I N T E G R I T Y I N D E P E N D E N C E E X C E L L E N C E
Report No. DODIG-2021-057
2021
REPORT OF INVESTIGATION
REAR ADMIRAL (LOWER HALF)
R
ONNY LYNN JACKSON, M.D.
U.S. NAVY, RETIRED
CUI
CUI
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REPORT OF INVESTIGATION:
REAR ADMIRAL (LOWER HALF) RONNY LYNN JACKSON, M.D.
U.S. NAVY, RETIRED
I. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
Complaint Origin and Allegations
The President nominated Rear Admiral (Lower Half) (RDML) Ronny Lynn Jackson, M.D., to
serve as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on April 16, 2018. The Senate Committee on Veterans’
Affairs subsequently interviewed 23 current and former colleagues of RDML Jackson, who “raised
serious concerns about [RDML] Jackson’s temperament and ethics and cast doubt on his ability to
lead the second largest agency in government.” The Ranking Member of that Committee,
Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), released a two-page summary on April 25, 2018, with the concerns
grouped into three categories: “Prescribing Practices,” “Hostile Work Environment,” and
“Drunken[n]ess.” The Senate Armed Services Committee asked the DoD Office of Inspector General
(OIG) to investigate the allegations against RDML Jackson on April 26, 2018.
1
The DoD Hotline received 12 complaints from April 26, 2018, through June 7, 2018. The
complaints and additional allegations raised by witnesses generally alleged that RDML Jackson,
while serving as Director, White House Medical Unit (WHMU), a DoD unit tasked with providing
medical support to the White House, and, while serving as Physician to the President:
failed to foster and maintain a healthy command climate in the WHMU, and failed to
treat DoD subordinates with dignity and respect;
engaged in alcohol-related misconduct, including wrecking a government vehicle
while intoxicated;
expected rum or other alcohol to be stocked in his lodging room while on official
travel, or caused staff members to fear retribution if they did not comply with the
expectation; and
misused Ambien for his personal use.
We initiated this investigation on May 18, 2018. We engaged in a series of conversations
with the Office of White House Counsel who would not agree to an interview of RDML Jackson
without attorneys from the Office of White House Counsel. Ultimately, we agreed to conduct an
interview of RDML Jackson in the presence of his personal attorneys and attorneys from the Office
of White House Counsel on October 10, 2018.
2
During the interview, an attorney from the Office of
White House Counsel instructed RDML Jackson not to answer any questions concerning events
after his appointment as the Physician to the President in July 2013. Therefore, because a majority
1
RDML Jackson held the rank of Captain, U.S. Navy, from May 1, 2010, until October 1, 2016, when he was promoted to the grade of Rear
Admiral (Lower Half). Although he held different ranks during different periods of time related to the allegations, and retired during the
investigation, we refer to him throughout this report as RDML Jackson.
2
The AI Investigations Manual “does not allow DoD organization or command attorneys to attend interviews for the purpose of representing
the interests of individual employees.” In this instance, we authorized an extraordinary exception to DoD OIG policy to allow the presence of
Government attorneys at this interview who did not represent RDML Jackson.
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of the allegations involved conduct that occurred after his appointment as the Physician to the
President, our interview of RDML Jackson was limited in scope and unproductive.
We suspended our fieldwork on October 11, 2018, to discuss with the Office of White House
Counsel their concerns about the conduct of our investigation and determine whether the President
would invoke executive privilege. After a series of phone calls, e-mail exchanges, and meetings with
attorneys at the Office of White House Counsel, we informed the Office of White House Counsel on
August 22, 2019, of our plans to continue our investigation into the allegations against
RDML Jackson. The Office of White House Counsel did not invoke executive privilege.
In addition to continuing our investigation, we initiated an evaluation of the WHMU as part
of a larger evaluation of the National Capital Region (NCR) Medical Directorate Executive Medicine
Services on September 3, 2019. We will release the results of that evaluation as a separate report.
We resumed our fieldwork on September 4, 2019, into the allegations against
RDML Jackson. In total, we interviewed 78 witnesses and RDML Jackson. We also reviewed
documents provided by officials from the White House Military Office (WHMO) and from the
WHMU, WHMO’s subordinate medical directorate, including policy memorandums and personnel
documents, law enforcement records, and applicable standards. We present the applicable
standards in more detail in Appendix A. We also reviewed reprisal allegations related to this
matter and address them in Appendix B.
Conclusions
We could not review these matters fully because of the Office of the White House Counsel’s
insistence about being present at all interviews of current WHMU employees who interacted with
RDML Jackson and had knowledge relevant to this investigation. We determined that the potential
chilling effect of their presence would prevent us from receiving accurate testimony.
3
Despite our
decision not to pursue testimony from current WHMU employees, we believe the evidence we
received from WHMU employees who were no longer employees at the White House and the
documents we could access is sufficient to determine the facts and reach conclusions regarding
these allegations based on a preponderance of available evidence.
Alleged Failure to Treat Subordinates with Dignity and Respect
We concluded that RDML Jackson’s overall course of conduct toward subordinates
disparaged, belittled, bullied, and humiliated them, and fostered a negative work environment by
failing to treat subordinates with dignity and respect. We also concluded that RDML Jackson failed
to conduct himself in an exemplary manner in his treatment of subordinates throughout his tenure
at WHMU. His treatment of subordinates created a negative work environment that witnesses said
made an unfavorable impact on the overall command climate.
3
We provided a copy of our draft report of investigation to the Office of the White House Counsel to review for any privileged information it
believed should be withheld from public release. It identified no information to withhold, but in an e-mail dated January 19, 2021, a
representative from the Office of the White House Counsel objected to the first two sentences in this paragraph. They rejected “any suggestion
[that their presence] at interviews may have had a ‘potential chilling effect’ that would prevent the Inspector General from ‘receiving accurate
testimony.’” They stated that the attendance of White House Counsel attorneys at interviews was “important for preserving Executive
Privilege, especially when employees who work in the White House complex are interviewed.”
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Alleged Alcohol-Related Incidents and Prescription Drug Use
We concluded that RDML Jackson engaged in inappropriate conduct involving the use of
alcohol during two incidents. Both incidents occurred during presidential trips while
RDML Jackson was in charge of providing medical care and treatment to U.S. Government officials—
a trip to Manila, Philippines, in April 2014 and a trip to Bariloche, Argentina, in March 2016.
We found no evidence to support the allegation that RDML Jackson expected rum or other
alcohol to be stocked in his lodging room while on official travel, or that staff members feared
retribution if they did not comply with the expectation.
We found no evidence to support the allegation that RDML Jackson “got drunk and wrecked
a government vehicle.”
We concluded that RDML Jackson used Ambien during long official overseas flights. We are
not aware of any specific WHMO prohibitions against the use of Ambien during long official
overseas flights. While the WHMO policy memorandum required RDML Jackson to notify his
supervisor in advance of taking Ambien, we did not ascertain if he provided such a notification.
However, the witnesses, all of whom were WHMU medical personnel, raised concerns about
RDML Jackson’s potential incapacity to provide proper medical care during such flights while using
Ambien because of the common side effects described in the section of this report titled,
“RDML Jackson’s Use of Ambien.”
The following sections provide the detailed results of our investigation. We first provide
background information about RDML Jackson, the WHMO, and the WHMU. Second, we discuss
RDML Jackson’s alleged failure to treat subordinates with dignity and respect. Third, we discuss
alleged alcohol-related incidents. Finally, we present RDML Jackson’s alleged personal misuse of
Ambien.
4
RDML Jackson’s Response to our Conclusions
We provided RDML Jackson our tentative conclusions on January 22, 2021, and gave him
the opportunity to comment on the results before finalizing our report. RDML Jackson’s attorney
notified us on February 9, 2021, that RMDL Jackson had no comment for our report.
II. BACKGROUND
White House Military Office
The White House Military Office (WHMO) provides military support for White House
functions, including food service, presidential transportation, medical support and emergency
medical services, and hospitality services. The office oversees policy related to WHMO functions
and DoD assets, and ensures the White House requirements are met with the highest standards of
quality. The WHMO units include the White House Communications Agency, the Presidential Airlift
Group, the WHMU, Camp David, Marine Helicopter Squadron One, the Presidential Food Service,
and the White House Transportation Agency.
4
We based our conclusions on a preponderance of the evidence, consistent with our normal process in administrative investigations.
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The WHMU provides worldwide emergency and comprehensive medical care to the
President, the Vice President, their families, and other eligible beneficiaries. The WHMU also
provides emergency medical services for more than 1.5 million annual visitors to the White House
and guests of the President, as well as national and international heads of state and diplomats. The
WHMU’s staff consists of doctors, physician assistants, nurses, medics, and medical administrators.
Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Ronny L. Jackson, M.D., U.S. Navy
RDML Jackson began his active duty naval service upon graduation from medical school in
1995. He subsequently graduated from the Undersea Medical Officer Program in 1996 and served
in numerous operational assignments until 2001, when he began his residency in emergency
medicine. In 2004, he completed his emergency medicine residency and stayed an additional year
as a clinical faculty physician in the Emergency Medical Residency Program in Portsmouth, Virginia.
In 2005, RDML Jackson deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as an emergency medicine
physician for a forward-deployed surgical shock trauma platoon.
RDML Jackson reported to the WHMU on June 1, 2006, and served as a physician until
May 1, 2008, when he became the WHMU Deputy Director. RDML Jackson was promoted to the
WHMU Director position in May 2010 and in July 2013, was selected to be the Physician to the
President. RDML Jackson served as both the Physician to the President and the WHMU Director
from July 2013 through November 2014. RDML Jackson ended his duties as the WHMU Director on
December 1, 2014, but remained the Physician to the President. The President appointed
RDML Jackson as a Deputy Assistant to the President as well as Physician to the President on
January 20, 2017. RDML Jackson ended his service as the Physician to the President on March 28,
2018, but continued to serve as the senior physician in the WHMU. The President nominated
RDML Jackson to be the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on April 16, 2018. The President appointed
RDML Jackson as Assistant to the President and Chief Medical Advisor on February 2, 2019.
