Posted on 04/26/2012 7:46:40 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A Marine sergeant was discharged from the military Wednesday for repeated Facebook posts about President Obama.
Marine Sgt. Gary Stein, 27, a meteorologist at Camp Pendleton near San Diego, posted anti-Obama comments and photos on his Facebook page, the "Armed Forces Tea Party." Stein's posts ranged from "Screw Obama and I will not follow all orders from him," to calling the president "an economic and religious enemy."
The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups told reporters they will fight the decision they say violates Stein's first-amendment rights, but military prosecutors said that Stein's comments violated a Pentagon policy that limits political speech while a service member is in uniform, according to Reuters. Stein also was repeatedly warned by superior officers about his Facebook postings.
Still, lawyers from the ACLU and the conservative U.S. Justice Foundation said Thursday that they will continue to fight the discharge.
"I don't believe Sgt. Stein did anything other than engage in political speech," the ACLU's David Loy told the Los Angeles Times. "Since the days of Valley Forge, I seriously doubt that there haven't been members of the armed forces who haven't complained about their government."
Stein, a nine-year veteran who served in Iraq, will be stripped of his stripes and demoted to lance corporal. His discharge will make him ineligible for most federal veterans benefits. The decision to discharge Stein was unanimous by the administration separation board who found that Stein's comments about Obama were "detrimental to good order and discipline and violated military law."
What we find interesting is that at first, Stein seemed to be filled with self-righteous indignation about facing a discharge, including calling his "Armed Forces Tea Party" a place for casual Marine rap sessions. But his comment, "As an active-duty Marine, I have sworn to defend the Constitution against all enemies fo reign and domestic. Obama is the economic enemy, the religious enemy, the domestic enemy," wasn't only on Facebook, but also posted on the military's internal network for meteorological and oceanographic information, according to Reuters.
As one commenter, royboy361 wrote on CNN.com:
As a retired military member myself I don't feel a bit sorry for this guy. The president is his commander and chief. You don't say anything that puts the President in an unflattering light no matter who is President. If that was the case I would have said things about George Bush. Show this guy the door and don't let it hit you on the way out. You should have known better!
An MOS for a chick magnet. You just know he has some war stories.
He should have been more careful in his wording.
Obama is the commander in chief. We can call him a pathetic dweeb who brings disgrace upon the union and is a colossal mis-leader who wouldn’t be able to run a lemonade stand if he was forced to do so and ranks with the worst heads of state any nation of all time.
But, a Marine officer has certain standards of decorum, as I understand. These standards of speech are clear, right?
I hope the next president reinstates him and LTC. Lakin as his first executive orders and then sets to work undoing Obama’s mess.
The Marine is an NCO not an officer....his oath is to obey the lawful orders of those appointed above him......not to the constitution like an officer swears.
He has a reasonable case....15 words cost him 10 years of honorable service and most if not all of his earned benefits....VA loan, GI bill.....I think..
..now I had heard at one time that an other than honorable could be switched to an honorable later on down the road but I am not certain about this....not sure what the mechanism is to change it and regain the bennies.
Marine officers have to show respect to the President. (Not that I know much about the military so you guys who do please correct any errors.)
Any digs have to be indirect or subtle.
I like this video of Obama giving the Medal of Honor to Dakota Myers.
Obama made a joke at the start of the speech in which he says that when the White House called Myers on the job to tell him about about the award, Myers refused to take the call.
He said that he was working and that if “I don’t work, I don’t get paid”.
So the White House had to arrange to call him about giving him the Medal of Honor during his lunch hour.
Obama’s speech writers thought that this is a humorous detail that shows Dakota’s grit or something.
But, I think it was a way for Dakota to show contempt for a man who during the campaign ran against the war in Iraq and has shown disdain for the military and the war on terror consistently.
Imagine: “Hey Dakota. Its the White House on the phone. The President wants to talk to you!”
“OH, yeah? Well I’m busy. Tell him to call back.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3KAXdAxXHE
I think this punishment us extreme, but surely this Jarine remembers his oath.
I had to serve under Carter.
I can mouth off now.
The upshot of all this is that Obama has hurt himself more than this Marine.
I agree Myers was sticking it to them, while remaining situationaly aware.
I love that a topside watch on a nuke submarine threw down on Admiral Rickover who showed up with no clearance. LOL
BTW, lets discuss Obama’s Clearance credentials.
Obama couldn’t get a confidential clearance in the military.
I heard that after 30 days, he can apply for the honorable discharge. Hoping he gets it without much trouble.
MOS 0847...check it out, Chesty. He might have some war stories.
Well all this aside there is something really puking F—ked
when the USMC says two queers kissing is a normal homecoming
photo —nice stuff-— yet gives the axe to someone who tells the truth on facebook.The REPUBLIC IS DEAD. Get over it.
We ar eNo longer worth to call ourselves by that name The United States of America. The House divided against itself cannot stand. and what have now is a Police State or despotism or ANYTHING except American FREEDOM .
“I agree Myers was sticking it to them, while remaining situationaly aware.”
OK, so Myers kept decorum but sent the message by not accepting the phone call immediately perhaps.
But, I just watched this Marine news clip about Myers and one of the YouTube comments was that after putting the medal on Dakota, the president didn’t salute. Apparently that was a huge breach of etiquette.
Does Obama EVER salute our guys?
This clip is worth watching:
MarineTV Headlines: Sgt. Dakota Meyer, Medal of Honor Recipient. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6vYc67KX4s&feature=relmfu
“Sure looks like a whole lotta contempt. “
So you post the photo of Obama and Dakota having a beer. OK, that was nice of him and maybe he wasn’t contemptuous of Dakota.
But, why didn’t he salute Dakota after putting the medal on him?
What I mean is that Obama hasn’t been known to be pro-military.
For example: Obama Complained About Taking Pictures With Troops During Trip to Baghdad — http://www.theblaze.com/stories/new-book-claims-obama-complained-about-taking-pictures-with-troops-during-trip-to-baghdad/
Incorrect. Meyer would not have been able to return the salute since Marines only salute indoors if they are covered and under arms.
Saluting would have been a serious breach of etiquette.
“The USMC says two queers kissing is a normal homecoming
photo -— yet gives the axe to someone who tells the truth on facebook.”
You know, I wasn’t aware of the Marine homecoming kissing photo you mention, so Googled it.
What has Obama done to our country? He pushed to get DADT over turned and now soldiers openly kiss. And are praised for it.
Maybe you are right. Maybe we have lost it.
Here is the photo with a barf warning: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/us-marine-kissing-his-boyfriend-photo_n_1303848.html
You’re making quite a few uninformed assumptions, kid.
“Meyer would not have been able to return the salute since Marines only salute indoors”
OK, thanks. I didn’t know that. Just read what someone else posted about Myers getting the Medal.
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