Satiddy Shorts – Supremes, NC Court-martial
Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images.
Seems the big news Friday is with the Supreme Court. Here’s one they punted:
A transgender woman was unhappy that jailers in Fairfax, VA jailed him/her with the other men and delayed his/her hormone treatments.
The justices rejected an appeal by a Fairfax County, Virginia sheriff of a lower court’s ruling allowing former inmate Kesha Williams, who had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, to proceed with a lawsuit against jail officials.
At issue was whether gender dysphoria, a condition involving distress resulting from a discrepancy between a person’s gender identity and their assigned sex at birth, qualifies as a disability under a landmark 1990 federal law called the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Basically, the ADA specifically excludes gender issues from the disabilities list.
The lawsuit said Williams had lived as a woman prior to being jailed, possessed a Maryland state driver’s license identifying her as a woman and using her legally changed name, and had received hormone therapy in the form of a daily pill and biweekly injections for 15 years to treat gender dysphoria.
The jail classified Williams as male because she “maintains the male genitalia with which she was born,” according to 2021 court records.
Conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the decision to deny the appeal. Reuters via Yahoo
I find that last line interesting – wonder if the good justices wanted it heard so the issue could be settled?
*************************
And, on one of the big liberal losses, Chief Justice cited an unlikely authority for striking down the Biden student loan repayment plan – Nancy Pelosi.
“People think that [the President] has the power for debt forgiveness,” she said in 2021. “He does not.” Insider
No need to comment further on that.
****************************
And the Supremes decided to hear a case involving whether lower courts are over-using the Bruen decision in striking down gun laws. That one will be interesting. I have seen Bruen used as a rationale for some very odd decisions, including “if it was not a restriction in 1790 it can’t be a restriction today” … ought to be interesting to see what, if any, limits the Supremes put on it. AP
*************************
Nasty allegations in a court-martial at Ft. Liberty (formerly Bragg) – a black LTC , Joy E. Thomas who has a purportedly a clean, if not stellar, Reserve record:
Yet, in a proceeding that started last week, Thomas faces more than two dozen charges. Among them: 16 counts of making false official statements; one count of desertion; two counts of being absent without leave; three counts of forgery; one count of making an unauthorized military pass or permit; two counts of disrespect toward a superior; and one count of conduct unbecoming of an officer.
The article is less than unbiased, but does make some interesting allegations:
For Thomas and her lawyers, the reason is simple. She was a whistle-blower who reported “fraud, waste and abuse” in her chain of command at U.S. Army Reserve Command, according to a motion filed last August.
NAACP President Jimmy Buxton, who is also an Army veteran, said on Tuesday he plans to attend the court-martial, too.
“What it is .. is something that Black officers go through when they get 18 years of service,” Buxton said. Typically, military personnel can receive full retirement after 20 years. Fayetteville Observer
Okay now… It’s a bench trial, meaning no jury, and the presiding officer , COL Gregory Batdorf, is expected to rule quickly.
Category: Army, Politics, Supreme Court
UPDATE (30 June 2023) on LTC Joy E. Thomas:
“Fort Liberty Reserve Officer Found Not Guilty Of All But One Charge In Court-Martial”
https://news.yahoo.com/fort-liberty-officer-found-not-185637979.html
“An Army Reserve Officer who faced more than two dozen charges including desertion was found guilty of just one count of insubordination following a two-week court-martial on Fort Liberty.”
“LTC Joy Thomas was sentenced by Judge COL Gregory Batdorff to forfeit $1,000 of pay for one month.”
“In a statement to the judge prior to sentencing Thursday, Thomas said she’s had three priorities throughout her life — faith, family and service.”
“I love the U.S. Army. I love soldiers, and only love God and my family more,” Thomas said. “I ask to leave the U.S. Army with honor.”
“According to Thomas’ original charge sheet, she received an order from the Army Human Resources Command to mobilize her for three years of active duty on April 25, 2017.”
“The defense argued that by May 2020, Thomas’ contract had six “unauthorized extensions” every three months, until a September 2021 date was extended to March this year.”