III. ANALYSIS OF THE ALLEGATIONS
Chronology of Significant Events
Table 1 lists the significant events related to this investigation.
Table 1. Chronology of Significant Events
Date
Event
June 1, 2006
RDML Jackson reports to the WHMU as a physician.
May 2010
RDML Jackson begins his duties as the WHMU Director.
July 2013
RDML Jackson begins his duties as the Physician to the President and continues
to serve as the WHMU Director.
December 2014
RDML Jackson ends his duties as the WHMU Director but continues to serve as
the Physician to the President.
October 1, 2016
The Navy promotes RDML Jackson to Rear Admiral (Lower Half).
March 28, 2018
RDML Jackson ends his duties as the Physician to the President.
April 16, 2018
The President nominates RDML Jackson to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
April 26, 2018
The Senate Armed Services Committee asks the DoD OIG to investigate
RDML Jackson.
April 26, 2018–June 7, 2018
The DoD Hotline receives 12 complaints against RDML Jackson.
May 18, 2018
The DoD OIG initiates the investigation.
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Date
Event
June 20, 2018
The President withdraws RDML Jackson’s nomination to be Secretary of
Veterans Affairs.
February 2, 2019
The President appoints RDML Jackson as Assistant to the President and Chief
Medical Advisor.
December 1, 2019
RDML Jackson retires from the Navy.
Source: The DoD OIG
A. ALLEGED FAILURE TO TREAT SUBORDINATES WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT
RDML Jackson was promoted to the WHMU Director position in May 2010 and in July 2013,
he was selected to be the Physician to the President. RDML Jackson served as both the Physician to
the President and the WHMU Director from July 2013 through November 2014. RDML Jackson
ended his duties as the WHMU Director in December 2014. Although RDML Jackson no longer led
the WHMU in a formal leadership position at that time, the WHMU provided logistics and resource
support to his position as the Physician to the President. As the Physician to the President,
RDML Jackson was the senior medical officer at the White House, interacted constantly with WHMU
employees, and signed WHMU employee evaluations until early 2017. As one former WHMO
Director told us, “[RDML Jackson] never had a minimal role. He was always there. His personality
loomed large [over the WHMU].”
The Senate Armed Services Committee referred allegations that RDML Jackson was
responsible, in part, for a poor command climate within the WHMU, which was described as
“hostile” and “toxic.” We also received allegations that RDML Jackson screamed, yelled, cursed, or
belittled subordinate WHMU employees.
We asked all 78 witnesses who served with RDML Jackson from 2012 through March 2018
about these allegations. Of the 78 witnesses, 15 were members of the WHMO headquarters staff,
members of other WHMO units, or military aides, and had limited firsthand knowledge of the
allegations. The remaining 63 witnesses were former WHMU employees, subordinate to
RDML Jackson, and had opportunity to interact with RDML Jackson during the period of the
allegations in this investigation.
5
Although 3 of these 63 witnesses were former WHMU employees,
subordinate to RDML Jackson, we found that 2 had little or no interaction with RDML Jackson, and
the third witness did not give us relevant information.
We present evidence from the 60 remaining former WHMU subordinates in this section.
We asked all 60 witnesses to describe their relationships with RDML Jackson during their service in
the WHMU. We asked them if RDML Jackson yelled, screamed, cursed, or belittled them, and if they
saw or heard from other WHMU subordinates that RDML Jackson treated others similarly. We also
asked them about RDML Jackson’s impact on the WHMU command climate.
We asked each of the 60 subordinates if RDML Jackson failed to treat them with dignity and
respect, or if they ever saw or heard about RDML Jackson failing to treat other subordinates with
dignity and respect. We sorted the witness comments into four groups as shown in Table 2, which
summarizes their responses.
5
Many of the witnesses we interviewed told us that the passage of 2 to 8 years hampered their recollection of the alleged events.
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Table 2. Summary of Experiences of Former WHMU Subordinates
Witness Responses about RDML Jackson Yelling,
Screaming, Cursing, or Belittling Subordinates
Number of
Witnesses
Did not experience, see, or hear about RDML Jackson
yelling, screaming, cursing, or belittling subordinates.
4
Heard from others about RDML Jackson yelling,
screaming, cursing, or belittling subordinates, but did
not experience or see it firsthand.
27
Saw firsthand RDML Jackson yelling, screaming, cursing,
or belittling other subordinates, but did not experience it
themselves.
19
Experienced firsthand RDML Jackson yelling, screaming,
cursing, or directing belittling comments at them. (All
but one of them also saw RDML Jackson treat other
subordinates similarly.)
10
Totals:
Did not experience, see, or hear about RDML Jackson
yelling, screaming, cursing, or belittling subordinates
4
Experienced, saw, or heard about RDML Jackson yelling,
screaming, cursing, or belittling subordinates
56
Note: “Not Applicable” reflects statements of witnesses that the WHMU command climate was due to other factors not attributable to
RDML Jackson, such as operational tempo and organizational structure.
Source: The DoD OIG
Only four witnesses told us that they did not experience, see, or hear about RDML Jackson
yelling, screaming, cursing, or belittling subordinates. The other 56 witnesses described
RDML Jackson’s behavior toward subordinates as yelling, screeching, rage, tantrums, and
meltdowns. They told us that RDML Jackson would have quick bursts of anger, was prone to
cursing, would call subordinates names, had an explosive temper, and established a workplace of
fear and intimidation. The witnesses described how RDML Jackson’s behavior had a negative effect
that permeated throughout the unit, telling us that nurses were stressed, doctors felt demoralized,
and that the unit had the worst command climate they had ever experienced. We list a few
examples of comments made by the witnesses below and list more in Appendix C.
If he’s in a hurry, and if he’s upset … he is prone to having meltdowns and tantrums.
… and I didn’t believe it because I was warned ahead of time … and this was by far
the worst behavior … I’ve ever seen [in my medical career].
[P]eople walked on eggshells quite a bit, and almost had a hard time saying no
because if they pushed back on anything, that’s when he [RDML Jackson] usually
went high and to the right.
[RDML Jackson’s] explosive temper, the demeaning glances, the … interest in
anything to get ahead at either the expense or at the disregard for those under his
charge.
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I never saw [RDML Jackson] reward anyone. I only saw him break people down. I
never saw him ever put the needs of the mission or another [service member]
before his own, ever.
[RDML Jackson] established a workplace where fear and intimidation were kind of
the hallmarks of him, his command, and control of his subordinates … .
[RDML Jackson was] a toxic leader because he created an environment below him
where people were afraid, where people were on edge, where people didn’t want to
come to work, people didn’t want to work around him and for him in the [White
House] Clinic.
[RDML Jackson] was a crappy manager at best. He was all over the place. Very
erratic, very unpredictable.
[I]n my professional military experience, it was arguably the worst command
climate that I have experienced, and I attribute that largely to Dr. Jackson.
In addition to the comments about RDML Jackson’s behavior, witnesses also described
many incidents to provide context for his yelling, berating, and cursing at subordinates. For
instance, one witness described how RDML Jackson yelled and cursed over the telephone at a
medical subordinate while the subordinate was dealing with a medical emergency in Africa. In
another incident, witnesses described a trip to Martha’s Vineyard when RDML Jackson cursed at
subordinates for failing to purchase a specific type of bug spray. Witnesses described yet another
incident when RDML Jackson cursed at a subordinate in front of his family who were all invited to a
White House event, telling the subordinate, “I don’t know what the f**k you think you’re doing
here” and “You need to get out of here, I don’t want you here.” We provide additional information
about those incidents as well as several other incidents in Appendix C.
DoD OIG Conclusions on Dignity and Respect
We concluded, by a preponderance of the evidence, that RDML Jackson’s overall course of
conduct toward subordinates disparaged, belittled, bullied, and humiliated them, and fostered a
negative work environment by failing to treat subordinates with dignity and respect. We also
concluded that RDML Jackson failed to conduct himself in an exemplary manner in his treatment of
subordinates throughout his tenure at WHMU. His treatment of subordinates also created a
negative work environment that witnesses said made an unfavorable impact on the overall
command climate.
The U.S. Navy Regulations and the Joint Ethics Regulation (JER) require officers to treat
subordinates with dignity and respect, to be a positive influence, and to avoid abusive language.
Section 8167, title 10, United States Code (10 U.S.C. § 8167), “Requirement of exemplary conduct,”
requires Navy officers to show exemplary conduct. RDML Jackson failed to adhere to these
standards.
RDML Jackson had a duty to promote and safeguard workplace morale, to treat
subordinates with dignity and respect, to be a positive influence, and to avoid bullying subordinates
by verbally berating or humiliating them. However, only four witnesses from his unit who
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interacted with RDML Jackson told us they did not personally experience, see, or hear about him
yelling, screaming, cursing, or belittling subordinates.
The overwhelming majority of witnesses (56) we interviewed who worked with
RDML Jackson from 2012 through 2018 told us they personally experienced, saw, or heard about
him yelling, screaming, cursing, or belittling subordinates. Many of these witnesses described
RDML Jackson’s behavior with words and phrases such as “meltdowns,” “yells for no reason,”
“rages,” “tantrums,” “lashes out,” and “aggressive.” These witnesses also described RDML Jackson’s
leadership style with terms such as “tyrant,” “dictator,” “control freak,” “hallmarks of fear and
intimidation,” “crappy manager,” and “not a leader at all.”
A smaller number of witnesses (13) told us RDML Jackson had a somewhat favorable
impact on the command climate. They described his impact on the unit with comments such as
“ran a strict ship,” “demanded things get done correctly,” “able to balance so many things at one
time,” and “had a huge impact on me.” However, a much larger number of witnesses (38) told us
that RDML Jackson had an unfavorable impact on the command climate. In the following quoted
comments, those witnesses described his impact on the command climate with phrases such as:
worst command climate I have ever experienced;
nurses were stressed, doctors were demoralized, enlisted [medics] were scared of
him;
never put the needs of the mission or another before his own;
wanted to eliminate people who were doing a good job;
wanted to be the most favorite guy to the President;
never wanted to lose his position;
afraid others would look more favorable than him;
we were all walking on eggshells;
people below him were afraid, did not want to come to work;
people avoided him at all cost;
if he was coming, you found something else to do;
worst command climate in [over 20] years of service;
so much distrust and poor treatment of people; and
crappy manager at best, all over the place, very erratic and unpredictable.
