Posted on 11/15/2007 11:48:55 AM PST by SoldierMedic
I spent 22 years serving the military and have another 8 supporting them as a contractor. I’ve seen a huge number over the past five years...who have signed up and lack absolute maturity (some were even 20-22 years old)...with some weird idea of what they thought they were doing, and then six months later...realizing that they really shouldn’t be there. I rarely saw that back in 1980. I watched some airman go into a mental melt-down over a ten minute period...who obviously should not be in the military (unfit). But the standards across the entire book...Army, Navy, AF & Marines...are not the same as 20 years ago. We are bringing in people who simply should not be there. Everyone of these “nuts” who sit up in Canada and play out this refugee game...are simply doing media-chats on a daily basis...which doesn’t do any good for the military or most Americans...they look like losers on camera...and I just get sick and tired watching the interviews. I’d just like to get them off the TV and wrap up their idiot stories.
Helllloooo Boy’s have a seat.
There is this scenic town on the bluffs of the Missouri river called Leavenworth. I used to live there. These types typically wash officers cars, clean the base and facilities, mow the golf course etc. We had very clean cars that year when Dad was at OCS.
Two words:
Ramsey Clark.
Hey, he defended Saddam, so why not some deserters?
pepsionice wrote: “But the standards across the entire book...Army, Navy, AF & Marines...are not the same as 20 years ago. We are bringing in people who simply should not be there.”
Sorry, but I don’t agree. Don’t you remember the pot-smoking, drunken military of the 70’s? Granted, there are bad enlistees today just like there were bad ones back then, but I believe today’s enlistees are better educated and generally as hard working as previous generations. After Vietnam, we had a long period of relatively easy service. Today, an army enlistee can pretty much count on tours in Iraq or Afghanistan. In my opinion, they are a cut above, even if some of them are losers (like the two deserters in the article).
In addition to jail time they can also receive a punitive discharge (a Dishonorable or Bad Conduct discharge), reduction in grade, and forfeiture of all pay and allowances. Somewhere, about 30 years ago, I read that all the pay and allowances forfeited through punishment were directed to fund the Old Soldier’s Home.
Does this mean the freaking “Age of Aquarius” is finally over?
In time of War -- the firing squad is an option.
Article 85 of the UCMJ is UNAMBIGUOUS in this regard....
Article 85—Desertion
Text.
“(a) Any member of the armed forces who—
(1) without authority goes or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to remain away therefrom permanently;
(2) quits his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to avoid hazardous duty or to shirk important service; or
(3) without being regularly separated from one of the armed forces enlists or accepts an appointment in the same or another one of the armed forces without fully disclosing the fact that he has not been regularly separated, or enters any foreign armed service except when authorized by the United States Note: This provision has been held not to state a separate offense by the United States Court of Military Appeals in United States v. Huff, 7 U.S.C.M.A. 247, 22 C.M.R. 37 (1956), is guilty of desertion.
(b) Any commissioned officer of the armed forces who, after tender of his resignation and before notice of its acceptance, quits his post or proper duties without leave and with intent to remain away therefrom permanently is guilty of desertion.
(c) Any person found guilty of desertion or attempt to desert shall be punished, if the offense is committed in time of war, by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct, but if the desertion or attempt to desert occurs at any other time, by such punishment, other than death, as a court-martial may direct.”
No way they’ll get the death penalty. Granted, that’s the worst they could receive, but it won’t happen.
Ramsey Clark sounds just about right. Is Kunsler still alive? No shortage of leftie lawyers, unfortunately. The one and only problem is their ego may not let them take a case that’s such a sure loser.
Agreed, the odds are very slim to none...
And therein lies the reason too many laws in the U.S. are ignored -- they aren't enforced in cases that CLEARLY warrant their implementation....
We don't enforce our borders either -- therefore we're overrun by the Turd World...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.