To Free the Oppressed
According to Fox News, Sergeant First Class Charles Martland, the Special Forces sergeant who is being discharged for shoving a tribal big-wig who raped a bound boy in his home, made a statement to Congressman Duncan Hunter in regards to the incident which caused the Army to relieve him from his duties in combat;
“While I understand that a military lawyer can say that I was legally wrong, we felt a moral obligation to act,” he said.
[…]
“Captain Quinn picked him up and threw him,” Martland said. “I [proceeded to] body slam him multiple times.”
Martland continued: “I kicked him once in his ribcage after one of the body slams. I put my foot on his neck and yelled at him after one body slam, but did not kick or punch him in the face. I continued to body slam him and throw him for 50 meters until he was outside the camp.”
Quinn said, “I physically threw him through our front gate and off our camp.”
Martland, though, disputed allegations the confrontation was more severe.
“He was never knocked out, and he ran away from our camp. It did not last longer than 5 minutes. The child rapist’s allegations against us are ridiculous,” he said.
The motto of the Special Forces is “De Oppresso Liber” meaning “to free the oppressed”, I think you would have to work real hard to find someone more oppressed than a child tied to a post in a man’s bedroom for about two weeks for the purpose of rape. Ask any father if they would have reacted differently, or any other real man.
But, then we’re talking about the same Army who thought it was perfectly acceptable to disarm soldiers in combat while they were being slaughtered by their allies, and then blame those dead soldiers for being culturally insensitive, thus causing their own murders.
The Army is really screwed on this issue;
“The entire operational Chain of Command supported the relief for cause and reprimand,” [an individual claiming to be Colonel Steve Johnson — a U.S. commander in Afghanistan at the time] wrote. “Vigilantism is illegal in the United States and should not be condoned elsewhere.”
He wrote: “We should do our best to ensure that the accused is brought to justice legally and fairly — we should never take the law into our own hands (as Martland and Quinn did).”
Maybe that’s true, but the Army is handling this all wrong. In a time of budget constraints, and the need for more Special Forces soldiers, it makes little sense to toss out the best and the experienced for being a normal man.
Category: Terror War
This issue makes me sick.
I am sorry a rope, tree and medal for the SGT are not in this tale.
I am disgusted over this!
He did his job!
Could not agree with you more.
A source tells me that the SF community is completely apoplectic over this injustice!
Here’s the VFW’s official statement on the matter. Looks like they’re pretty pissed about it too.
https://www.vfw.org/News-and-Events/Articles/2015-Articles/VFW-Statement-on-SFC-Charles-Martland/
Sergeant First Class Charles Martland is hereby awarded an honorary ARCOM. His actions were in keeping with the motto, De Oppresso Liber. He quick and decisive action reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Military, and the precepts of Free People everywhere.
In the face of certain political assassination to his character and irreparable damage to his career, he displayed the Esprit de Corps reminiscent the code of honor and ethos of honorable warriors.
His high standard of moral character and intestional fortitude are beyond reproach.
Warriors everywhere salute you.
(THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE)
The best reward for the SFC is that he can look himself in the mirror with open eyes and a clear conscience. It may not be all that he deserves, but it’s a start.
Truer words never said.
I agree.
Yep.
Greatly put and could have not written it better myself!
If I hear ‘cultural sensitivity’ much more often, when THOSE people don’t have to be ‘sensitive’ to OUR culture, I will start carrying a LOT of raw bacon with me.
it’s now all about being PC LMFAO……
Read the Book. Chapter 8. In The HOPE AND CHANGE Manual, To Gut the Armed Forces..
You Must Start From the Bottom and then Work Your Way to the TOP. And Never Forget the Power of Money and Inflated Golden Retirement Packages for the Brass on Top. Cushy Wall Street Jobs Thanks to our Donors…..
Don’t Forget… If you don’t agree with us we will burn down every city in America.
Thank You that’s all… Lord Barry’s Left Nut…..
“We”? that turd couldn’t wipe his own ass!
Disciplined for saving a underage rape victim from a rapist. If it would of happened by a civilian in America, he would of been praised as a hero.
Never being in the military but having friends who served I asked them a question. Each answered “we took a oath to protect our country against foreign and domestic terrorists” If we’re fighting in another country we’re going to “protect everyone against being terrorized, even if it means knocking the crap out of a team member”. “Looking the other way is total bullshit” and that was a quote from a LT.