Witnesses told us that RDML Jackson would yell and curse about trivial matters such as a
lack of small pill bottles. Witnesses also told us that RDML Jackson called subordinates names such
as “idiots,” “lazy f**kers,” and “mother-f**kers.” In Appendix C, we list comments from witnesses
who described RDML Jackson’s behavior toward subordinates as yelling, screeching, rage,
tantrums, and meltdowns, and highlight six incidents in which he failed to conduct himself in an
exemplary manner or failed to treat subordinates with dignity and respect.
Some witnesses told us RDML Jackson apologized after some incidents and RDML Jackson
said his conduct was not professional or respectful. We agree that his conduct was not professional
or respectful.
We concluded that RDML Jackson’s overall course of conduct disparaged, belittled, bullied,
and humiliated subordinates, and created a negative WHMU work environment. RDML Jackson
also failed to conduct himself in an exemplary manner and made an unfavorable impact on the
overall WHMU command climate.
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B. ALLEGED ALCOHOL-RELATED INCIDENTS AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE
The complaints and witnesses alleged that RDML Jackson engaged in alcohol-related
misconduct. Specifically, we received allegations that RDML Jackson:
while on official travel to Manila, Philippines, made inappropriate comments about a
female medical subordinate’s anatomy and, while intoxicated, knocked on her door
in the middle of the night;
was drunk on duty in Bariloche, Argentina;
while under the influence of alcohol, wrecked a Government vehicle; and
while on official travel, expected subordinates to stock his hotel room with alcohol.
We also investigated witness concerns that RDML Jackson used Ambien while on duty and
while on call for providing medical care for Government officials on travel, including the President.
Manila, Philippines
Witnesses alleged that RDML Jackson made a comment about a female medical
subordinate’s breasts and buttocks during a presidential trip to Asia in April 2014. They also
alleged that while staying in a hotel in Manila during this trip, RDML Jackson knocked on the same
female subordinate’s door, while drunk, in the middle of the night and told her “I need you.” We
identified and interviewed four witnesses who travelled to Manila and had relevant information
about this incident. We refer to the witnesses as Manila Witnesses 1 through 4.
At the time of this incident, RDML Jackson was in charge of providing medical care during
the presidential trip to Asia from April 22, 2014, through April 29, 2014. Manila Witness 1, a
medical subordinate, told us that during the Asia trip, before arriving in Manila, RDML Jackson told
him a female medical subordinate (Manila Witness 2), who was also on the trip, had “great t**s,”
and “what a nice a**,” and that RDML Jackson also told Manila Witness 1 that he would “like to see
more of her tattoos.”
Another witness (Manila Witness 3) told us that shortly after they arrived in Manila, he saw
RDML Jackson “drinking in the hotel lobby and … get[ting] into a car with a drink in his hand to go
out on the town.” Later that evening, RDML Jackson met Manila Witness 3 and other military
medical subordinates at a restaurant.
Manila Witness 1 told us about meeting RDML Jackson at the restaurant that night.
You could smell alcohol. You can see his [RDML Jackson’s] flush face, his red
nose. It was clear he had been drinking [before meeting at the restaurant]
… . So if it was a scale of 1 to 5 like I’d put him at a 3ish. He had a buzz, but
he was still functional. He wasn’t so drunk he couldn’t get in the car or
something like that. So he could communicate. He knew where we were
going. He knew he was coming to meet with us and where we were.
Both Manila Witness 1 and Witness 3 told us RDML Jackson drank alcoholic beverages with
his subordinates at the restaurant, and they observed RDML Jackson drink four to six alcoholic
beverages in addition to what he already consumed before arriving. RDML Jackson and the two
witnesses returned to their hotel where RDML Jackson and Manila Witness 1 planned to eat balut in
RDML Jackson’s room. Balut is a fertilized bird egg that is incubated for a period of 14 to 21 days
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depending on the local culture, and then boiled or steamed. The contents are eaten directly from
the shell.
Manila Witness 4, who had not gone drinking with RDML Jackson, told us that later that
night he heard a loud noise, went to RDML Jackson’s room, and saw RDML Jackson with two or
three other military medical subordinates. This witness said he told them that they “need to be
quiet because you’re getting too loud. I don’t want you bugging the President.” The witness also
told us that within five minutes, RDML Jackson went to the witness’s room and asked if he was out
of line. The witness told him that he was not out of line. The witness told us that RDML Jackson
“was very concerned that he was being too loud or that the President may be upset with him.”
Sometime between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., RDML Jackson went to the female subordinate’s
(Manila Witness 2’s) room. Manila Witness 1 told us he went to locate RDML Jackson and found
him “pounding on [Manila Witness 2’s] door … and … carrying on.” Manila Witness 1 told us that he
“ thought like, ‘Oh, I just need to tell him he’s being too loud.’ But I remember the look [on Manila
Witness 2’s face and she] was not okay with what was going on.”
Manila Witness 2 (the female medical subordinate) told us RDML Jackson woke her up
during the middle of the night with a “loud banging on my door.” She said that when she opened
her door, she smelled alcohol on RDML Jackson’s breath and believed he was “visibly intoxicated.”
She added:
he was kind of like leaning with one arm against the railing of my doorway,
and … he had kind of bloodshot eyes. You could smell the alcohol on his
breath, and he leaned into my room and he said, “I need you.” I felt really
uncomfortable … I kind of stepped back but I kept my hand on … the door but
I stepped back into my room because I still wasn’t sure what exactly this
meant. Did he need me for some medical problem or what exactly was going
on? So I kind of reiterated to him, “Sir, I’m sorry, sir. What do you need?”
And he told me, he “needed me” again and, “I need you to come to my room.”
Manila Witness 2 told us Manila Witness 1 grabbed Dr. Jackson on the shoulder and said,
“Hey, sir. What are you doing? We’re … going back to your room.” RDML Jackson kept pointing to
the female subordinate and said, “No, no. We need her. We need her. Get her. We need her.”
Manila Witness 1 moved RDML Jackson into the hallway and told RDML Jackson the female
subordinate would get dressed and go with them to RDML Jackson’s room. According to the female
subordinate, she and Manila Witness 1 made eye contact and Manila Witness 1 “kind of reassured
me like, ‘I’ve got you. I’m not going to let you be alone [with RDML Jackson].’” Manila Witness 1
told us he remembered the female subordinate looking at him with concern about RDML Jackson’s
behavior.
The female subordinate told us she changed from her pajamas into clothes and “Got [her]
medical response bag … because I still wasn’t sure what the whole situation was about. And went
to [RDML Jackson’s room].” Once inside RDML Jackson’s room, she observed:
Dr. Jackson was in [the room] holding this … grocery bag of … balut.
[RDML Jackson] said, “Take my phone. Take my phone. We need to take
pictures. I want to film this. I want to film myself eating these eggs." And
he’s screaming. I kind of describe this is like frat boy type behavior.
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The female subordinate told us RDML Jackson started to eat the balut and screamed, “It
f**king stinks. I can feel its f**king feathers.” The female subordinate also told us she looked at
Manila Witness 1, thinking, “I'm done. This is not where I want to be. I don't know what this man
[RDML Jackson] was coming to my room for in the first place, but this is clearly not related to my
job. I'm going.” She stated that she grabbed her medical bag and, as she was leaving the room, a
Secret Service agent told her he thought RDML Jackson was going to wake the President.
Manila Witness 1 told us that the next day he thought about RDML Jackson’s comments
about the female subordinate’s anatomy. He recalled thinking it was “probably not a good idea” for
RDML Jackson “to be around [the female subordinate’s] door after he’s been drinking.” After the
trip, Manila Witness 1 told the female subordinate (Manila Witness 2) about the comments
RDML Jackson made about her anatomy. According to Manila Witness 1, the female subordinate
said she was concerned about RDML Jackson’s intentions towards her when RDML Jackson knocked
on her door in Manila.
We asked the female subordinate what she was thinking when RDML Jackson knocked on
her door in the middle of the night and said “I need you.” She told us that “when a drunk man
comes to your room and they say, ‘I need you,’ your mind goes to the worst. I really felt it was a
sexually inappropriate comment.” She told us “[a Navy officer in RDML Jackson’s position] should
not be knocking on my door drunk in the middle of the night telling me he ‘needs me’ no matter
what he needs me for.”
Bariloche, Argentina
A complaint alleged that RDML Jackson appeared to be drunk on duty as he left Bariloche,
Argentina. At the time of this incident, RDML Jackson was the Physician to the President and in
charge of providing medical care for a presidential trip to Argentina from March 23, 2016, through
March 24, 2016.
A WHMO policy memorandum in effect at the time prohibited the use of alcohol for all
WHMO personnel during presidential trips. Specifically, the requirement stated that:
during travel or other related support missions directly supporting White
House principals, refrain from consuming any alcohol for twenty-four (24)
hours prior to the principal’s arrival at the trip site and until two (2) hours
after the departure of the principal or two (2) hours after the individual
WHMO member’s completion of post-visit duties (whichever occurs later).
Two witnesses told us RDML Jackson was aware of this policy. One of the witnesses told us
that while on a previous Presidential trip in August 2015, RDML Jackson was drinking a beer and
told him the policy was “ridiculous.”
During the 2016 trip to Argentina, RDML Jackson accompanied the President for a 7-hour
visit to Bariloche, Argentina. We interviewed five witnesses who were also on the trip to Bariloche
and had relevant information about the incident. We refer to these witnesses as Bariloche
Witnesses 1 through 5.
