Air Force Sergeant In Trouble Over Playboy Pose

SAN ANTONIO Jan 12, 2007 (AP)— An Air Force staff sergeant who posed nude for Playboy magazine has been relieved of her duties while the military investigates, officials said Thursday.

In February's issue, hitting newsstands this week, Michelle Manhart is photographed in uniform yelling and holding weapons under the headline "Tough Love." The following pages show her partially clothed, wearing her dog tags while working out, as well as completely nude.

"This staff sergeant's alleged action does not meet the high standards we expect of our airmen, nor does it comply with the Air Force's core values of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all we do," Oscar Balladares, spokesman for Lackland Air Force Base, said in a statement.

Manhart told Playboy that she considers herself as standing up for her rights.

"Of what I did, nothing is wrong, so I didn't anticipate anything, of course," Manhart, 30, told The Associated Press. "I didn't do anything wrong, so I didn't think it would be a major issue."

Manhart, who is married with two children, joined the Air Force in 1994, spending time in Kuwait in 2002. She trains airmen at Lackland.

I guess the Air Force didn't read Lawhawk's posting (complete with Phoebe Cates picture) on how terrorists fear scantily clad women most of all.

On a serious note, there is nothing wrong with a women doing a spread in Playboy. Playboy is after all a legitimate magazine ... with great articles. However, we all know that when uniform personnel posse in Playboy, bad things happen, i.e., they get fired. Remember Carol Shaya, an NYPD officer who posed nude and was fired from the job. I know there were others also who got in trouble for posing in their uniform. Now, Sgt. Manhart should have known that and should have cleared this with her supervisors. Should she be relieved of her duties, I don't think so. Should she be reprimanded? Sure. Should we all go out and buy Playboy? Why not!

UPDATE:
Lawhawk here. Rob at Say Anything has more links to the photos (most of which appear to be nothing more than what you'd find in Victoria's Secret catalogues).