

The citation continues, noting her work in “advancing various military endeavors” and her “willingness to host engagements with senior national representatives from more than 60 countries.”

“On multiple occasions, Mrs. Kelley invited senior national representatives, their spouses and senior leaders to her home to demonstrate their gratitude and support,” the citation reads.

Kelley and her husband were well-known in top political and military circles for their lavish cigar and caviar parties.

“These events promoted camaraderie, understanding and a better appreciation for coalition and military customs, concerns and abilities,” the citation notes.

Apparently, according to the citation, Kelley also helped Gen. Petraeus when he first took over CentCom.

“She [was] instrumental in introducing the commander, early in his tenure, to local and state officials, particularly the mayor of Tampa and the governor of Florida,” according to the citation.

“The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Mrs. Jill Kelley are in keeping with the finest traditions of public service and reflect great credit upon herself, United States Central Command and the Department of Defense.”

Along with the Petraeus/Broadwell sex circus, Kelley is also embroiled in a scandal involving allegedly inappropriate emails between her and the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen.

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Comments (72)

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  • The_Almighty_Creestof
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:24am

    I bet they sat around her mosque having a good laugh about that as they plotted their next moves.

    Report this comment

    The_Almighty_Creestof  
  • DADDYWOREAWHITEHAT
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:18am

    Ever see “an officer & a gentleman”? It truly is a military tradition to attend parties as a way of networking & introducing newbies to the area. This woman just did it on a higher level & for that she deserved a medal. I still think it was pretty fishy that she cozied up to the top brass when she didn’t have a husband father or brother to throw the party for. She threw lavish parties out of the goodness of her heart for foreign dignitaries? Often? I wouldn’t pay for that. Unless someone somewhere was making it worth the effort someway. This girl wasn’t mother Theresa & I’m not buying the selfless contribution angle.

    Report this comment

    DADDYWOREAWHITEHAT  
  • Shaqfuey
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:13am

    She’s our modern day Alger Hiss – watch the left continually scramble to tell us she wasn’t a spy or sharing classified information with our enemies. I hope this is actually taken seriously and not blown off as some tryst.

    Report this comment

     
    • VanceUppercut
      Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:38am

      @Shaqfuey

      You are aware that Ms. Kelly is openly Conservative, right? I guess not, since in your mind the “left” is scrambling to protect her.

      Report this comment

      VanceUppercut  
    • holy ghostbuster
      Posted on November 23, 2012 at 9:25am

      @ VANCEUPPERCUT – she might act conservative, but how do you know what her true intentions and motivations are? Since when was “phone sex” via email a conservative trait?

      Report this comment

      holy ghostbuster  
  • OBFSU
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:13am

    It’s ho ho time. We are blessed to have witnessed such historic moments; the closing of Hostess ho ho’s …along with the opening up of the military, ho ho hostesses.

    Report this comment

    OBFSU  
  • gsp9993
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:13am

    This story is making it very easy to call for a drastic reduction in the US military’s frivolous spending here in the USA. Time to cut the waste in military too as well as all other parts of government. They cannot manage themselves wisely.

    Report this comment

    gsp9993  
  • revelation2012
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:09am

    the tales that our men and women could tell were they allowed

    they have been so used and abused rt down the line

    Report this comment

    revelation2012  
    • Red Meat
      Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:13am

      Our senior military leadership is broken. Like our once great country.
      See you all in the gulags.

      Report this comment

      Red Meat  
  • OlefromMN
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:08am

    Yet another “award” that can now be viewed as worthless. The Nobel was the first to go, now civilian “honors” that are given for “services” performed. We are a nation of American Idol worshiping fools.

    Report this comment

    OlefromMN  
  • IndyGuy
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:02am

    There’s another award that has been rendered worthless…Along with the Nobel…

    Report this comment

    IndyGuy  
  • overthecliff
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:59am

    Jill Kelly must really be HOT!

    Report this comment

    overthecliff  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:14am

      NOT!