Bariloche Witness 1 told us that when RDML Jackson arrived in Bariloche, he gave his
medical bag to the witness, stayed at a hotel with other members of the travelling party, and did not
participate in the day’s scheduled events. Several witnesses told us that medical personnel in
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possession of the medical bag are considered to be on duty and are responsible for providing
immediate medical care to the President and the traveling team.
Bariloche Witness 2, who was with RDML Jackson at the hotel, told us RDML Jackson drank
a Heineken beer in the early afternoon, and RDML Jackson was not on duty for “at least three hours”
after he drank the beer. Bariloche Witness 3 told us that she saw RDML Jackson around lunchtime
and that RDML Jackson appeared normal and “[nothing seemed] out of the ordinary.”
At the conclusion of the visit to Bariloche, RDML Jackson took possession of the medical bag
from Bariloche Witness 1 and resumed his medical duties for providing immediate medical care to
the President and the traveling team. The witness told us RDML Jackson “smelled of alcohol” when
he took control of the medical bag. The witness also said, “Was he drunk? I don’t know. I’m not a
breathalyzer nor can I do a blood-alcohol level by smelling. But did he smell of alcohol? Yes, he
did.”
Bariloche Witness 4 recalled the Bariloche trip but could not remember interacting with
RDML Jackson on the trip. Additionally, Bariloche Witness 4 could not remember RDML Jackson’s
physical appearance or whether RDML Jackson smelled of alcohol.
Bariloche Witness 5, who was also with RDML Jackson on the flight departing Bariloche, did
not remember anything out of the ordinary. Bariloche Witness 5 could not recall how close he sat
to RDML Jackson but told us, “At no point with my time with Dr. Jackson have I ever … smelled
alcohol on him, or anything like that.”
Alcohol-Related Accidents with a Government Vehicle
A complaint alleged that RDML Jackson “got drunk and wrecked a government vehicle.”
RDML Jackson denied ever driving while drunk and told us the allegation was “completely
false. I have never, ever been in a vehicle accident involving alcohol in my entire life.” We searched
law enforcement databases for traffic accident reports involving RDML Jackson. We also asked
witnesses if they knew about the allegation. We found no evidence that RDML Jackson was
involved in a traffic accident while under the influence of alcohol. We found one police report dated
September 1, 2017, which stated that another party vandalized the Government vehicle driven by
RDML Jackson.
No information or witness testimony supported the allegation that RDML Jackson “got
drunk and wrecked a government vehicle.”
Stocking RDML Jackson’s Lodging with Alcoholic Beverages
Complaints alleged that RDML Jackson expected rum and other alcohol to be stocked in his
lodging while he was on official travel, and that staff members feared retribution if they did not
purchase alcohol for him.
WHMU medical personnel travelled in advance teams to plan and prepare medical support
for presidential trips. We interviewed 29 WHMU witnesses who had direct knowledge of advance
team practices. Of the 29 witnesses, 23 served as advance team members and 6 served as medical
travel team members.
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Witnesses told us the medical travel team accompanied the President and other senior
Government officials and often had immediate mission requirements at the travel destination
without time to purchase food and beverages. Therefore, members of the advance team regularly
purchased light snacks and beverages for the arriving medical travel team. One witness told us the
advance team’s goal was to provide for those times when the advance team knew the travelling
party would not get something to eat or drink. Witnesses stated that the advance team sometimes
purchased snacks and beverages that were unique to the country or destination visited by the
official party.
We asked witnesses whether RDML Jackson reimbursed members of the advance team who
purchased light snacks and beverages for him. Of the 29 witnesses:
11 witnesses told us RDML Jackson repaid them or they saw RDML Jackson
reimburse other members of the advance team;
4 witnesses told us RDML Jackson and other members of the travel team did not
reimburse them for the light snacks or beverages, but also told us they spent about
five dollars for each member of the medical travel team and had no concerns about
supporting to RDML Jackson or any other member of the travel team; and
14 witnesses could not provide relevant information about RDML Jackson’s
reimbursement for purchases of light snacks and beverages.
We also asked witnesses about the advance team’s purchase of alcohol for members of the
medical travel teams. Of the 29 witnesses:
8 witnesses told us they purchased alcohol for medical travel teams,
9 witnesses told us they saw alcohol provided to medical travel teams, and
12 witnesses neither purchased nor saw alcohol provided to medical travel teams.
One witness told us he saw an advance team member buy rum for RDML Jackson on one or
more occasions. The advance team member told us he did not recall buying rum for RDML Jackson,
but he usually bought “one can of beer, that was unique to the country” for each medical travel team
member. The advance team member also told us RDML Jackson never asked him to buy anything
and that RDML Jackson was “very insistent” about reimbursing him.
All witnesses who served as part of an advance team told us that neither RDML Jackson nor
anyone else on his behalf directed them to stock RDML Jackson’s lodging with alcohol. Witnesses
who served on advance teams, but did not purchase alcohol for the travel team, told us they did not
experience any adverse actions for not stocking alcohol in the lodging of travel team members.
One medical travel team member told us RDML Jackson stated to the witness, “I don’t know
why they [bought me alcohol]. I don’t ask them to do that.” Another witness told us that in the fall
of 2016, the WHMU Director informed his staff at a weekly meeting:
I want to make it clear that there is not a policy that you buy Dr. Jackson
alcohol and put it in his refrigerator. That is never an expected thing, and he
[the WHMU director] kind of put that out there that it was not expected for
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us to be doing. So somehow it had gotten back to him that, I guess people
thought they were supposed to be doing it, some people had a problem with
it. I don’t know who would have brought that up to him.
The witness also recalled that RDML Jackson told a group of advance team employees that
“if you guys had this impression that I expected you to do this, I’m not expecting it. I don’t expect
you guys to go stock my refrigerator with beers or anything.”
RDML Jackson’s Use of Ambien
Witnesses told us they were concerned because RDML Jackson used Ambien while on duty
and while on call for providing medical care for Government officials on travel, including the
President.
Ambien is a prescription medicine used to treat insomnia. According to a safety
announcement published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, common side effects for
Ambien include drowsiness and impaired mental alertness the morning after its use. A doctor
familiar with the use and effects of Ambien told us that Ambien would “very negatively impact a
person’s ability to respond to anything in a medical professional capacity.” The doctor also told us
that Ambien impacts “a person’s focus, concentration, and judgment.”
A WHMO policy memorandum in effect at the time for all WHMO personnel during
presidential trips prohibited the use of drugs that would render personnel unable to perform their
assigned duties. Specifically, the requirement stated that WHMO personnel:
Will not use alcohol, drugs, or other substances to the point of becoming unfit
or unable to perform assigned duties; [and will] … notify their site supervisor
in advance if the individual WHMO member will ingest any non-alcoholic
substance (e.g., medication) which can adversely impact the individual
member’s duty performance.
Three witnesses told us RDML Jackson told them that he used Ambien. One of these
witnesses also told us RDML Jackson stated that after he took Ambien, he needed to take another
medication to function properly again.
Three other witnesses told us they saw RDML Jackson take Ambien on several official
overseas flights on Air Force One. The witnesses also told us RDML Jackson was in charge of
providing medical care for Government officials on those trips, including the President. One of the
witnesses also told us RDML Jackson joked about taking Ambien.
We were not able to ascertain whether RDML Jackson notified his supervisor about his use
of Ambien. None of the witnesses told us there was a medical emergency during those overseas
flights that required RDML Jackson to provide or supervise medical care of Government officials.
However, witnesses expressed concerns about RDML Jackson’s ability to provide or supervise
medical care while using Ambien if an emergency required it.
DoD OIG Conclusions on Alcohol-Related Incidents
We concluded that RDML Jackson engaged in inappropriate conduct involving the use of
alcohol during two incidents. Both incidents occurred during presidential trips while
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RDML Jackson was in charge of providing medical care and treatment to U.S. Government officials—
a trip to Manila, Philippines, in April 2014 and a trip to Bariloche, Argentina, in March 2016.
During the presidential trip to Manila, RDML Jackson made sexual and denigrating
statements about one of his female medical subordinates to another of his subordinates.
Specifically, he said that his female subordinate had “great t**s” and “a nice a**” and he would “like
to see more of her tattoos.”
Later on the trip, while staying overnight with the travelling party in a hotel in Manila,
RDML Jackson drank alcohol with his subordinates, became intoxicated, and, while in his hotel
room, engaged in behavior that witnesses described as screaming and yelling, and behavior that
some complained might wake the President. In the middle of the same night, RDML Jackson
pounded on a female subordinate’s hotel door, woke her, and told her, “I need you.”
The U.S. Navy Regulations and the JER require officers to treat subordinates with dignity
and respect, to be a positive influence, and to avoid abusive language. RDML Jackson’s sexual
comments to a subordinate about another subordinate’s anatomy created a negative workplace
environment and failed to show dignity and respect for the female subordinate under his
supervision. His intoxicated behavior in the middle of the night, pounding on her hotel room door,
screaming, yelling, and overall loud behavior in his hotel room exhibited less than exemplary
workplace conduct while on official travel to provide medical care for the President and other
members of the travelling party. Additionally, by engaging in this intoxicated conduct during this
presidential trip, RDML Jackson failed to show the exemplary conduct that 10 U.S.C. § 8167 requires
of Navy officers. The WHMO policy prohibiting the consumption of alcohol took effect on
August 29, 2014. We could not find a similar policy that was in effect for WHMO personnel during
the presidential trip to Manila in April 2014.
While on the presidential trip to Argentina, a preponderance of the evidence shows that
RDML Jackson drank one beer during a stop in Bariloche. Another witness said that RDML Jackson
“smelled of alcohol” when RDML Jackson took the medical bag, which signified that RDML Jackson
was assuming duties as the primary physician. Two witnesses told us RDML Jackson was aware of
the WHMO policy prohibiting all WHMO personnel from drinking alcohol during presidential trips,
and, according to one witness, RDML Jackson told him the policy was “ridiculous.” Throughout his
duties at WHMU and while serving as the Physician to the President, RDML Jackson’s evaluations
indicate he was a DoD employee assigned to WHMU, which is a subordinate organization of the
WHMO. Therefore, RDML Jackson violated the WHMO policy when he drank alcohol while on a
presidential trip to Bariloche.
