The chairman of the Kansas Legislature’s only committee dedicated to veterans affairs Thursday ordered members not to raise questions about a Kansas National Guard investigation that produced evidence of flawed leadership within highest levels of the military organization.

Rep. Les Osterman, a Wichita Republican who chairs the House Veterans and Military Committee, told representatives on that panel they would be declared out of order if they brought up reports in The Topeka Capital-Journal about the conclusions of Kansas Guard’s investigators that "toxic" leadership existed in the 7,500-member organization. An internal report said Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, the adjutant general, should be held ultimately responsible for failure to provide leadership necessary to root out a wide array of misconduct.

Osterman admonished committee members before accepting testimony on legislative agendas of the Kansas Guard Association of Kansas and the Military Officers Association of America. Two officers in the Kansas Guard were asked to introduce themselves to the committee, but were asked no questions.

"It’s not my place or this committee’s place to get in the middle," Osterman said. "If you ask any question about that, I will gavel you — tell you you are out of order."

Last week, Tafanelli said he requested the National Guard Bureau review decisions made by Kansas officials regarding discipline proposed for a half-dozen officers and enlisted personnel in the Kansas Guard. The Kansas Guard’s own investigators documented evidence of sexual assault, manipulation of promotions, racism, enlistment forgery and other improprieties. They recommended Army Guard soldiers be relieved of duties, demoted in rank, denied promotion or discharged, but a majority appeared to have suffered no consequences.

Rep. Virgil Weigel, a Topeka Democrat and U.S. Army veteran, said committee chairmen had historically been given latitude to manage hearings. He said comments from chairmen designed to limit questions by committee members were atypical.

"It’s an important issue to the 7,500 members of the Kansas Guard," said Weigel, who had expressed interest in hearings to learn more about management of the guard.

In an interview after the committee’s hearing, Osterman said he considered Tafanelli’s request for a federal-level review of leadership actions to constitute a formal "investigation."

"It’s an ongoing investigation and I cannot make any more comments on that," Osterman said. "I have been asked to let the National Guard … do their investigation. That’s what I’m doing."

He declined to identify what individual or organization requested the House committee not explore issues of Kansas Guard leadership, discipline or morale.

"That’s confidential. I was asked to let them finish their investigation," the Republican chairman said.

Osterman said he wouldn’t request the National Guard Bureau make public its review of command decisions in the Kansas Guard.

"That’s up to them to make it public," he said.

He declined to answer whether Tafanelli’s request to the National Guard Bureau or the decision to avoid questions about the Kansas Guard were an attempt to smother controversy. Nor would he outline in detail the few times he was aware of a committee chairman forbidding a certain line of questioning.

"I have no comment," the chairman said. "I have no comment."

Meanwhile, a representative of the National Guard Association of Kansas said the Legislature ought to authorize payment of 100 percent of college tuition for Kansas Guard members. Currently, sale of Kansas Lottery tickets provides $1.1 million annually in tuition assistance, but that’s only enough to pay 51 percent of tuition costs.

"It’s dropped quite a bit over the last few years," said Keith Marshall, second vice president of the association. "It isn’t possible to overstate the importance of this program."

Rep. Jim Gartner, D-Topeka, said legislation ought to be drafted that earmarks enough to cover full tuition of Kansas Guard members.

"To me," he said, "this is economic development. You’re educating these military folks."

"We’d obviously love to see something like that," Marshall said.