“While the charges stated Thomas was allegedly absent without leave from her unit in February 2020 and again in January this year, she said she was in treatment at an on-post military hospital for the deterioration of her mental health during those times.”
“Thomas was found guilty of disrespecting her superior officer in two instances by refusing to address him, “rolling her eyes in response to statements, interrupting him and making disrespectful remarks to questions” Oct. 22, 2019, and again Feb. 9, 2021.”
*Continue*
*Continue*
“Prior to sentencing, CPT John Murray, the prosecutor in the case, said that Thomas was convicted of “repeated disrespect to a superior officer.”
“Murray said Thomas was reprimanded for disrespecting her commander in 2019, and that in a February 2021 video shown during the trial, Thomas showed “blatant disrespect” for her Commander.”
“She disregarded who he was,” Murray said. “Her sarcasm and dismissal… is all in the video.”
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-thomas-3a8638169
Joy Thomas
Mediator
United States Department of Defense
Expert at analyzing and solving the most complex of problems. Self-motivated, results driven, energetic, compassionate, committed professional; capable of working independently or as part of a team.
About:
“Proven dynamic leadership: over 20 years of military experience and executive management. Department of Defense Senior Human Resources Manager and Senior Acquisition Manager with extensive experience in personnel management, contract administration, negotiations, fact finding, problem solving, planning, conflict management, training and mediation.”
Experience”
“Senior Human Resources Officer
United States Department of Defense
Jul 1997 – Present 26 years 1 month”
“Certified Mediator
Private Practice
Oct 1993 – Present 29 years”
Education:
“Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School For Peace And Conflict Resolution At George Mason University”
“North Carolina State University”
“Webster University”
The irony of her studies at George Mason University…”Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution”…🤔
A court martial for the dreaded rolling of eyes…
Maybe her eye roll wasn’t as easy on the viewers eyes as she is in her picture.
Maybe capt. John Murray’s wife rolls her eyes at him and he can’t do anything about that. He just takes it out on the next person who doesn’t snore in his face at night.
You know, I’m wondering what the Man, the Myth, the Legend would have to say about this situation…
Damn, too bad IDC SARC isn’t around.
IDC SARC would hit that, Pappy.
She is cute.
Manual for Court Martial
Article 89 — Disrespect toward a superior commissioned officer
“Any person subject to this chapter who behaves with disrespect toward his superior commissioned officer shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.”
Race card detected?
Always playing the jackass card.
“What it is .. is something that Black officers go through when they get 18 years of service,” Buxton said. Typically, military personnel can receive full retirement after 20 years. Fayetteville Observer
The famed “Sanctuary” at 18 years’ service where you’re locked-in for another two years to make 20 on the agreement to retire then (i.e., accept a Regular appointment with MRD at 20 years). “CHA-CHING!” for many.
“There is no Sanctuary!”
Logan 5
Well, I for one, every time I see a minority officer or NCO that makes it up the ranks, I can’t help but wonder if he or she made it there due to the minority card or real achievements.
Our liberal “friends” have done more damage to our military than the enemy ever will.
I often wondered the same thing about white officers when I was in. They didn’t have much going on upstairs but kept getting promoted. The only thing I could think of was they were white.
With “diversity,” we can now have that with all skin colors! Yay!
Personally, I’d prefer we didn’t have idjiots of any skin color, but I guess we haven’t gotten there yet.
A White Dude who is the Commander In Chief and who TRIPS going upstairs…
😅🤣😆😂😉😎
😉😎
🤭
Climb it Crisis
I don’t see the golf balls being hit by Trump in this video.
Another great example. He certainly didn’t get elected on integrity or principles.
Dood…you mis-spelled selected.
Still got a penis and call yourself a “female”? Nope!
YOU took out the loan…YOU pay it back!
“…shall NOT be infringed.” Seems pretty clear to me.
Somebody (bodies?) got their fweeelings hurt? $1K fine out of 05 pay? Wrist slap? What will hurt most is forgetting about getting to 06. He said/she said but but but…we gots a video. FFS…you may not have to respect the person but you MUST respect the rank. If you are given a lawful order, your duty is to Salute and carry out that lawful order.