We found no evidence to support the allegation that RDML Jackson “got drunk and wrecked
a government vehicle.”
We also found no evidence to support the allegation that RDML Jackson expected rum or
other alcohol to be stocked in his lodging room while on official travel, or that staff members feared
retribution if they did not comply with the expectation. While some WHMU personnel who served
as members of advance teams purchased alcohol and other food and beverages for members of the
medical travel teams, including RDML Jackson, we found no evidence that RDML Jackson requested
or expected such items. Additionally, witnesses told us he discouraged his subordinates from
purchasing alcohol or other food and beverages, and insisted on reimbursing those who did.
Accordingly, the evidence did not show that RDML Jackson violated any JER prohibitions
concerning the receipt of gifts of alcohol from subordinates.
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We are not aware of any specific WHMO prohibitions against the use of Ambien during long
official overseas flights. While the WHMO policy memorandum required RDML Jackson to notify his
supervisor in advance of taking Ambien, we were also not able to ascertain if he provided such a
notification. However, the witnesses, all of whom were WHMU medical personnel, raised concerns
about RDML Jackson’s potential incapacity to provide proper medical care during such flights while
using Ambien because of the common side effects described in the section, “RDML Jackson’s Use of
Ambien,” above. Therefore, we recommend that the WHMO Director issue fitness for duty guidance
regarding the appropriate use of Ambien and similar drugs while medical personnel are on duty or
on call to provide emergency medical services.
In summary, we concluded, by a preponderance of the evidence, that RDML Jackson made
sexual and denigrating statements about a female medical subordinate to another of his
subordinates. He also drank alcohol with his subordinates in Manila, became intoxicated, and,
while in his hotel room, engaged in behavior that witnesses described as screaming and yelling, and
behavior that some complained might wake the President. He violated WHMO policy by drinking a
beer while on a presidential trip to Bariloche, Argentina. RDML Jackson also took Ambien during
official travel, raising concerns about his potential incapacity to provide proper medical care.
IV. OVERALL CONCLUSIONS
By a preponderance of the evidence, we concluded the following:
RDML Jackson made sexual and denigrating statements about one of his female medical
subordinates to another of his subordinates.
RDML Jackson drank alcohol with his subordinates in Manila, became intoxicated, and,
while in his hotel room, engaged in behavior that witnesses described as screaming and yelling, and
behavior that some complained might wake the President.
RDML Jackson violated WHMO policy by drinking a beer while on a presidential trip to
Bariloche, Argentina.
RDML Jackson took Ambien during official travel, raising concerns about his potential
incapacity to provide proper medical care during this travel.
RDML Jackson disparaged, belittled, bullied, and humiliated subordinates, and created a
negative WHMU work environment.
RDML Jackson failed to conduct himself in an exemplary manner and made an unfavorable
impact on the overall WHMU command climate.
RDML Jackson did not get “drunk” and wreck “a government vehicle.”
RDML Jackson did not expect rum or other alcohol to be stocked in his lodging room while
on official travel. Staff members did not fear retribution if they did not stock RDML Jackson’s
lodging room.
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V. RECOMMENDATIONS
We recommend that the Secretary of the Navy take appropriate action regarding
RDML Jackson.
We recommend that the WHMO Director issue fitness for duty guidance regarding the
appropriate use of Ambien and similar drugs while medical personnel are on duty or on call to
provide emergency medical services.
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Appendix A: Standards
Title 10, section 8167, United States Code, “Requirement of exemplary conduct”
All commanding officers and others in authority in the naval service are required to show in
themselves a good example of virtue, honor, patriotism, and subordination; to be vigilant in
inspecting the conduct of all persons who are placed under their command; to guard against and
suppress all dissolute and immoral practices, and to correct, according to the laws and regulations
of the Navy, all persons who are guilty of them; and to take all necessary and proper measures,
under the laws, regulations, and customs of the naval service, to promote and safeguard the morale,
the physical well-being, and the general welfare of the officers and enlisted persons under their
command or charge.
U.S. Navy Regulations (1990)
Chapter 8, Article 0802, “Responsibility,” states in paragraph 4, “The commanding officer
and his or her subordinates shall exercise leadership through personal example, moral
responsibility and judicious attention to the welfare of persons under their control or supervision.
Such leadership shall be exercised in order to achieve a positive, dominant influence on the
performance of persons in the Department of the Navy.”
Chapter 10, Article 1023, “Abuse of Authority,” states, “Persons in authority are forbidden to
injure their subordinates by tyrannical or capricious conduct, or by abusive language.”
DoD 5500.07-R, “Joint Ethics Regulation (JER),” August 30, 1993, (Incorporating
Changes 1-7, November 17, 2011)
The JER provides a single source of standards of ethical conduct and ethics guidance for
DoD employees. Chapter 2 of the JER, “Standards of Ethical Conduct,” incorporates
5 CFR Part 2635, “Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,” August 7,
1992, in its entirety.
Subpart A, “General Provisions,” Section 2635.101
Section 2635.101, “Basic obligation of public service,” states in paragraph (b)(8) that
employees shall act impartially and not give preferential treatment to any private organization or
individual.
Chapter 12, “Ethical Conduct”
Section 4, “Ethical Values,” states that ethics are standards by which one should act based
on values. Values are core beliefs such as duty, honor, and integrity that motivate attitudes and
actions. Ethical values relate to what is right and wrong and thus take precedence over non-ethical
values when making ethical decisions. DoD employees should carefully consider ethical values
when making decisions as part of official duties. These values include accountability, fairness,
caring, and respect. Section 4, Paragraph 12-401, “Primary Ethical Values,” elaborates on those
characteristics as follows:
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Accountability includes avoiding even the appearance of impropriety because
appearances affect public confidence.
Fairness requires that individuals be treated equally and with tolerance.
Caring demands courtesy and kindness, both to those we serve and to those we
work with, to help ensure that individuals are not treated solely as a means to an
end. Caring for others is the counterbalance against the temptation to pursue the
mission at any cost.
Respect involves treating people with dignity, honoring privacy and allowing
self-determination. Respect is critical in a government of diverse people. Lack of
respect leads to a breakdown of loyalty and honesty within a government and
brings chaos to the international community.
Subpart C, “Gifts Between Employees,” Section 2635.301-304
Section 2635.301, “Overview,” states that this subpart contains standards that prohibit an
employee from giving, donating to, or soliciting contributions for a gift to an official superior and
from accepting a gift from an employee receiving less pay than himself, unless the item is excluded
from the definition of a gift or falls within one of the exceptions set forth in this subpart.
Section 2635.302, “General standards,” states an employee cannot, except as provided in
this subpart, (1) directly or indirectly, give a gift to or make a donation toward a gift for an official
superior; or (2) solicit a contribution from another employee for a gift to either his own or the other
employee’s official superior.
Section 2635.302 also states that an employee cannot, directly or indirectly, accept a gift
from an employee receiving less pay than himself unless 1) the two employees are not in a
subordinate-official superior relationship; and 2) there is a personal relationship between the two
employees that would justify the gift. Notwithstanding any exception provided in this subpart, an
official superior shall not coerce the offering of a gift from a subordinate.
Section 2635.303, “Definitions,” provides the following definitions:
“Official superior” means any other employee, including but not limited to an
immediate supervisor, whose official responsibilities include directing or evaluating
the performance of the employee’s official duties or those of any other official
superior of the employee. For purposes of this subpart, an employee is considered
to be the subordinate of any of his official superiors.
“Solicit” means to request contributions by personal communication or by general
announcement.
Section 2635.304, “Exceptions,” states that on an occasional basis, including any occasion on
which gifts are traditionally given or exchanged, an item may be accepted from a subordinate
receiving less pay if the item, other than cash, has an aggregate market value of $10 or less per
occasion. In addition, a gift appropriate for a “special, infrequent occasion” may be given to an
official superior or accepted from a subordinate or other employee receiving less pay upon
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occasions that terminate a subordinate-official superior relationship, such as retirement,
resignation, or transfer. An employee may solicit voluntary contributions of nominal amounts from
fellow employees for an appropriate gift to an official superior.
Section 2635.304 also states that an employee may solicit voluntary contributions of
nominal amounts from fellow employees on an occasional basis, for items such as food and
refreshments to be shared in the office among several employees. An employee may accept such
gifts to which a subordinate or other employee receiving less pay than himself has contributed.
White House Military Office Policy HQ 3-14, “WHMO Fitness for Duty and Off-Duty
Activities Policy,” August 29, 2014
Paragraph 5. Responsibilities, a. Individual WHMO personnel:
(1) Will be fit for duty and present a positive professional image while in support of WHMO
missions.
(2) Will not use alcohol, drugs, or other substances to the point of becoming unfit or unable
to perform assigned duties.
(3) Will, during travel or other related support missions directly supporting White House
principals, refrain from consuming any alcohol for twenty-four (24) hours prior to the
principal’s arrival at the trip site and until two (2) hours after the departure of the
principal or two (2) hours after the individual WHMO member’s completion of post-visit
duties (whichever occurs later).
(4) Will, during travel or other related support missions directly supporting White House
principals, notify their site supervisor in advance if the individual WHMO member will
ingest any non-alcoholic substance (e.g. medication) which can adversely impact the
individual member’s duty performance. In the event of such a notification, the site
supervisor will contact White House Medical Unit personnel for appropriate guidance.
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Appendix B: Reprisal Allegation
We considered and reviewed reprisal allegations submitted by three military officers under
section 1034, title 10, United States Code, “Protected communications; prohibition of retaliatory
personnel actions,” implemented by DoD Directive 7050.06, “Military Whistleblower Protection,”
April 17, 2015. We refer to them as Witness 1, Witness 2, and Witness 3. We summarize our
analysis of the three complaints below.
Witness 1
A witness, a military officer assigned to the WHMU, alleged retaliation by RDML Jackson and
two other WHMU officials. The allegations stemmed from the witness’s participation in an
Department of the Navy, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Inspector General
investigation and from the witness reporting concerns about RDML Jackson improperly prescribing
medications, improperly using medications, and missing medications.
