Some Good News

[DennisH]

Guilty in a court of law but he is already guilty by his actions and anyone comparing him to a hero or an actual POW does a disservice to real Soldiers and POW's. Once the courts martial begins it will be harder for the propagandist to hide his crimes.

[JayT]

Guilty in a court of law but he is already guilty by his actions and anyone comparing him to a hero or an actual POW does a disservice to real Soldiers and POW's. Once the courts martial begins it will be harder for the propagandist to hide his crimes.

How do you know? Did Fox News tell you that?

[LSThiker]

Guilty in a court of law but he is already guilty by his actions and anyone comparing him to a hero or an actual POW does a disservice to real Soldiers and POW's. Once the courts martial begins it will be harder for the propagandist to hide his crimes.

So for you he is guilty until proven innocent? 

[DennisH]

Let's see, he was a Soldier in the Vollunteer Army, walked off of his Patrol Base leaving all his gear but a knife, a compass and a bottle of water asking locals where the Taliban is. Yeah he is guilty. He is more of a screwed up experiment by his parents but he is a an adult and therefore responsible for his actions. The puppeteers attempting to roll him out as a returned hero without doing their homework is just a another example of how screwed up the decission making process is.

I don't watch Fox news or any other versions of the lame stream media I was in the sandbox when this idiot walked off of his post. I followed his status over the years. I thought it telling when they silenced the particulars about his desertion. But then again more and more will come out once they move him from Landstuhl to Leavensworth.

[Luis R. Ramos]

He knows about this person because he was with him. He saw him walking off.

It is one thing to hold your personal views. It is another to talk in this forum about him!

Please do not politicize this forum!

[DennisH]

I figured this was a lost effort but I guess I wouldn't listen to a former senior NCO with 35 years in uniform either. So sad that folks can't see the obvious but what the hey enjoy.

[PHall]

I figured this was a lost effort but I guess I wouldn't listen to a former senior NCO with 35 years in uniform either. So sad that folks can't see the obvious but what the hey enjoy.

I know they don't listen to one's with 31-1/2 years....

[LSThiker]

I figured this was a lost effort but I guess I wouldn't listen to a former senior NCO with 35 years in uniform either. So sad that folks can't see the obvious but what the hey enjoy.

Oh I see the obvious, but I do not cast judgement without evidence.  Even a Master Sergeant (ret) with 35 years in uniform still requires proof to backup information when it comes to deciding guilt.  You say he walked off with a bottle of water and knife asking where the Taliban are.  Were you and him at the same base in Afghanistan?  Did you watch him leave?  Or is this all hearsay from others that you are repeating?

[DennisH]

I have no idea what background many come from on this site without knowing them or them enlightening me or others to their knowledge. I wasn't  casting judgement just explaining fact, judgement shall soon if you call months to a year soon be known to anyone who wants to know. Many forget what personal responsibility or what an oath really means. This individual who I shall refuse to call a Soldier knew this when he Vollunteered and took that Oath. He signed a contract and understood he was to obey the orders of those appointed above hims well as regulations.
So many even here believe him to be innoscent and not responsible for his actions. His behavior is something that no Cadet should ever want to replicate and nobody who believes in personal responsibility should defend. I don't know what's so hard to understand, he sent a number of e-Mails stating his intentions and his dislike of the Army mission. He purposely walked off his Patrol base. Reports at the time of the search for him have stated hat he was seen talking with locals looking for the Taliban. This was all back in 2009. This has all been established but nothing has been said or proven about any collaboration, intell shared or actuall actions against US Soldiers yet. That will all come out in his courts martial.
I could go on and on about what I used to consider basic knowledge about how the Army works but it seems it would be a wasted effort. To many folks believe the Military mirrors civilian courts exactly, it doesn't.
I guess this all could just be BS, he never really left his PB, all the Soldiers in his unit are liars all the reports are fake. The Taliban snuck onto his PB and took him.
I can't begin to explain the betrayal it is to desert ones unit and go over to the enemy. I would have actually had a great deal more respect if he would have voiced his issues to his chan of command and went through the system to get released from his contract and returned to civilian life. He is now just another embarrassment that will be remembered for his failures. In a year or so when his trial is done, punnishment is meted out and he is removed from the roles this will all be moot.
I don't associate with folks like him and would never expose impressionable minds to his failures. But if some folks here want to hld him up as a shinning example of ethical and honorable behavior and portray him as a victim power to you.

[LSThiker]

I don't know what's so hard to understand, he sent a number of e-Mails stating his intentions and his dislike of the Army mission.

Yes the emails between his father and him.  He is still allowed freedom of speech to dislike the US Government.  Cannot hold disliking the US Government against him.  The letter that supposedly stated his intentions.  Can you be sure it was written by him?  Could it be forged by kidnappers?

He purposely walked off his Patrol base.

No one disputes that, not even a 2010 Army report.  However, interestingly, fellow soldiers in 2009 reported him doing this numerous times in the past (this would imply that he returned after walking off post).  Therefore, did he really have intentions of deserting or had the Taliban finally figured out a pattern?