Versus tripping on Choom?
I don’t wonder anymore. I used to wonder, but after a few years I reached a firm conclusion that all officers (and a fair number of NCOs) don’t have much going on upstairs. There are, of course, exceptions; not many, but some. Color didn’t seem to have much to do with it.
Obviously your experience in the military is very different from mine.
Dude, you step to me with that shit, you’re going to have a REAL bad day.
Post entertainment refreshments are on me.
Really?
Why?
Are you going to tell me you didn’t notice any changes after HRC abandoned the use of DA photos in the promotions boards?
I did.
Dude, my name is so obviously Hispanic that a picture wouldn’t make a lick of difference. My record speaks for itself. And, let me tell you, being Hispanic hasn’t kept me from getting ass-chewings over the years. Some were deserved, some were not. What has helped me is knowing when to just say, “Roger that, Sir.” and move on. It’s not an ethnic thing, it more than likely a generational thing. Most junior leaders today are too “delicate” to handle hurt feelings and I’ve seen that across all races, ethnicities, and sexes. Now, I’m not a screamer, so my leadership style is more about an appeal to reason. The few times I’ve raised my voice, it has an almost seismic effect since that is not my default mode and their fellow Soldiers pretty much let them know, “Damn, you really fucked up.” Those colleagues of mine who have the reputation of being “hard-asses” soon reach the point of diminishing returns since people tune them out. Again, I can only speak to what works for me and my observations of others. Is senior leadership fucked up? Probably. But that’s pretty much always been the case since those who reach those heights are politicians and ass kissers.
Ever notice how incredibly bad some folks look in official photos? How little effort they make to look right? Or who have a dull/thoughtless expression?
So, Slow Joe…
Do you ever wonder if Ben Carson got into Medical School and become a Neurosurgeon because of “the minority card”?
Same with Clarence Thomas?
And Winston Sears, the LT Governor of Virginia who served in the Marine Corps?
“The View” and Joy Reid feel that way….
🤣😅😆😂😉😎
Seriously?
Brilliant people are the exception, not the rule, regardless of ethnicity.
Most people are average. And that’s not a bad thing.
Except in the annals of “Lake Wobegon” where all the children were above average.
That’s kind of how math and averages work, regardless of the situation.
Speaking of Winsome, as it appears in the Bible in this article. This as the wisdom of 6 Americans sitting at the pinnacle of Lady Justice will leave you clapping for more, and grateful for the third SCOTUS appointment from the one and only Donald J. Trump
Truly a good read and a great daily read for anyone with more than three working brain cells.
https://thefederalist.com/2023/06/30/courage-is-a-christians-only-path-forward-from-the-legal-hell-the-winsome-gospel-wrought/
Slow Joe (Yef):
That is a very hypocritical statement from you, knowing that you have used your status as a Jewish refugee from Cuba to skate along the NCO ranks in the Army.
If you are looking for someone who has played a minority card, go look in the mirror.
Wow.
Are you doxing me?
Shame on you.
And no. I have never evah played any type of race, religious, or ethnic card.
I have never even asked for the kosher MREs.
You should ask for them. They’re tasty.
Slow Joe:
So…
Do you think Ole Hunter Biden, a White Dude, was commissioned into the Navy Reserves at the age of 42 because of a “card”?
We do. Try “Biden” card.
Check THIS out from 2012. We could have sworn that Ole Brandon Boy was Vice President of the United States in 2012…
“An attorney by training, Biden applied to join the Navy Reserve as a public affairs officer and was selected in 2012 – one of seven candidates recommended for a direct commission for public affairs. A board of senior Navy officers interviewed Biden before making the recommendation.”
“Because he was 42 at the time, he needed a special waiver to be accepted. Cmdr. Ryan Perry, a spokesman for the Navy, said Biden had been assigned to the Navy Public Affairs Support Element East, based in Norfolk, Virginia.”
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/military/2014/10/17/ap-vps-son-hunter-biden-out-navy-due-failed-drug-test/15786435007/
Yeah. Right. A board of senior Navy officers interviewed Ole Hunter before making a recommendation that he get a direct commission.
