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Michelle Manhart decided that it was within her rights to pose for a six-page spread for Playboy as an Air Force Drill Sergeant and could continue her job. Some have defended her under the banner of feminism or male chauvinism ( “I want to see her naked” ).
Not only, though, is what she did wrong on a moral level, it’s also wrong on an Air Force level, and they took action:
An Air Force drill sergeant and former Iowa National Guard member who posed nude for Playboy magazine has been removed from active duty, she said Wednesday. Whether that amounts to an honorable discharge, as Michelle Manhart also says, is unclear.
Now, before you feel bad for Senior Airmen Manhart (as she was demoted back to the reserves), realize that she was probably paid a good sum to bare all for everyone to see, and she probably knew what was coming. This is not the fault of the Air Force, this was a willful act by this 30-year-old mother of two to do what she wanted regardless of the outcome.
She claims that it hinged on the fact that she wore her uniform in the spread. This could easily been avoided– but then it wouldn’t have been that interesting for Hugh Hefner’s company now, would it?
So, she loses her position, and will probably be discharged, and we’ll wait to see if it’s honorable, but there’s a good lesson here. Actions have consequences. As my mom always says “You live with the decisions you make.” Mrs. Manhart decided to do something stupid for herself and her family. She showed just how shallow she is, she shared something that was to just be her husbands with the world, and the U.S. Air Force had to be the ones to wake her up.
My husband was in the Air Force Reserves for 13 years, ranked as a staff seargant when he left. I certainly don’t feel badly for Mrs. Manhart. I think she should receive a DIS-honorable discharge for her behavior. When you are in the military, you are representing this country, and there should be a code of moral conduct. There are men dying this day for our country and she has belittled the United State Air Force and their uniform by what she did. Not to mention that she is married with two small children…another example of immorality. She has also received a lot of press for this, another benefit for her I’m sure. Kind of the attitude that any attention is better than none at all! Signed with disgust…Deb
I concur with Deborah completely. This woman probably received a tidy sum for her “exposure.” I feel sorry for her husband, but he may have thought it was a great idea too? I am sure he was aware of what she was doing.
As for the children, wow! What a role model for them to follow. Poor kids.
Leticia, you bring up a point that always makes me cringe. Even if she was just “exercising my choice”, how great will it be, someday, to find your mother naked online or in print. Talk about someone with explaining to do– let alone not being a good role model.
The price of temporary fame isn’t worth the eternal, or even long term, consequences.