According to the witness, a fellow military officer in the WHMU drafted and submitted an
end-of-tour award in as the witness was departing the assignment. When the witness
spoke with the WHMU months after the witness’s departure, the WHMU was not aware a
recommendation for an award had been submitted, and the individuals who could sign off on the
award were no longer assigned to the WHMU. The witness could not confirm that RDML Jackson or
the two other officials were involved in any decisions regarding the award recommendation.
A preponderance of the evidence established that RDML Jackson and the two other officials
lacked any knowledge that the witness interviewed with the Inspector General, or discussed with
WHMO officials the concerns about RDML Jackson’s behavior or the command climate.
Furthermore, we found that the award recommendation would have been initiated beginning in
and that it stalled administratively while processing. We also found that neither
RDML Jackson nor the other two officials would likely have known whether an award was
submitted in . Accordingly, the evidence we reviewed did not support this reprisal
allegation.
Witness 2
A second witness, a military officer assigned to the WHMU, alleged that in
RDML Jackson moved the witness to night and weekend duties, and in reassigned the
witness in reprisal for reporting to WHMU
officials RDML Jackson’s unethical behavior and drunkenness while on official travel.
A preponderance of the evidence established that RDML Jackson lacked any knowledge of
the witness’s communications to the WHMU officials. We found that the shift to weekend and night
duty did not affect or have the potential to affect the witness’s position or career, or constitute a
significant change in duties or responsibilities inconsistent with the witness’s grade. We also
determined that the move to the , which occurred midway through the
witness’s WHMU tour of duty, was routine for personnel duty assignments at the WHMU.
Accordingly, the evidence we reviewed did not support this reprisal allegation.
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Witness 3
A third witness, a military officer assigned to the WHMU, alleged that an official in the
WHMU removed and later reinstated the witness from the
and altered the witness’s evaluation rating chain of
command by removing the as the Senior Rater official in in reprisal for
reporting to that official and a Senate Committee that RDML Jackson violated provisions of the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act with respect to a member of the
Administration.
A preponderance of the evidence established that following the report of the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act violations to the official in the WHMU in
, the official instructed the witness in to provide Memorandums for
Record documenting the violations to the Senate Committee reviewing RDML Jackson’s nomination
for Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
We found that the witness’s temporary removal from the
did not affect, or have the potential to affect, the witness’s position or career.
Furthermore, we found it unlikely that the official who directed the witness to submit documents to
the Senate Committee would retaliate against the witness for following that instruction. Finally, we
found no suitable remedy for revising the rating chain. The evidence we reviewed showed that the
counsel appears to have endorsed the altered rating chain—in effect, ratifying it—
and a performance evaluation was completed afterwards.
. Accordingly, the evidence we reviewed did not support this reprisal
allegation.
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Appendix C: Examples of Alleged Failure to Treat Subordinates with
Dignity and Respect
In this appendix we first provide witness comments about their personal interactions with
RDML Jackson, as well as examples of how they saw RDML Jackson act towards other employees,
and what other employees told them about RDML Jackson’s behavior. We then provide favorable
and unfavorable comments about RDML Jackson’s impact on the WHMU command climate. Finally,
we present six specific instances in which RDML Jackson failed to treat employees with dignity and
respect.
Comments from Witnesses Who Did Not Experience, See, or Hear about RDML Jackson
Yelling, Screaming, Cursing, or Belittling Subordinates
[M]y interactions with him were honestly pleasant … . They were always
professional and courteous … .
Never once did he treat me without dignity and respect. … he always treated me,
personally, with dignity and respect.
I never experienced anything that even remotely felt, remotely had me feeling like I
wasn’t being shown respect [by RDML Jackson].
Comments from Witnesses Who Heard About but Did Not Experience RDML Jackson
Yelling, Screaming, Cursing, or Belittling Subordinates
Sometimes when he was displeased he would have a screaming fit. So those were
well described to me over many times with various people describing what had
happened.
I never experienced it, but heard he would curse people out, call them “they’re
idiots,” or “stupid,” or “this is unacceptable,” … things like that.
Some of [medical subordinate’s fear] had to do with first of all his [RDML Jackson’s]
anger because he would get very angry.
[RDML Jackson’s behavior] made the others fearful of interacting with him and
fearful of asking questions just because people had heard about him yelling at
people in the past.
Yelling and screaming is really kind of the majority of his baseline. But I definitely
know that in meetings if somebody said something that he didn’t agree with, there
would be yelling and screaming.
There would be some sort of incident … and the interaction generally was described
as yelling and pacing, and aggressive hand gestures, and maybe screaming at times.
Some of my predecessors … told me that they got yelled at and cussed at by
Dr. Jackson for the thing they did, which usually was a pretty minor interaction or
just kind of if he was frustrated and yelling, they ended up getting in the way.
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[A medical subordinate] said that there were instances where he [RDML Jackson]
would counsel someone, a PA [Physician’s Assistant], or a nurse or someone at the
unit in that office, and then it would be on the level of yelling and screaming.
Comments from Witnesses Who Saw Firsthand but Did Not Experience RDML Jackson
Yelling, Screaming, Cursing, or Belittling his Subordinates
[RDML] Jackson would have kind of a quick burst of sort of anger, frustration
directed at that one individual and then would later come back and say … “Hey I’m
sorry that I got so upset.”
So that sort of behavior, even if it wasn’t directly at an individual … would still
indirectly affect the rest of the team as a whole in our abilities to push forward
because we all work so closely with each other, … it reverberated, from one
individual to the next, and to the next.
There were numerous times where I would be in the [White House] Clinic where
our senior nursing leadership would be called in regarding nursing and behind
closed doors you could … hear him [RDML Jackson] yelling … at [a medical
subordinate]. … it was more of that hotheadedness. You never got a sense that you
could have a discussion [with RDML Jackson].
If he [RDML Jackson] was talking to somebody and he was angry it would be
screaming. He definitely … has a very loud tone when he’s mad. I’d say
[RDML Jackson would get angry] once a week.
It was a common feeling around [the WHMU] that you just had to be careful and try
not to do anything that would precipitate [a tongue-lashing]. And the part that none
of us liked was, we didn’t know what was going to precipitate a tongue lashing or a
… you know, reprimand.
If he’s in a hurry, and if he’s upset … he is prone to having meltdowns and tantrums.
… and I didn’t believe it because I was warned ahead of time … and this was by far
the worst behavior … I’ve ever seen [in my medical career].
[RDML Jackson] was yelling and cussing and just kind of had, … a … tantrum, … the
screaming and just the overreacting it was shocking. … it was very shocking to me
to see someone behave like that.
Rage is the word. He would rage all the time … . … Screeching, red in the face,
bug-eyed, sweating, ears red, jaw clenched. I mean I’m talking rage, and I’m a
clinician. I’m a board-certified physician. Rage.
[RDML Jackson] added stress any time he was in the room he would find a problem
with something, a personal problem with something. He was a tyrant. A true tyrant
and like I’ve said I’ve known good officers, I’ve known bad officers. I’ve only known
one tyrant. He was a tyrant. … He’s the only guy in [over 20] years that I would
ever say that about.
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[RDML Jackson] was very quick to anger. He would be very short with people. He’s
kind of one of those that if he gets flustered the first response for him would be to be
angry and kind of to lash out. For me I never experienced those. I was never on the
receiving end of that, but I would see him do that to … nurses or to physicians.
I heard Dr. Jackson screaming at [a medical subordinate] and I don’t know what led
up to that event, or why he was so angry, but I—it didn’t last very long. …
[RDML] Jackson stopped yelling pretty quickly, but I was shocked because I’ve been
in and around the military for 20 years and I’ve never heard a high-ranking person
yell at someone lower ranking than since I left boot camp. And [RDML] Jackson
eventually left, and all the people in the office, … were all rather shocked.
[RDML Jackson] was definitely yelling. He was yelling the way that—I mean, I’ve
never heard anybody yell, and I don’t yell at anyone else that way. It’s the way you’d
yell at somebody in boot camp. He was really yelling. It was not elevated tone. He
was not just excited about something. He was very angry.
[P]eople walked on eggshells quite a bit, and almost had a hard time saying no
because if they pushed back on anything, that’s when he [RDML Jackson] usually
went high and to the right. … Yelling at colleagues and making them feel inferior.
Comments from Witnesses Who Experienced and Saw RDML Jackson Yelling,
Screaming, Cursing, or Belittling his Subordinates
[RDML] Jackson [came] over and a medication that he ordered for somebody didn’t
come on the delivery. Just for whatever reason it didn’t show up, and he started
screaming at the medics and took the bin and threw it and was like, “You lazy
f**kers. You can’t do anything right. All I need you to do is get some G** damn
medication and you can’t even f**king do that. Get in the G** damn car and go up to
Walter Reed and get it right now.”
[RDML Jackson’s]explosive temper, the demeaning glances, the distracted, this
seeming increased interest in anything to get ahead at either the expense or at the
disregard for those under his charge.
[RDML Jackson] said, “What the f**k is going on in here. You guys suck. I cannot
f**king believe that there are no small pill bottles in this clinic. This is unf**king
believable. Now I’ve got to get somebody to bring them down from Walter Reed last
minute.” So it was super aggressive. It was not calm. It was yelling for sure, yeah.
A Secret Service agent came in … and he was like, “Your boss … is an a** hole.” He
said, “I have never felt so disrespected in my life the way [RDML Jackson] yelled at
me because I was trying to take care of [someone].” And he was really upset, but
that’s just how Dr. Jackson treated people.
[RDML Jackson] kind of kept yelling at me and to the point where I actually just lost
it. I started crying. And so, I ended up leaving the room at that point because I was
crying in front of my peers which was obviously embarrassing.
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But I never once had a time where he used expletives toward me or yelled at me on
the phone that he didn’t circle back and apologize.