The Sgt showed a great deal of restraint in my opinion.
He earned the ass kicking he got and so much more. I would have been very motivated to cause him to die of lead poisoning.
I would have advised (and am passing this on to any and all others out in the field in similar situations) the good SFC to practice The Four Esses:
Suppress(or)
Shoot
Shovel
Silence
Or, to put it another way, when asked where the rapist might be, have you seen him, we haven’t seen him for several days, etc, etc; “Nope, I haven’t seen him either. I have NO idea where he is.”
The fact that he didn’t take out this piece of shit Nguyen Ngoc Loan style makes him a far better man than I.
Point taken, but I doubt he had a S&W hammerless .38.
His M9 would have done just fine.
I want to laugh at your comment, but the reason why this entry on John’s site exists gives me a stern face. Still though saving, “Nguyen Ngoc Loan style” is definitely something I’ve got ‘chambered’ for future use.
Except that the local courts wouldn’t do anything to the POS rapist, since it is a cultural thing. As a matter of fact, they probably would have punished the mother for taking the little boy to the medical station in the first place, since she did so without a male from her family present. So, if they had reported it to the locals to let them handle it, the mother would have been executed for adultery.
The Army is kicking out all the fighters, plain and simple. The next war will be administrated, not fought. But, hey, at least the surrender powerpoint presentation will look good and the soldier’s PMP packets will be up to date for the enemy to find their families and execute them.
This is such crap. The QMP process removed some great leaders and role model in the early to mid 90s. I was junior so was not subjected to it but some excellent NCOs were forced out.
While there were some good leaders left the culture changed to a cover your ass culture and the sycophants, political douchebags, and yes-men thrived.
It disgusted me.
This disgusts me.
So disappointed and frustrated with how ham fisted these draw-downs are.
Yet, we still have to suffer through all those SHARP and human trafficking briefings, the ones where if you do what they tell you to do, you get busted…
I agree that this is unjust. I agree that draw-downs suck.
I have also seen how much veterans have contributed to our society in their civilian capacities.
So…..jobs. What businesses need squared-away, efficient, energetic, enthusiastic people that know how to think under pressure and move amazingly fast when necessary?
Unfortunate situation. Doing the right thing sometimes comes with harsh consequences.
I don’t think the remarks on vigilantism apply. Stopping someone during an ongoing violent crime is not vigilantism. I’ m expecting some resourceful crew in theater to hunt down and videotape an a user in the act, deal with them and dare th e chain of command to court martial them
As far as I can tell, the chain of command did discipline him for the action. (granted, they were full of shit too)
However, now we have bureaucratic dirtbags at Army HRC kicking people out for anything and everything and just checking the block.
It is irrelevant what happened, if it was already corrected or not. They are finding any reason to push people out. It is like they’re getting bonuses for doing it.
At some point, when they’re finished with 4/4 and 5/5 evaluations, they’ll go to 3/3 evals anyone has. Then, people will get calls about the company grade article 15 they got in Basic Training.
“But how did you know about that? It was a company grade? Ohhhh, we have our sources. You’re getting QMP’d because that happened and it means you have a blemish we’re going to use to kick you out with! But that was 15 years ago! So what? We have to kick you out because that’s how it works. Have a great day!”
As I mentioned before, I’d be curious to see how many personnel were QMP’d at HRC or Pentagon levels. I’m guessing its infinitesimal, if any.
“The Army is really screwed on this issue”
And they have not stopped yet.
I hate to say it, but the Army is/has lost its way.
Someone please tell me where the good guys fuck their people over for saving innocent women and children from these fuckers?
This story is the perfect example of what the Army has become.
I’m still waiting to get kicked out after 18.5 years, due to lack of promotion.
Just so we are all aware, if you are retired you technically are still subject to UCMJ. And the DoD is monitoring internets for conduct. That being said, anyone that had a hand in discharging this fine example of a Soldier is a pussyass-f**kface that pees sitting down.
Remarks complete
I think it’s a pity they didn’t get rid of the child rapist via a “Training Accident”, knowhutimean? Life is VERY CHEAP in that part of the world…
“The Army is really screwed on this issue; …”
I fear the Army is really screwed … period.
I wonder what Command Sergeant Major of the Army Dailey thinks of this ? This is not your typical case of kicking out a typical shitbird soldier. Hope to get an answer soon , probably thru an email on AKO.
