SSG Robert Bales is the name you’re looking for
So there’s the man who stands accused of murdering 16 Afghans last Sunday, according to The Lookout. I got the name from somewhere else and I’ve been waiting for the media to unchain themselves, so I’m pretty sure that’s the guy.
The revelation of Bales’ identity comes after criticism from Afghan President Hamid Karzai about the lack of U.S. cooperation in investigating the massacre. Karzai also questioned whether just one American soldier was involved.
Yeah, I already checked AKO and his records have been scrubbed there, so don’t hurt yourselves trying to answer those stupid security questions. I’m pretty sure that they locked down all of his information as soon as they arrested him to keep stuff from leaking out like it did with Hasan. So we’ll never know if he did “multiple tours” or not. Remember they claimed Hasan did, too, at first.
I notice in the picture of him above, taken in August, there’s no combat patch on his sleeve. And no one I know, with any experience, would hang a smoke grenade by the spoon on their load-bearing gear. His crime already went from being PTSD to a simple drunken rampage. Just sayin’…
Category: Terror War
Why does he look so jacked the fuck up? I know the SOF community has their own relaxed grooming and uniform standards, but he isn’t wearing the “usual” SF type gear (coyote brown plate carriers and an Ops-Core style helmet). His chinstrap is all crooked and from his appearance, he looks more like a bumbling Supply Sergeant hick from a Reserve Unit than he does a Green Beret…
Just my observation is all.
I never saw anything saying he is SF. I have been following this story closely and if what the news says and what his lawyer says is true then his command should be in trouble. There are too many loops and holes in the story to take a strong stance but no matter what I stand by my brothers in arms.
He looks like he is wearing MILES gear or something I can’t tell from the photo. No Optics on his ACH bracket. Also the background looks NTCesque.
The picture is suppose to be from his pre-deployment training.
Forget for the moment where I read it yesterday, but seems to me official sources already stated he WAS a supply sergeant SUPPORTING an SF detachment. Not qual’ed himself.
Although why that matters except to the press “experts”, I don’t know. It’s not as if everything that comes out of their mouths isn’t already provably biased.
Who other than the true believers still pays attention to the lame stream media anyway?
Thats at NTC (notice the Miles gear).
I was in the same unit as this guy, he is on 4th tour (3 in Iraq, 1 Afghan). As for the 2010 accident, I don’t ever remember that happening…I’m not sure where the media picked that up.
Definitely MILES gear, take a look at the helmet and you ll see the little nipples for the helmet band. Looks like eyepro on his IBA, not a spoon. However, even as a Spec-4, any self respecting NCO/Officer would have squared his ass away, you can t leave that shit on your vest. Im in an aviation unit and get torn up for having that crap on my head when Im not using them.
The mainstream media has already chosen the path they want to go with this story. It will be up to people like us to fill in the other blanks that they will ignorantly ignore. I am still curious about his time before enlisting. If he is 38 years old and has been in the army for 11 years, that means he was…umm…27 when he enlisted and went to basic. So what was this guy up to since graduating high school? I wonder if there were any breaks in service?
There’s also a story that the day before he went postal, one of his buddies got his leg blown off. I curious as to what really happened and how. Was he standing next to the guy? Were the inside the wire or what?
Still not too much info to go on, but I would question anything the media (or his lawyer) puts out there that fits the narrative a little too well.
Be hard to wear a combat patch on a Uniform shirt/jacket/coat not designed for one. No Velcro
Also seen Plenty of people use a M18 just like that Active and Guard just bend the bottom of the spoon up takes a Minute.
tis the season to steal valor falalala
BOHICA 22- right on! I was thinking the same thing… thanks for doing the math. 27 years old… joining the Army…as a private… hmmmm? I wonder what his recruiter is thinking.
Bohica, I heard on the news that he was standing right next to the guy when it happened. No mention if it was outside the wire or not.
chitown jesus is really creating shit though
anyone can say, I did this or that – who’s gonna stop them?
I deployed with this guy twice and he is a SSG and a sniper with our (3rd BSCT) unit via HHC 2/3 INF. This is his fourth deployment (3×1 Iraq, 1×1 A-stan) and the pic above is taken at National Training Center, Ft Irwin, CA. He isnt wearing his “COMBAT PATCH” in the pic above.
