The Air Force Times reports 12 California National Guard fighter pilots are “being disciplined” for taking improper pay.  As noted last year, they were investigated for spending alert time at home and getting more than a day’s pay for a day’s work.

None were charged criminally:

Keegan said six officers received letters of reprimand and one of those was removed from the Guard.

None was charged criminally. [Guard spokesman Maj. Thomas] Keegan says it was a failure of leadership, not intentional fraud.

At least some of the pilots involved intend to fight the charges:

Col. Gary Taylor…has filed a defamation lawsuit seeking damages against the Guard…

“Col. Taylor’s honor and reputation were publicly called into question by the government, and he looks forward to restoring both,” said James Walker, Taylor’s attorney.

In an interview, Brig. Gen. Jonathan Flaugher, a former wing commander for the 144th…said he was told he owes about $35,000, but added that he had followed complex regulations in good faith and would appeal…

“This has been a practice, pretty much, I think for about 20 years,” he said about his dual-pay approach. “We interpreted the rules the best that we could at the time.”

Sometimes the letter of the law is not clear.  Sometimes things that are “legal” are not necessarily ethical.  Christians in military service, as all servicemembers, need to make sure they hold themselves to the highest standard, so there is not even a perception of wrongdoing.