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Ex-Army sergeant major gets weekend in jail for slugging incident

By WTOP Staff

Neal Augenstein, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Former Army Sgt. Maj. Gene McKinney spent the weekend in jail for his disorderly conduct and reckless driving convictions stemming from an October 2010 road rage case in which he struck a passenger with his car.

An Arlington County Circuit Court Judge sentenced McKinney Friday to a year in prison on each charge, suspending all but 10 days and giving him credit for time served.

McKinney — who was scheduled to be released Sunday — also will be required to attend anger management classes and his driver’s license will be suspended for six months, his attorney, Manuel Capsalis, tells WTOP.

McKinney was convicted of driving more than 90 mph in the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes of Interstate 95 after picking up two slug passengers in Occoquan on Oct. 25, 2010. The passengers asked to be let out in Crystal City.

After pulling over at a bus stop on Eads Street, McKinney drove forward in his Mercedes sedan as one of the slug passengers — who had threatened to file a police report — was typing into his smartphone. The car struck the man and caused him an apparent concussion.

Capsalis had argued in court that McKinney accidentally ran into the passenger. In an earlier hearing, a witness testified McKinney grew hostile when asked to slow down.

McKinney — the former top enlisted member of the Army from 1995 to 1997 and the first African-American to hold the post — initially was indicted for felony malicious wounding. But prosecutors agreed to re-indict him on the lesser charge of disorderly conduct, to which McKinney entered an Alford plea, meaning he did not admit to the act but acknowledged the government likely had enough evidence to convict him.

In his October 2010 plea hearing, Judge Joanne Alper told McKinney under his plea, “You will be found guilty even though you don’t admit guilt.”

McKinney’s arrest in the road rage case marked his return to the headlines after years of avoiding them. In 1998 court martial proceedings, McKinney was acquitted of sexual harassment charges after accusations by several female soldiers, but was convicted of obstruction of justice.

In the slugging incident, lawyers argued about whether the Army conviction would be revealed to a jury if the case proceeded to trial.

McKinney was demoted to the rank of master sergeant following the earlier conviction but received full retirement benefits based on his sergeant major rank. He was recently employed by a local defense contractor and was driving a company vehicle during the road rage incident.

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(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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