I have no direct knowledge of the events in question but in my time in his unit (HHC 2/3 INF – 3 BSCT) he always acted in a professional and responsible manner.
My condolences go out to his family…
-Doc J
@ CARL. SSG Bales is an 11B. And in his defense he has ‘prolly done more in the defense of his country than you.
-Doc J
I believe I read in one published account that he’d worked in “blue collar occupations” for “several years” before joining the Army. That was in a media report, so give it whatever credence you like. But it would explain the delay of several years between end of school (high school or college) and joining the Army.
BOHICA and Verde, time for math lessons. 11 years ago was 2001. Some big shit went down in ’01, if you’ll recall, and a lot of people joined, regardless of age.
Just sayin’.
I too worked with SSG Bales, I was a PSG in the same battalion when he was the PSG of the scouts. A couldnt believe this is was him, he is one of the finest men, NCO’s, and soldiers I have known. It irritated me the blatant lies about his “troubled family”, this man was a model soldier.
For all you that pick apart a photo and tell us what a dirtbag he is. I agree with the above sentiment, this man has served the US in more capacity with his short time in the service than most of you will your whole life.
Bobby Bales joined the Army because after watching the twin towers go down he was moved to do something for his country.
SSG are in charge of many things, they are in charge of COP’s, SP’s, and patrols. This isnt the Navy, we dont need an officer for every little task. Something seriously went wrong that caused Bob to snap. It scares me because we are the same age, had similar experiences, and the same amount of deployments. He is a fine man, a great American. But something went really wrong. Now he and his family will suffer for it.
I turned 26 in Basic. I haven’t committed any war crimes of which I am aware. And I don’t wear a right shoulder patch, lest the 10th Mountain inadvertently receive some sort of vague credit for something that I do. You can’t tell much of anything from a picture.
I won’t add more of what I have already posted on this, but I will reiterate my previous statements. 1) Innocent until proven guilty. Robert Bales deserves a fair trial and the benefit of the doubt. 2) I think he is being railroaded. The more I hear of this story the more it stinks. There is some talk of some people putting together a defense fund for him.
Some people are jumping on this guy without little regard to his record previous to the event. Hell for all we know this could be another Haditha, and do we want SSG Bales to remember that his fellow vets weren’t there for him?
Does anybody think that this person just out of the blue decided to end his military career, put unimaginable strain on his wife and children and his extended family and friends, and to carry the weight of what he has done for the rest.of.his.life (which may now be taken from him)….I don’t think that to be the reality here. Something tragic happened…not that I am saying his actions were in any way justifiable. Please pray for him, his wife and children and yes, even pray for the families of those who’s.lives he took and for those he injured. God bless us all.
Doc J, were you the medic for 3/C. IF so this is the old 47.
I had alot of respect fo the people on this sight. But its clear that alot of the commentors have never been in a line unit. For all the talk of “sheepdogs” its seems like a pack of Hyenas.
In the line we sometimes hang our eye-pro on our IOTV (gasp), sometimes our chinstraps arent on straight, sometimes we take out our side plates and get rid of the neck collar and groin protector, I know its crazy. That would never happen in the aviation world, or the logistics world. I mean the one time a month you put on your kit, you make sure its all polished and dress right dress.
Alot of people dont wear combat patches, since every tom dick and harry gets one for going to Quatar for 3 months. Whats the point? What does it signify?
There is a battalion of men ready to stand up for Bobby Bales. Not for what he did, that was wrong, but for the soldier he was. We also need answers, if it can happen to him it can happen to any one of us. That is probably the scariest thing.
So go sit back in KAF, tell us all about your expertise on how he isnt a real soldier, or how you would ‘jack his ass up’ for taking off his eye pro. And in your expertise how real soldiers must never deploy to NTC.
He should get Casey Anthony’s lawyer. He’ll be set in no time, provided he really is considered innocent until proven guilty.
FOXMG. You seem like the type of toxic leadership that SMA Chandler talks about. You ALLOWED your soldiers to take off their protective gear because you don’t have the balls to make them adhere to standards. This did not “happen” to SSG Bales. He made a choice. You make shitty choices on the daily apparently… Why even carry a weapon on patrol? You are such a badass I’m sure you would catch 7.62 in your teeth and shoot it back downrange with your tongue.