      She looks like one of those phony, over-the-top, “real housewives”…. much like any other dumpster-diving suck-up gold-digger.

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
  • freeberty
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:57am

    Parasites honoring parasites

    Hey, forget about the Obama phone and big screen TV, seems like the place to be if you’re a true American parasite is to join the American military and their welfare jobs program. Forget about the OWS, 80 years ago the American veteran perfected the whole shanty town squatting on the white house lawn thing, defecating all over the place until you get the welfare handout you want.

    Just think, people will call you a hero, pin medals on your chest , try to put you in line to be the president, when all you do is watch porn, chase tail, and spend the rest of the day playing e-mail tag. Take more than a decade to defeat a bunch of cave dwellers, who cares, the American citizen will steal the future from their grandchildren to make sure you can take your time.

    Aren’t corrupt enough to be a 5 star, doesn’t matter, aren’t smart enough, doesn’t matter, Americans will make sure you have an instant “in” to a public sector job when you get out. Sure they’ll complain about the evil private sector hostess union, but hey, spend billions upon billions for the postal service union, cops and firefighters, they don’t care, they may even still call you captain.

    Sign me up.

    Report this comment

    freeberty  
  • Polarized America
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:46am

    .
    so how much did Jill Kelley’s Bed & Breakfast cost the Tax payers ?

    Report this comment

    Polarized America  
  • chicago76
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:42am

    All tyrants always have a chest full of medals.

    Report this comment

    chicago76  
  • Dustoff
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:28am

    Ahhhhhhhh, jezzz. Will this nightmare ever go away. )-:
    I wonder what is really going on with Petraeus?

    Report this comment

    Dustoff  
  • Jharvey505
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:24am

    Was she well connected? It appears she was the connection.

    Report this comment

    Jharvey505  
  • JSherrillj
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:22am

    Why not the Nobel Peace Prize? She did more than Obama did when he got it.

    Report this comment

    JSherrillj  
  • term limits for congress
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:18am

    This is how the game is played, commrades. Cigar and caviar for government official = political hook-up. Jill Kelley – the next military restructuring czar.

    Report this comment

    term limits for congress  
  • hi
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:15am

    I know everyone will make fun of her. But, I could never put on those dinners or even talk to those people! In fact, I’m procrastinating throwing the turkey in right now and am only having family in case we have to resort to PBJ’s. I admire women who can do stuff like that. She definitely has skills.

    Report this comment

    hi  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:17am

      She’s a wealthy socialite. She definitely has skills but it’s not like she did the cooking herself..

      She’s an “event coordinator”… not unlike a wedding planner.. or a “community organizer”

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
  • Stoic one
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:11am

    An award for performing social ******** ????

    Only in a decadent society.

    Report this comment

    Stoic one  
  • gyro
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:11am

    looks like they forgot me on the list ?

    Report this comment

    gyro  
  • HKS
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:07am

    Government is the cesspool of this nation on every level. The nation as a whole is doomed to fail, to big to succeed.

    Report this comment

    HKS  
  • sparkyrules
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:05am

    General Petraeus has many medals,including the Distinguished Service m.e….d..a…..never mind.I can’t take it anymore.

    Report this comment

    sparkyrules  
    • beatobama
      Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:49am

      Part of his daily workout is wearing that medal laden uniform that must weigh 20 pounds.

      Report this comment

      beatobama  
  • Old Ogre
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:56am

    Real sad, What a cesspool our government has become.

    Report this comment

    Old Ogre  
  • DZ-015
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:53am

    Photo Caption: I can give you the medal because you have the chest to pin it on.

    Report this comment

    DZ-015  
  • IndyGuy
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:52am

    Havta wonder…What does Bob Beckel think when he sees this gal???

    Report this comment

    IndyGuy  
    • IndyGuy
      Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:59am

      P.S….Happy Thanksgiving everybody….including the trolls…

      Report this comment

      IndyGuy  
  • Garbageman
    Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:44am

    I guess you might say that she was connected at the hip.

    Report this comment

    Garbageman  
1 2 3

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