I am sure that all the “leadership” just wants this to go away.
I have written my two Senators and Congressman about this issue, but have heard not a peep from them.
Admittedly, I live in Maryland it goes without saying they don’t give a shit anyway, but it was worth a try.
This is screwed up on multiple levels.
In the first place, Martland and Quinn confronted a corrupt police chief who, illegally under Afghan law, raped a boy. And he laughed in their faces about it. Since the police chief was responsible for enforcing the law in that village, it was a situation in which vigilantism did apply. Then too, what kind of message would it have sent to the other Afghan villagers if Martland and Quinn had not acted?
Bad things happen when good people do nothing.
Johnson’s argument seems to be based, at least partly, on the idea that Martland and Quinn were guilty of ignoring cultural diversity, and its moral relativity. If that were true, raping boys wouldn’t be illegal under Afghan law.
Another problem is that Johnson’s view of things is also based on the idea that the legal system is the same as right and wrong, and having a moral compass. Evil is only that which has been codified. Which, at least it seems to me, eventually leads to a legal system that risks removing all individual freedom and responsibility. A system where, in the words of T.H. White, everything not forbidden is compulsory.
Hussein’s military is working out real good. This is exactly what the intent was. To make our military, the last bastion on sanity, into scared shits that will do whatever it takes to appease muslims regardless of how ridiculous their actions.
Absolutely Fucking amazing.
Next prez is going to have a he’ll of a time fixing our military and purging these toxic shitheads out of the service.
“Maybe that’s true,…”
I fully disagree.
The Col. running his sump is an incompetent. He’s employed as a soldier serving in savage land filled with barbarians. He thinks like a LEO serving in a civilized land filled with gentle citizens.
The Col. and all like him should be stripped of all rank, perks, pay and privileges, charged with theft for every pay check they’ve taken and dishonorably discharged.
The mindset demonstrated by that Col. is exactly what’s destroying our military’s ability to defend our country.
Preach it, Brother!
We have allied ourselves with monsters and then ask ethical and honorable men to turn away from that which is morally wrong. I would rather accept the consequences of my actions, content that I have done right, than to let my inaction burn in my conscience for the rest of my days.
So I guess I can skip all of the annual mandatory training for SHARP and trafficking in persons.
I mean if Big Army doesn’t enforce it, why should I care?
NCO Creed and Army Values will have to be re-written.
“I will exercise initiative by taking appropriate action in the absence of orders. I will not compromise my integrity, nor my moral courage.”
“Integrity – Do what’s right, legally and morally. Integrity is a quality you develop by adhering to moral principles. It requires that you do and say nothing that deceives others. As your integrity grows, so does the trust others place in you. The more choices you make based on integrity, the more this highly prized value will affect your relationships with family and friends, and, finally, the fundamental acceptance of yourself.”
“Personal Courage – Face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral). Personal courage has long been associated with our Army. With physical courage, it is a matter of enduring physical duress and at times risking personal safety. Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, especially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable.
I was thinking about instructor questions in a philosophy class.
Who made the right decision? Who made the wrong decision? With respect to each of those individuals/groups, describe the code of conduct (or “world view”) they represent. Think of other examples to support your position. Think of counter-examples – you might be wrong. As time passes, what additional consequences may arise in this specific case? Using the respective codes of conduct, what may happen in the future that would support your position? What might happen that disproves your point of view?
=============================
SFC Martland saw an injustice and he did something. He didn’t talk about it or look for someone else to do something. He saw a situation and he acted. He used the information available to him to decide that someone was being attacked. He knew who the attacker was so he acted to change the situation, make the victim safer, and remove the attacker from the situation. SFC Martland did not seriously injure or kill the attacker.
So far, all of this aligns perfectly with my code of conduct. It sounds like letter-perfect NCO behavior. SFC Martland could have taken the punishment further without offending me but I don’t mind that he stopped – he was there and knew the situation, I was not so I accept his judgement.
SFC Martland suffered for his decisions and his actions and he was demonized by his chain of command. The chain of command did not conform to my code of conduct. I am confident that the reasons given by the chain of command are not correct. I suspect that I know the real reasons for this non-conforming behavior but I will probably never really know.
I salute SFC Martland who saw injustice and acted. I salute anyone who does that. SFC Martland you have strong character, the right values, and good judgement. May the burdens of doing the right thing ride lightly on your shoulders.