BTW… I am not at all convicting the guy… But if he is the one that did this he just added to this ridiculous OEF/OIF vets are all crazy saga. I am tired of vets “playing the crazy card”. Many of us went, came back, left the shit where it belongs… Some of us went, did nothing/something, lied/embelished, blah, blah ,blah… I will not stand behind someone who killed innocent people… HERE, THERE, ANYWHERE. I can speak for days about the subject because there are way too many “crazy vets” out there.
I’m incredibly glad to see other men who have served with him commenting here. Regardless of the nature of their comments that sort of thing will be in short supply over the next few months. Keep on keeping on, gentlemen.
Would leaving eye protection on while speaking with a village elder, as is being simulated in this photo, be considered rude? Was he told to take off shades while meeting someone in a diplomatic setting? Kinda like shaking hands with glubs on?
My question above speaks to Duke’s, ahem, strong comments above…
Duke, IBA and IOTV was designed to be modular so it could be adjusted to the threat level. I never wore the groin protector, nor the throat protector while in Infantry till 2008. But then our commanders gave us freedom to work and werent terrified of bad press so ordering everyone into full Body armor as as way to check the block on a Risk Assessment and then wash their hands.
It smells of the practice of Article 15’ing IED survivors for not wearing ear plugs which 10th Mountain used to do.
It’s a cop out to say someone you never met is a Lousy NCO because he doesn’t look like a fuckin PEO Soldier poster. As to SMA Chandler, well frankly, I dont have a Use for SMA’s as they are usually the worst suckups in the Army. Yessa massas, more worried about shit like unit greetings, reflective belts, and Powerpoint then rifle marksmanship, soldier care, and actual fighting of wars. Chandler has a BS for BS the standard bullshit award for E-7 and above whether they ever saw a Live Iraqi or Afghani in the wild. He doesnt impress me as anything other than another Middle Manager with 27 bits of flair.
This SSG. is Innocent until proven guilty in a court of Law-AKA the American way. We dont know jack about what happened other than media reporting. IF he murdered Women and Children throw the book at him during sentencing, not before.
No bunny you are correct, we’ve been told time and again to remove helmets, remove shades, gloves when doing meet and greets with village elders. Hell We were advised that in 2004 that the culture didnt trust people if they cant see your eyes. There must be a couple of hundred Army.mil pics showing everything from 2lt’s to 4stars meeting with locals not in full battle rattle when doing Bilats.
I haven’t commented on this subject other than to point out Karzai’s hypocrisy and I will continue to not comment on this, because I am always guarded of media hype and accuracy in anything that they report, especially early reports of an incident, because they always get it wrong. I’m, also, wary of this administration and the fact that the military seems to leave some hanging in the breeze for political expedience.
SG: thank you for commenting. As a civilian ( sorry guys) I find it interesting that some here will flame this guy for eye pro placement, when he is doing what he has been trained to do. The rush to judgment based on one tiny photo screams volumes at me.
You guys are stupid and you clearly have no military background, or combat experience. Ssg bales is it Shit! He was a platoon ssg in my unit. He personally help me during a time when everyone else wasn’t attempting to. Ssg bales woulda done whatever he could have to help a fellow commrade, and now aas soon as an accusation comes out everyone hops all over it? Even if he did do it…he is an american, how manyb random, pointless deaths of soldiers have happened as a result of this conflict overseas? More than 16! I say that we all realize that he is innocent until proven guilty….also I say that u realize that if you are a soldier who’s deployed during OIF, and OEF then you kno that it woulda been awfully hard to get off base without an american troop seeing you since we gurd the base with the ” coalition forces”….the only person to see he was an afgan lookout…hmmmm how ironic….just look at the facts….real infantrymen can see what’s really up
I was 24 when I signed the contract, 25 when I shipped for Basic. I’m on the older side when compared to others in my peer group but certainly not the oldest nor way out of the norm. I’m a 28-year-old Specialist now and most of the E-4s in the company I’m in (which is MI, so it does trend older/more educated) are in the 23-29 age range, and almost all of us have at least some college.
Also, id like to point out that removing mitch helmets is a courtesy…a sign of respect…the same as tipping ur hat when you see a woman, or holding the door, a GOOD infantryman is never complacent and always remembers that he is in combat…so taking your helmet off would make an awesome sniper target huh? Stop speculating and look at the facts!