RDML Jackson’s Impact on the WHMU Command Climate
In the two subsections that follow, we provide favorable and unfavorable quotes from
employees about RDML Jackson’s impact on the WHMU’s command climate. We then present six
representative examples to evaluate the allegation that RDML Jackson failed to treat employees
with dignity and respect. RDML Jackson was the senior medical officer at the White House and at
least two pay grades higher than the employees discussed in the following six instances.
Favorable Comments about Command Climate
Of the 60 witnesses we interviewed, 13 made favorable comments about RDML Jackson’s
impact on the WHMU command climate. The quoted witness comments relate to his high standards
and high expectations. During interviews, these witnesses stated the following.
[RDML Jackson] kind of ran a strict, a strict ship, … he had a high level of
expectations. He wanted everyone to meet it. … and if he felt that someone wasn't
doing that, then they would be counseled. And I think that people … felt that he was
fostering a negative command climate, in the way that he counseled them.
[RDML Jackson] demanded, not perfection, but he demanded things to get done
correctly. We were trained to do a job, and he expected the job to be done, and he
expected it to be done right.
[RDML Jackson’s] not a … fluffy leader, the soft kind of leader, the engaging. I think
he was very effective at what he did. … He just, he just had a high standard.
I enjoyed working for [RDML Jackson]. … I wanted to emulate a lot of the things that
he did. I mean, how that man was able to balance so many things at one given time
is, to me, amazing.
I mean, he helped write a letter of recommendation to me to PA [Physician’s
Assistant] school, and he taught me the facets of medicine, as emergency medicine
like he was trained in, … he had a huge impact on me, personally, not only for, …
technical expertise of the job, and the art of being a clinician, but as a person as well.
A tough leader. He demanded high standards and so his personality was—could
come off abrasive at times and sometimes difficult to please. I don’t feel like he was
disrespectful and didn’t treat people appropriately. I think he was direct and told
people when he didn’t like something and a lot of people didn’t necessarily prefer
that leadership style.
Unfavorable Comments about Command Climate
Of the 60 witnesses we interviewed, 38 witnesses made unfavorable comments about
RDML Jackson and his impact on the command climate. The quoted witness comments related to
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his unprofessional behavior, intimidation, and poor treatment of subordinates. During interviews,
these witnesses stated the following.
I never saw him [RDML Jackson] reward anyone. I only saw him break people
down. I never saw him ever put the needs of the mission or another [service
member] before his own, ever.
The behavior, the conduct, the unprofessional way that he [RDML Jackson] handles
himself, … to see that, to see somebody promoted, to know that they act this way it
goes against everything that we, that I value and the way … that I believe that an
officer, particularly a flag officer should be, and that’s tough to accept.
He had no interest to teach you. He had no interest to build you. He had no interest
to assist you. … He was more frustrated that somebody walked over to you and
said, “Hey, you’re doing a good job.” … he’s the guy that wanted to be the most
favorite guy [to] the President, liked to take care of him and wanted to control and
go after anyone even who was doing a good job. … it became clear what he was
doing to eliminate people who are doing good and capable things, because he …
never wanted to lose his position, or didn’t want anyone else to look like they’re
doing a good job.
Passionate could be construed as a positive thing, but I think in this case I’m saying
that … it was more of a negative kind of passion in the sense of [RDML Jackson]
yelling and being a hothead.
[RDML Jackson] established a workplace where fear and intimidation were kind of
the hallmarks of him, his command, and control of his subordinates … . That it’s just
the toxic environment. … Kind of dealing with Dr. Jackson whims. It was just a
matter of understanding that on any given day he’s just going to flip his s**t on you
and freak out … . He is a control freak. He wants to know everything. He has to be
involved. He’s afraid that you might be looked upon more favorably than him. I’ve
witnessed this on a daily basis.
[RDML Jackson] got things done by intimidation I think for the most part. At no
point in the three years there did I ever get any sort of what I would consider
traditional military leadership.
[RDML Jackson’s behavior] made me want to leave the unit when my time was up
and not stay any longer than I had to. … [P]eople would be very tenuous around
Doc Jackson and would really try to make sure they didn’t do anything that would
precipitate one of these yellings; reprimands. People were frequently on edge. …
Dr. Jackson would occasionally kind of let people know they didn’t do what was
expected by yelling or exploding at them in the moment, so people were cautious
around him.
I think for the most part, there definitely was a heaviness over the unit, …
sometimes a lot of people kind of felt like we were all kind of walking on eggshells.
[RDML] Jackson was up or down, and you always, kind of had to gauge him on his
day. You’d walk in the office and he was, you know, you could really tell what kind
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of day the team was going to have based upon his, his attitude and his personality
that morning.
[RDML Jackson was] a toxic leader because he created an environment below him
where people were afraid, where people were on edge, where people didn’t want to
come to work, people didn’t want to work around him and for him in the [White
House] Clinic.
Most people avoided him [RDML Jackson] completely because they did not want
to—they just didn’t want to be caught if he was in a bad mood, or whatever.
Basically people avoided him at all cost unless they had a reason to talk to him, or,
like mission requirements.
I personally had never tried to avoid leadership to the extent that I had at the White
House ever before. I, even now, and prior to that, I never jumped out of the way
when I saw an officer coming. But with Dr. Jackson, it was like, hey, he’s coming.
Like, if you don’t need to be here, find something else to do.
I think without question, my tenure at WHMU would be the most stressful period in
my professional military career. … I suppose, to summarize, in my professional
military experience, it was arguably the worst command climate that I have
experienced, and I attribute that largely to Dr. Jackson.
I left that job unhappy, … . [T]he nurses were very stressed when they had to work
with him. … the doctors felt demoralized and pressured by what was expected of
them. And I know that the enlisted people were scared of him, because he would
apparently, you know, do things like yell at them for no reason. … I would say that
it was the worst command I’ve ever worked for in my entire military career. I would
say it was a toxic work environment.
Without a doubt … the worst command climate I’ve been in [over 20 years] of
service.
[T]his was the worst command climate that I think there could have been. There
was so much distrust and poor treatment of people and retaliation … . And I still to
this day hate thinking about it. … [W]hen you see people that are yelling and
screaming and red-faced, you don’t really know like, can they, can they reel that in
and just focus on what’s upsetting them, or is something else going to set them off at
that point in time. And it just made the climate even worse for me. And it made me
very standoffish and that’s why I tried to distance myself from him [RDML Jackson].
… I think he’s an awful leader. I think he is more of a dictator than anything.
[RDML Jackson] was a crappy manager at best. He was all over the place. Very
erratic, very unpredictable. … He would curse quite a bit at his staff within the
Medical Office that sat in the White House itself. … So, in general I don’t believe him
to be a leader at all.
In addition to the comments above, witnesses also described many incidents to provide
context for RDML Jackson’s yelling, berating, or cursing at subordinates during his tenure at
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WHMU. The following examples came from different witnesses who served with RDML Jackson
from 2012 through March 2018. Due to the passage of time, some witnesses told us they could not
remember the details of every single incident, but we provide the details they gave us.
2013 Africa Multiple-Casualty Event
One witness told us that RDML Jackson yelled and cursed over the telephone at a medical
subordinate while the medical subordinate was responding to an urgent medical emergency in
Africa in “June or July” 2013. At the time of this incident, RDML Jackson was serving as the WHMU
Director.
The medical subordinate was in charge of providing medical care during an official trip by
senior Government officials to Africa. While in Africa, the medical subordinate and his staff
provided immediate medical attention to several official travelers who suffered injuries in a
multiple-casualty event. The medical subordinate told us the urgent medical issue took 30 to 60
minutes to resolve “because things went very quickly.”
6
The medical subordinate told us that while he was providing medical treatment, three
senior officials, including RDML Jackson, tried to contact him for an update about the medical
issues. Once the medical issues were stabilized, the medical subordinate returned the call to each
senior official. The medical subordinate described his conversation with the two other officials as
“reasonable and professional.”
The medical subordinate described his conversation with RDML Jackson much differently.
He said RDML Jackson’s tone with him was “somewhere between yelling and screaming.” The
medical subordinate said:
Somehow word had gotten around through different channels so
[RDML Jackson] wasn’t the first or among the first to be able to tell senior
folks about [the medical situation] and that bothered him, but then the
tongue lashing that I got from Jackson was varsity level. … If I took every
cussword that’s ever been lobbed against me my whole life [RDML Jackson]
may have matched it in one minute.
The medical subordinate told us RDML Jackson’s biggest concern was that he wanted to be
“the face and voice of the situation to the senior people” and to “be the one to say and deliver the
news [about the injuries].” When asked to describe what RDML Jackson said, the medical
subordinate told us:
The “F” word was there multiple times. [RDML Jackson said], “This is f**king
unsat” over, and over, and over, and over just this is, I think he said sh*t
several times, and [he was] just erratic explosive, uncontrolled … .
[RDML Jackson] seemed to have no interest in the injuries that we were
handling, but just wanted to drop a bomb on me is the way it felt.
Based on his conversation with RDML Jackson, the medical subordinate thought he would
be fired. He described his conversation with RDML Jackson as “one of the most distressing, if not
the most distressing situations I’ve ever had from a boss.”
6
The witnesses did not discuss specific patient details due to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act concerns and focused their
comments on RDML Jackson’s behavior during the multiple-casualty event.
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The medical subordinate told us, “[T]his was my introduction in many ways to the medical
unit. I was informed later that well, step one is not really to take care of people or to do the medical
care, but it’s actually to make sure that [RDML Jackson] knows … what’s going on so that
[RDML Jackson] can be the voice of it.”
Another witness who knew about this incident and its effect on personnel within the WHMU
told us that RDML Jackson’s actions “fostered a lot of mistrust because [his medical subordinates]
were doing their jobs and they still got in trouble … and that really stuck with a lot of people, even
though they did a great job at handling the [injuries].”