Yep. I’ve been doing this rhetoric thing in my ethics class. You nailed it. -doffs hat-
In prior comments regarding this atrocity, I asked why Martland had not furnished whatever papers he was given to firmly establish that it was this incident that prompted the decision to boot him. Well, as far as I am now concerned, I have my answer. CNN’s story includes the information that his Martland “is under a gag order imposed by the Pentagon.” The slow burn begins. A gag order for whose protection? Guesses? Must be Martland’s. No, maybe it’s Quinn’s. Sonovabitch. FTA.
“Son, you will never know how much it pains me to say this but I must: Please do not join the military. As a civilian, you can do much good and be much happier. If you do not want to live with transgenders and homosexuals, eat with them, sleep in the same area with them, you do not have to do so. In the service, you have no choice in the matter. In the service, you will be subjected to brainwashing. You will be told that what you were taught by me and your Mom was all wrong, that up is down and wrong is right. Time was that the services discouraged individuality and downplayed differences among its members. That was to ensure the formation of singularity and elevate the team. No longer. Today’s services encourage individuality and celebrate differences among members. It is a shame, but that’s the way it is. So, please do not join the United States military service. You will be much happier and truer to yourself and your conscience if you don’t.”
Can you imagine the outrage if the victim was a female child? Perhaps even SJW’s might have gotten onboard with the criticism of the Army for this.
But I guess since it was a boy, well then “it’s a cultural thing”.
The military that does this doesn’t deserve Martland.
I suppose that under these circumstances we should forgive all of those convicted and punished by the Nuremburg Tribunals. After all it was their culture. Shame on our troops for daring to interfere in the rape of the innocents. I guess this would give NAMBLA a big leg up. Any Lawyers out there to give an opinion?
In my very humble opinion, Martland should have just shot the bastard and buried IT.
That didn’t work out so well for the last guy that did it. Don’t look into this too much, it will just piss you off.
https://www.facebook.com/FreeDerrickMiller
Bro. Dave,….piss me off???? Hell, this makes me want to remove from the face of this earth ANY and ALL who had anything to do with this obvious miscarriage of justice. Reading the comments just mildly began a slow boil. Then this! What the hell are we even doing in a country like Afghanistan? For all the dumb M.F. ‘s who still pretend that we left RVN with our heads held high, fuck all you retards! We have no business in a country where war is a way of life, where humanity is an unknown word, where adults would consider and act on raping young children. We as straight men could never even consider the need for relief by abusing a child, ESPECIALLY a boy! Destroying a little girl’s life is a sick act, but a little boy is beyond the thought of straight males. We are NEVER going to change anything in that shit hole of a country. Time for the 1970’s country-wide war protests has come, but not gone. It is time my brothers.
What Martland and Quinn did – beating the sh!t out of the low-life bastard – was technically contrary to the UCMJ.
It was also IMO completely justified, and was IMO the correct thing to do. Indeed, perhaps they should be commended for stopping short of permanently disabling or killing the low-life bastard.
A CO worth a damn understands when to ignore a technical violation of the UCMJ, and when to impose local sanctions that never appear in one’s records.
Sadly, that doesn’t appear to have happened here. What happened was a career-ending relief and permanent-record written reprimand. What was warranted was a local reprimand, not part of the individual’s permanent record, and a non-relief transfer to another duty location for the remainder of their tour.
The net result: the loss of at least one (and, presumably, two) excellent soldiers in whom the Army had invested much, and who had proved their value. Plus a huge, self-inflicted black eye for the Army.
Sad. And doubly sad because it’s due in large part to political correctness – specifically, unwarranted “respect” for a morally bankrupt practice common in a backwards, barbaric culture.
Looking the other way does nothing but undermine the American force in the minds of everyone else there.
Imo, anyone in a chain o’ command pushing for UCMJ technicalities in such situations needs to be beat to death with a clue bat.
Discernment is a necessary leadership trait.
The Army motto and that of all subordinate commands will change to the Marlo Thomas motto of “Liberum Esse Me Et Te”, (per Google translate.)
[…] And Never Said They Did This Ain’t Hell: VA Officials Profit From Their Positions, also, To Free The Oppressed Weasel Zippers: Obama Regime Deports 22 Iraqi Christians After Denying Them Asylum Megan McArdle: […]