Who wants to do some research? (UPDATED)
IVAW took their circus on the rode to Texas, and this guy had some….compelling (??) testimony:
Rooster Romriell
Branch of service: United States Army (USA)
Unit: 1-41 ARmored and 1-8 Cav
Rank: means nothing to free men
Home: Texas
Served in: Ft. Riley, Ks, Ft. Hood, TX, Sadr City, Baghdad, Iraq, Abu Graib, Iraq.
I learned to cherish the sanctity of life in the fires of war and came to my studies of Buddhism in Iraq. As an infantryman I saw the worst of the war and took it home on my shoulder. 1-41 was known for it’s murder scandals and I was the man who broke the case open, the one who stood against the evil of our own, regrettably it had to be done. Our nation is now falling to the ashes of Rome, fascist Germany, and the Persian empire. WE are weakened by our wealth and power, and this once great Babylonian fortress is set to collapse. Let’s set it free!
Anyway, set your BS detectors to stun, and ponder his testimony.
First beer is on me at the Milblog conference who can verify/demolish this guys tale of woe.
Anytime a guy claims that he was the sole person standing for truth and justice, I imediately suspect a phony. I’m sure he served there, but his “I was the man who broke the case open, the one who stood against the evil of our own” translates into grunt speak as “listen to the mating call of the endangered Blue Falcon….”
Have at it kids!
UPDATE: Well, it would seem that most of this is truth, which I find rather shocking. I did note this one sentence in a WaPo article:
An Army investigator described Romriell as the black sheep of his squad in part because he opposed the war in Iraq. The private has since been transferred to another unit for his safety.
Young testified that Williams had said, “The first chance he gets, ‘I’m going to kill Romriell.’ “
Black sheep or no, that’s pretty messed up.
So, I’ll give this guy a temporary tip o’ the hat on this one. You do screwed up stuff, you do the time. Still can’t buy into the other 99% of IVAW stories, but this guy looks legit at first read.
Jonn added: Well, the guy doesn’t get a complete pass. He says his unit is known for “murder scandals” as if the whole unit was complicit a widespread murder spree and cover up. There was ONE SCANDAL. The offender eventually pleaded guilty. Romriel continues in his IVAW profile like he personally brought down the “empire” by sliding a note under his CO’s door. If his commander decided to investigate the crime and prosecute the criminal, that should be sufficient evidence that our military isn’t the out-of-control murder machines Romriel tries to tell us it is.
On top of all of that, Romriell calls the unit 1/41st Armor. It’s the 1/41st INFANTRY. If he wasn’t such an ate-up, pot smoking hippie, he’d remember that and be proud of it. In fact, he was in C Co. 1/41st – the same company COB6 and I were in together in Desert Storm. Romriell wore a Valorous Unit Citation over his right pocket that we earned for him. He could at least remember the branch he served in.
And that drama queen answer about rank – that means he was probably a screw up and got out as an E-1 or E-2. He did an honorable and brave thing by turning in the murderer, but then he beclowned himself to make emo friends in the IVAW. Legit? Barely.
Category: Antiwar crowd, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Liberals suck, Phony soldiers, Usual Suspects
Were they in our neck of the woods? You need to tell us when these douche bags come to town Jamie and I have wanted to protest them forever!
Jonn wrote: Apparently he has a band “Rooster and the Kid (Or Rooster and the Crow)” which plays in Austin on weekends. But I figure in Austin, there’d be a little too much to protest for two young ladies by themselves.
This Dou’che is seeing the same hair stylist as his brother blue falcon Christopher Arendt… What’s the the emo boi look these turd-burglars are sporting?
TSO Wrote: I noticed that too. Maybe they get a rebate at the same place or something? Who knows. Always makes me think of the South Park emo’s getting pissed off when people confused them with the Vampire kids.
I didn’t watch or listen to the video clips. I’d like to keep my lunch, thank you. But it appears his tale of murder is accurate.
From the UCMJDefense blog:
The Iraqi civilian made the mistake of smirking when
soldiers found his hidden AK-47. He was dead a few minutes later.
Michael Patton Williams, a Ridgeway High graduate, shot the unidentified, unarmed man twice in the chest, later telling colleagues, falsely, that the victim had gone for the dismantled rifle and that he’d felt threatened — both justifications for firing under the existing rules of engagement that day in Sadr City.
Somehow I got cut off. In any event, Gary Lynn Romriell is identified by name as being the person who reported the unlawful killing noted above.
As to where “Rooster” comes from? I haven’t the faintest idea. This guy is CERTAINLY not the same as Rooster Cogburn, U.S. Marshal (John Wayne movie).
Jonn wrote: Rooster is the name he uses in his band. According to my research, he slid a note under his CO’s door to report the murder – not that there’s anything wrong with that, I suppose. Anyway, Williams pleaded guilty later to the crime. Regardless, Romriell is wrong to blame the whole military for the actions of one miscreant. It’s a shame that he beclowns himself after performing one noble act.
Y’all over in the Capital “A”; don’t go supportin’ this guy by going to the bar that he plays in. That would justify his rant. Just wait outside in the parking lot, and stare him down. Watch for the pool of piss at his feet when you do. Rooster and the Crow,,,,,, I guess,,,, Whatever….
nuf sed
From “Rooster’s” band web site
Sure is enjoying the freedoms of living in this country though ain’t he.