2013 Martha’s Vineyard
Other witnesses told us about three incidents during a presidential trip to Martha’s
Vineyard in August 2013 when RDML Jackson yelled and cursed at subordinates. The first incident
dealt with a transportation matter, the second incident concerned care and treatment of dogs, and
the third incident involved insect repellant. Four WHMU members who were on the trip to
Martha’s Vineyard gave us details about the incidents. They told us RDML Jackson was in charge of
providing medical care for the presidential trip to Martha’s Vineyard.
The first incident involved transportation from the airport to the visit destination. After
arriving at Martha’s Vineyard, RDML Jackson rode in a vehicle with other staff and exited the
vehicle at the wrong location. One witness, a medical subordinate, told us that RDML Jackson called
him on the phone and yelled “lots of expletives” at him. The subordinate told us that RDML Jackson
said “Where the f**k are you at? I’m f**king standing here in the driveway. I don’t see anybody.”
The subordinate told us he took a golf cart to pick up RDML Jackson, and drove him to the
correct location. The subordinate told us that during the ride RDML Jackson did not say anything to
him, but that his earlier “[comments and] reactions were disproportionate to the … situation.” The
subordinate told us that RDML Jackson “didn’t say anything, … to me personally like he didn’t say,
‘[subordinate], you’re piece of crap.’ Or he didn’t say, ‘Hey, you’re such a F**kup.’ He didn’t say
anything towards me just the situation.” A second witness heard RDML Jackson yelling at the
subordinate for the transportation issue for “a couple of minutes.” The second witness told us that
the subordinate’s face was “kind of drawn” and “looked like someone had just got their butt chewed
out.” The second witness said the subordinate told him that “Dr. Jackson was upset at something
that was really outside of [the subordinate’s] control.”
The second incident involved the medical care of two dogs who were also on the trip.
RDML Jackson was responsible for providing medical care for the dogs. The subordinate who was
involved in the first incident was also involved in this incident. The subordinate told us
RDML Jackson called him and was upset about the care of the dogs. Another witness who
overheard part of the phone conversation said he heard RDML Jackson “screaming” at the
subordinate and saying “you stupid mother f**ker. Why didn’t you … have this taken care of?” The
witness said he told the subordinate, “It sucks but … he does that” and that RDML Jackson screamed
and cursed also at him [the witness] in other situations.
The third incident involved two other subordinates and the purchase of insect repellant.
One of the subordinates told us that RDML Jackson asked them to purchase a “bug spray that you
don’t spray on yourself” for a member of the White House staff. The subordinates said they went to
the only store on the island that was open and “bought every bug product they had.” They said that
when they returned, RDML Jackson got very irate because they did not find the specific spray he
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wanted. The subordinates told us that RDML Jackson was yelling and swearing at them; “flew off
the handle”; and “He just could not calm himself down.” One subordinate thought RDML Jackson
was mad because he already told the White House staff member that he had the “bug spray” when
he did not actually have it and the subordinates could not find it for him.
All four employees described RDML Jackson’s angry reaction to the three incidents as an
overreaction. They characterized RDML Jackson’s behavior as “not appropriate and too extreme for
what had happened,” and “disproportionate to the … situation.” One subordinate told us it was
RDML Jackson’s habit to get very upset over things, and then “eventually calm down, and then get a
little bit more level headed and think things through.”
The witnesses told us RDML Jackson apologized to them the next day, and told them he
shouldn’t have gotten upset and his conduct was not professional or respectful.
2013 White House Social Event
A witness told us RDML Jackson cursed at a subordinate at a White House party in 2013 in
front of the subordinate’s family. At the time of this incident, RDML Jackson was serving as the
WHMU Director and the Physician to the President.
We identified and interviewed the subordinate. The subordinate told us a senior White
House official gave him tickets to attend a White House social event. The subordinate said when
RDML Jackson saw him at the event, he approached the subordinate and his family and said:
How did you get tickets to this? You’re not supposed to be here. I don’t know
what the f**k you think you’re doing here. I don’t know what your kids are
doing here but this is wrong. You need to get out of here. I don’t want you
here.
The subordinate told us his spouse and children were present for RDML Jackson’s
comments. After hearing the comments, the employee’s spouse told the subordinate, “We need to
leave. We need to leave.” The subordinate told his spouse, “No. We don’t have to leave. The kids
are here.”
The subordinate said there was no reason for RDML Jackson to confront and belittle people.
The subordinate told us:
Usually [RDML Jackson’s] rants and his problems were just either his
perception that he didn’t have … control … or information, or that he was left
out of something … . Nobody kind of understood what this was all about.
Everybody was just trying to do a good job and [RDML Jackson] would
routinely kind of bust into these tirades over things that were just not that
important. It was just a normal occurrence. I don’t know how else to explain
it.
2014 Yelling at a WHMU Employee on Two Different Occasions
One of RDML Jackson’s medical subordinates told us RDML Jackson yelled at her in the
White House clinic on two separate occasions in 2014. The first incident involved a former White
House staff member and the second incident involved a then-current White House staff member. At
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the time of this incident, RDML Jackson was serving as the WHMU Director and the Physician to the
President.
In the first incident, the subordinate said a former White House staff member visited the
clinic and told the subordinate that RDML Jackson told him to pick up medications for himself. The
subordinate told us the medications were prescription drugs, a doctor had not examined the former
staff member, the former staff member was not traveling on official business, and the former staff
member was no longer eligible for medical care at the clinic. The subordinate told us she did not
issue the requested medications to the former staff member and she left RDML Jackson a voicemail
to notify him of the situation and her concerns. The subordinate told us that when she returned to
the office RDML Jackson was “really upset” with her and “verbally abusive” because she did not give
the former staff member the medication.
The second incident took place two to three months after the first incident. The
subordinate told us a White House staff member, who was eligible for treatment, visited the clinic
and said, “RDML Jackson told me I could come in and get an inhaler here. I left my inhaler at home.”
The subordinate gave the White House staff member an inhaler because RDML Jackson had seen
the staff member, the staff member had an existing prescription, and RDML Jackson told the staff
member to pick up an inhaler, and because of the subordinate’s earlier encounter with
RDML Jackson.
The subordinate said when RDML Jackson returned to the clinic he “was really angry. I
mean red in the face.” She said that RDML Jackson:
came in and tore me apart. Screamed and yelled at me. … He kind of
cornered me in the clinic, and he would kind of position himself often in like
kind of a superior position. So, I was actually in the corner of the clinic and
he was yelling at me saying, “Are you a nurse practitioner? Are you a
physician’s assistant? Are you a doctor? Can you write orders?” And I was
like, “No, sir.” “Why were you giving out medication … You don’t even know
what you’re doing. You’re just a nurse.”
The subordinate told us that RDML Jackson was mad because he wanted credit for
“rendering the care to the [patient, who] he deemed was important.” The subordinate also told us,
“So, you’re like, ‘I thought I was doing the thing that wasn’t going to get me yelled at but now I’m
getting yelled at.’ You … never really knew what you were going to expect [from RDML Jackson].”
2015 Martha’s Vineyard
A complaint alleged that RDML Jackson had a “screaming fit” at a medical subordinate on a
return flight from Martha’s Vineyard in August 2015. At the time of this incident, RDML Jackson
was the Physician to the President and in charge of providing medical care for all official travelers.
One of RDML Jackson’s medical subordinates was in charge of preparing the pallet of
medical equipment for the return trip from Martha’s Vineyard to Washington, D.C. The subordinate
told us RDML Jackson asked him to put RDML Jackson’s personal luggage with the medical
equipment. The subordinate stored RDML Jackson’s bag in the pallet with the medical equipment,
but was not responsible for loading the pallet on the aircraft.
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Once the aircraft was in the air, the subordinate was notified that the pallet of medical
equipment with RDML Jackson’s luggage had been loaded onto another aircraft, which was not
scheduled to return until 2 a.m. the following day. According to the subordinate, he told
RDML Jackson and RDML Jackson reacted by saying, “I can’t believe this f**king s**t. I can’t believe
this f**king happened. This is f**king bulls**t. Now I’ve got to wait for my bag. I’ve got to fly out
the next morning.”
The subordinate told us he later discovered that RDML Jackson stored his computer and
wallet in his luggage. The subordinate described RDML Jackson’s reaction as “almost like a temper
tantrum” and said that RDML Jackson was upset for several minutes and was “directing his anger
towards me … throwing all these curse words up in the air and looking at me.”
Another subordinate who observed the incident on the airplane told us that RDML Jackson
was “overly upset and he couldn't be consoled.”
A third subordinate told us about talking to the subordinate shortly after the incident, and
described him as “really shaken” by RDML Jackson’s words and actions.
2015 Health and Wellness Clinic Opening
A medical subordinate told us that RDML Jackson yelled and cursed at him in 2015 about
the scheduling of an opening ceremony for a health and wellness clinic. At the time of this incident,
RDML Jackson was the Physician to the President.
The subordinate told us that while arranging a ceremony to mark the opening of the health
and wellness clinic, he coordinated the schedule to ensure that RDML Jackson was available to
attend. The staff for the official giving a speech at the ceremony asked the subordinate to
reschedule the ceremony because of a scheduling conflict. According to the subordinate, he
selected a new date and confirmed RDML Jackson’s availability.
The subordinate said that later that day, RDML Jackson called him at home about the
rescheduled ceremony and yelled at him, claiming, “You scheduled this on a day that I’m not there
on purpose.” According to the subordinate, RDML Jackson said,
You motherf**ker. If you f**king think you’re going to get one over on me I
will crush you. I will f**king ruin your career. I will kill you. You are not
cutting me out of this s**t. I don’t know who the f**k you think you are.
The subordinate said he pulled the phone away from his ear because RDML Jackson was
yelling so loud, and his family could hear RDML Jackson ranting over the phone. The subordinate
told us that his [young] son asked him who was “bullying” him on the phone, and his wife said, “You
do not need that in your life” and “you need to leave this job.” After the phone conversation, the
subordinate said he initially decided to leave his position at the WHMU, but was convinced by a
senior White House official to stay.
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DODIG-2021-057
REAR ADMIRAL (LOWER HALF)
RONNY LYNN JACKSON, M.D.
U.S. NAVY, RETIRED