I sincerely hope he receives a fair trial. Prayers for him, his family, and the deceased.
1. He was working with a village stability force, pretty much a small team working with village elders to maintain security of the area; they’re not exactly set up on a FOB, more like a small encampment within the village.
2. They have footage of him low crawling towards the wire, as well as laying down his weapon, putting his hands up and surrendering.
3, and i’m sure i’m not the only one who’s heard this, one mistake can erase a lifetime of good deeds. He’s a murder suspect now, and that alone has pretty much erased anything good he’s done in his career. It’s just the nature of the beast. Granted I hope he gets a fair trial, but regardless of the outcome it doesn’t look good for him.
4. Most of us here have military and/or combat experience, so don’t be foolish.
@34: You clearly don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. Most commenters here not only have military backgrounds, but many of those have also been in the sandbox and frontline units, including the site owner.
My questions: If Karzai created some kind of problem and claims the 16 deaths were from US soldier attack, have the bodies been autopsied to prove what weapon or bullet killed them? Who saw it happen?
Seven of our troops have been shot dead by the soldiers we helped train. So, who is to say that it cannot be something shady?
At this point, no matter what the truth is, I am sad for his family and the man.
@34 – Real Infantryman also don’t spell like a 13 yr old girl texting her BFF.
Nobody here has convicted him….but even you must realize that the evidence is stacked against him.
To those Soldiers that served with SSG Bales, and have commented in defense of his record, Thank You. That is something that has been missing.
The information known about the incident looks pretty damning at the moment. As someone pointed out, it looked pretty damning in Haditha too. Despite the courts martial that have cleared those in that case, many still cite Haditha as a crime.
SSG Bales must be given the benefit of the doubt, ie. that he is Innocent, until PROVEN guilty.
In the released picture, he does appear to be jacked up. A properly adjusted chin strap isn’t just for appearances. It effects the comfort of the Soldier wearing it and the effectiveness of the retention of the Helmet during physical activities and battle. And a chin strap that jacked up (as well as the grenade spoon retention system use, which again does not work in a physical environment) DOES present the appearance of an unprofessional, unexperienced Troop. Perhaps, that is why this picture was chosen for release.
As to the eyepro on the IOTV, sideplates, groin & neck protectors, yeah, that’s petty a** Chandler style nitpicking and Dempsey style risk aversion.
If short haircuts and starched Battle uniforms were what made Warriors, Drill Sergeants, not Special Opertation Forces, would be the go to Soldiers when a pirate or terrorist leader needed to be taken out.
The character statements presented in this thread, on SSG Bale’s behalf, present a very different picture than that presented by the media.
The murder of women and children MUST be condemned. The culprit who murdered them in the night deserves the harshest of punishments, even if he were Mother Teresa to that point.
But SSG Bales also MUST be given the benefit of a fair trial. Given the information currently available, it doesn’t look good for a finding of innocence, but we don’t have all the information. Hell, I have seen MSM reports that said he was SF, before his name was even reported.
So maybe the lesson for now is: gather all possible data, analyze the available data, then comment? Does a civilian female have to remind you to use more logic and less emotion?
Sorry, Nobunny, but we’re mostly professional soldiers, and first impressions last with us. I don’t take much stock in civilians’ and privates’ comments when it comes to military bearing because neither understand the term. This is an opinion blog, I express mine and my readers express theirs. The only way we have to consider him innocent until proven otherwise is if one of us end up on his jury.
There’s some heavy trolling going on in this thread. I know it’s a small army and all and this blog is getting more and more popular, but there’s quite a few people here claiming to have served with this guy. Better be careful, TAH has a knack for smoking out the poseurs.
Fair enough. I’m out then.
The Army Times website has a article up with his complete military history up. 11B, not 92Y, CIB, EIB, Sniper, appropriate NCOES for his pay grade. I am pretty shocked the army released this detailed of a rundown on this guys time in the service.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/03/army-staff-sgt-robert-bales-named-suspect-afghan-killings-031712w/
Seemed to be on track for a good Infantry career.
Every man has his breaking point. Some break harder than others. Prayers out for him,his family, and his unit.
He’s not sf not a supply Sgt he’s a freakin infantry sniper chodes I served under him not but two years ago
This shit has happened before, and will again.