Reports at the time of the search for him have stated hat he was seen talking with locals looking for the Taliban. This was all back in 2009. This has all been established but nothing has been said or proven about any collaboration, intell shared or actuall actions against US Soldiers yet. That will all come out in his courts martial.

Was he seen talking or was he heard talking?  Big difference.  If he was seen asking where Taliban were without a weapon or body armor, then why was not he report missing until 9am and only after not showing up?

I would have actually had a great deal more respect if he would have voiced his issues to his chan of command and went through the system to get released from his contract and returned to civilian life.

How do you know he did not?  Were you there?  Perhaps the CoC told him to screw himself.  My brother's 1SG offered my brother his M-9 to commit suicide instead of referring him to the post TMC.  My family demanded an investigation.  The Army investigated and found in favor of my brother. 

Is it possible he had undiagnosed depression?  Schizophrenia?  PTSD?  Other mental illnesses?  Alcohol?  Drugs?  Medications?  Afghan army kidnapping since he was actually at an observation post?  Was he an outcast that was influenced by the Afghan Nationals that he worked with?  If his fellow Soldiers knew about his odd behavior and regular walking off base, where was his CoC?

Although at this point, the evidence suggests he deserted, he is still innocent until proven guilty (even in  UCMJ). 

[PHall]

I don't know what's so hard to understand, he sent a number of e-Mails stating his intentions and his dislike of the Army mission.

Yes the emails between his father and him.  He is still allowed freedom of speech to dislike the US Government.  Cannot hold disliking the US Government against him.  The letter that supposedly stated his intentions.  Can you be sure it was written by him?  Could it be forged by kidnappers?

He purposely walked off his Patrol base.

No one disputes that, not even a 2010 Army report.  However, interestingly, fellow soldiers in 2009 reported him doing this numerous times in the past (this would imply that he returned after walking off post).  Therefore, did he really have intentions of deserting or had the Taliban finally figured out a pattern?

Reports at the time of the search for him have stated hat he was seen talking with locals looking for the Taliban. This was all back in 2009. This has all been established but nothing has been said or proven about any collaboration, intell shared or actuall actions against US Soldiers yet. That will all come out in his courts martial.

Was he seen talking or was he heard talking?  Big difference.  If he was seen asking where Taliban were without a weapon or body armor, then why was not he report missing until 9am and only after not showing up?

I would have actually had a great deal more respect if he would have voiced his issues to his chan of command and went through the system to get released from his contract and returned to civilian life.

How do you know he did not?  Were you there?  Perhaps the CoC told him to screw himself.  My brother's 1SG offered my brother his M-9 to commit suicide instead of referring him to the post TMC.  My family demanded an investigation.  The Army investigated and found in favor of my brother. 

Is it possible he had undiagnosed depression?  Schizophrenia?  PTSD?  Other mental illnesses?  Alcohol?  Drugs?  Medications?  Afghan army kidnapping since he was actually at an observation post?  Was he an outcast that was influenced by the Afghan Nationals that he worked with?  If his fellow Soldiers knew about his odd behavior and regular walking off base, where was his CoC?

Although at this point, the evidence suggests he deserted, he is still innocent until proven guilty (even in  UCMJ).

Watch TV much?  (E-Mails written by kidnappers. Really?)

[LSThiker]

Watch TV much?  (E-Mails written by kidnappers. Really?)

Did not say emails written by kidnapper.  The letter was a hand-written note that stated his intentions to desert.  Besides, a written letter written by kidnappers is not that far outside of reality.  A fake copy of a book written by non-English natives with a forged signature was used to convict someone for desertion. 

[lordmonar]

Listen.......it does not matter why he went missing.....we try to get our people back if we can.

The military will take appropriate actions if his actions and the evidence supports any charges.

Beyond that......there is nothing any of us know as fact......so just let it go and see what happens. 

[abdsp51]

This is even provided the Army chooses to prosecute given the statute of limitations for crines under the MCM is 5 years.

[lordmonar]

False.

Art 43 specifically says there is not statutes of limitations on AWOL or missing movements.

[Luis R. Ramos]

I echo Lord's words...

The deed is done. You may believe what you want. However there is a venue for official treatment. Do not attack him in this forum, please!

[DennisH]

I echo Lord's words...

The deed is done. You may believe what you want. However there is a venue for official treatment. Do not attack him in this forum, please!

Stating the truth based upon facts is not an attack, but OK we will all wait till the judgement given.

[Luis R. Ramos]

The problem is the so-called facts have not been proven!

[MSG Mac]

This is even provided the Army chooses to prosecute given the statute of limitations for crines under the MCM is 5 years.

Desertion and Unauthorized Absence do not end until returned to military control. So even if the statute of limitations was 5 years, he's only been back for 5 days. 

[abdsp51]

False.

Art 43 specifically says there is not statutes of limitations on AWOL or missing movements.

He has to be entered as being AWOL/deserter first.  Either way let the intel/psych folks do their job before screamig for a courts martial and punitive action.