What a bunch of BS. Ole Hunter got in because he is a Biden.
You know that, we know that, everyone knows that.
And the corrupt Biden Family knows that as well.
Nut-uhn, he got the commission because he had all that experience dealing with China.
From what I remember I know most of the white NCOs and officers I met had no real achievements. My favorite and most memorable 1SGT was about as black as he could be and still be visible.
I served with a lot of good leaders and soldiers. Some were great. But a few… you just shake your head and wonder WTF? I really didn’t see much difference in performance or achievements based upon race.
“Peter Principle” trumps “Race Card”.
Always.
True.
You would almost think there was some sort of affirmative action quota for white incompetents.
In the late 80s early 90s the USMC was successfully sued by an Asian Candidate who washed out of OCS. He claimed that he was continuously ridiculed by being called ” The green Hornet”, ” Bruce Lee” and other racist comments.
He got a shitload of money and was awarded the rank of Captain in the reserves.
Following that the Corps started handling Minority Candidates with Kid Gloves. I personally had the displeasure of serving with at least a dozen Lieutenants and Captains that were sub par,,, some to the extreme of downright incompetence.
Unfortunately this experience made the question the ability of every minority officer after that.
Some officers aren’t all that “superior” , and need to be disrespected.
“The defense argued that by May 2020, Thomas’ contract had six “unauthorized extensions” every three months, until a September 2021 date was extended to March this year.”
I find this statement from the defense interesting. Being that a Reserve Officers ID does not have an ETS date but only says “indefinite” I am wondering what contract the attorney was referring to.
That is a very weird statement. Normally a call up from the AR is limited to a one year thing plus deployment training if any.
“Something Black officers go through after the have 18years”
I have to disagree with that statement. We have a lot of black officers, generals, SECDEF, soon to be CJCOS.
A rather curious statement. I would think any bias or discrimination would show up long before 18 years. I strongly doubt that many bigots have the patience to restrain themselves that long
Agreed.
A lot of these “racist problems” didn’t start, or come to light anyway, until after 2008. It’s like there was a fundamental change in our country. I raking my brain trying to figure out what caused it to happen!🤔
A lot of those “racist problems” don’t come to light until someone doesn’t get what they want.
Wow.
The above article convinces me I got away with some serious disrespect, on several occasions. I must have done so in a way that was respected.
Me too, but I think that the times that I showed disrespect, it was warranted and that superior didn’t want to bring it to the open. Not too many times. I always tried to be professional. I can count the times on one hand and that is spread across 35+ years of total service.
I practically bit a hole in my tongue keeping it in check some times. Because the same asshole that was a leadership disaster was also the one who would bring people right up on charges over some bullshit.
I guess it went to insecurity and the occasional narcissism.
The rare times that I didn’t, I never was called on it.
Then again, I would have framed and displayed an Article 15 for detail stripping SSG (M)’s 1911 and handing him back a tray of parts. It was considered extremely uncool to stiff a subordinate to clean ones personal weapon. And I did so very maliciously trick him into telling me to do so….
Heh. Yes, I did come back a bit later and “help” reassemble it. Heh.
During my final AD days, I had a really prize specimen of a 1SG who took pleasure in doing all he could to piss someone off that didn’t kiss up to him and then wave his stripes and diamond. I went back and saw him a few months after my ETS, walked up to him wearing blue jeans with my hands in my pockets and said “HEY Tom, how the fuck are you?” in a friendly tone of voice to which his response after pointing at his rank was “Do you see this?” to which MY response was “Fuck yeah Tom, but I’m a Civilian again!” and his response? He froze up. I head-gamed him for another 30-45 minutes before saying “HI!” to a few Buddies and going on with life, I SO had fun fucking back with him that day!
229th Sig Co, 1989. 93 Plt PSG was a complete prick. My Buddy, SPC B, leaves the Army and promises him he’ll write every day. For about 90 days, he did. Sent a nice postcard every day: “Dear JP, fuck you. Love, B”.