Jonn wrote: Apparently he has a band “Rooster and the Kid (Or Rooster and the Crow)” which plays in Austin on weekends. But I figure in Austin, there’d be a little too much to protest for two young ladies by themselves.
Hm….Maybe they need sheepdogs to go with them, should they decide to go?
My Question Answered: IVAW declares the “good war” “bad”…
It seems the IVAW was answering my question, even before I thought to write it (the day before) here: What will we do now that Iraq is a Success? I say that but their post was 5-6 hours after mine…….
“I learned to cherish the sanctity of life in the fires of war and came to my studies of Buddhism in Iraq.”
Oh, geez, another convert to the Allen Ginsberg hippie-misinterpretation school of Buddhism… Ask any Asian practitioner of real Buddhism what they think of the above herasy of their religion & you’ll get something not repeatable in polite company.
Objective Research or Subjective Political Attack…
What happens when a college “research project” begins with a conclusion and then seeks justification and evidence to support its political position. California has long been known for left wing politics and Universities have a reputation for the same…
I never claimed to bring it down myself or that we are all murderers in the military. This is called spin. I simply began the process, risking my life to do so. How many of YOU have served this country, is what I’d like to know? perhaps you should consider your own position in this whole situation before crucifying someone who you don’t even know. If you’d like to change things and perhaps serve this country, perhaps you should get off of these rag blogs and do something about it. and no just because I’m a poet doesn’t make me a hippie buddhist. I said that I studied buddhism and not that I was a buddhist. Additionally making threats against me in a blog because you don’t agree with me shows complete ignorance and arrogance. This is America and I do love the freedoms that we still maintain, such as the freedom of speech. I never speak out against America, simply the actions of unjust Americans.
“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”
Thomas Jefferson
Jonn wrote: Yeah, well, if you took a minute to read about this blog, you’d notice we all have CIBs. Most of our readers are veterans or families of veterans. Some of our readers are even in theater. You might also notice that some of them defended you. Thanks for the emotional outburst – it’s always appreciated.
Yes there are typos on the IVAW page, human, sorry… I actually left as a Spec., not that you need to know. I was supposed to be a Sgt. but got a P2 permanent profile and was medically discharged and thus, unpromotable. 1st armored and not 1-41 armored, I’m sorry if that offended you, but it was a typo.
perhaps I should have said company was known for and not unit.
actually it’s a mohawk, but unstyled for professional reasons. I no longer have it but it’s cute of you to notice.
You do know that deuce is not spelled u-e. right?
Rooster..dont let these people get you down brother! They are not the people we need to be concerned about when talking about the illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I hope you keep preaching your story exactly how you said it the first time…hoepfully you wont let the mistakes you made that were pointed out by these assh*les get you down. WHo cares how you tell your story, or if you remember the events a little off..no one can blame you for being in shock in a combat zone!
Translation of SD@14: Run Rooster, Their BS detectors work!
You’re a brave and good man, Rooster. Don’t be shouted down by people who like to watch war from their armchairs.
TSO Wrote: Thanks Dick, but I am pretty sure I watched it from the front line. And not in an armchair, in a humvee. How about you?
3rd Battalion 2 Para, chum. Don’t start a pissing contest or I’ll embarass you and your weepy teenagers.
Go ahead my friend, I am more than eager. I’m pretty sure you won’t embarass me on shit so let’s dance.
Having said that, I met a great deal of fine, professional American soldiers.
TSO Wrote: And yet you still decided to malign as a chickenhawk one who served there. So, excuse me if I suspect someone with an agenda, regardless of what side of the pond they exist on. On the off chance you did serve in either theater, thanks for your service regardless of whether we disagree.
Croos post there. You sound like one of the less fine. Anyway, it’s all fucked, it’s all wrong. Not only Iraq but Afghanistan too where we’ve been most over the past few years. Retired now, aged 38, glad to be out of it after twenty years in.
Listen, mate, I’m sure we had our fair share too but some of your guys shouldn’t have been out there without their mothers. And when we get back to base? “Oh yeah, we fucked them in the ass, did you see me get that motherfucker?” Yeah right. But like I said, we had our fair share of those too. Horrible place to fight.
Ha. Now that there is some funny shit, since we say that quite a bit about many of those in the anti-war “vets” movement. And while you may also have them, I’m pretty god damned sure we wouldn’t have ever maligned the entire British Military over a couple of fobbits talking shit, like you apparently are doing.
I worked with the Brits in Kabul from time to time, so if you are waiting for some grandiose indictment of them from me, you wait in vain.
Listen, my friend, all of our stories are anecdotal and from first hand experience. You watch the average car crash in the street and twenty witnesses will describe it differently. I haven’t tried to slag off US Army, far from it. But what Romriell did and is doing is a brave thing – how many of us would have done the same. When a situation transgresses rules of engagement, what would you do? Stay quiet? I know I have, in the past. That’s why I admire him.
Lose sight of the morals and you lose sight of yourself, you become lost.
Jonn wrote: I guess you didn’t see the part where I said he did the right thing, did you? Naw, that part was too hard to read and still make an ass of yourself, isn’t it? All three bloggers here are US Army combat infantrymen – two of us served together. And do I believe you ever served in uniform? Nope. Prove it. Whacha got?
I truly enjoy reading through on this website , it holds superb posts . “Beauty in things exist in the mind which contemplates them.” by David Hume.
I was with him in Iraq. Same platoon to be exact. His story is correct and I still deal with the consequences of what happened in sadr city on many occasions.