[yazoo]

Since when does refusing a direct order get you a General Discharge. He should have received a bad conduct discharge.

[Captain Rhino]

He had already served five years o active duty and been granted an Honorable Discharge. He was in the Individual Ready Reserve.

Here is some information on the IRR:

"Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Army has called up more than 2,500 IRR Soldiers -- the majority through IRR volunteers, though some have been involuntary call-ups. Historically, the Army needs to mobilize about 13 IRR Soldiers to get 10 deployable Soldiers. The called-up IRR Soldiers spend about 30 days at a mobilization installation, getting checks to see if they are qualified for deployment, getting individual weapons qualification, conducting Common Task Testing and receiving training in a number of warrior tasks that reflect the realities of today's operating environment, including how to recognize an improvised explosive devise and reacting to an ambush. Those who do not pass the readiness muster at the mobilization installation for reasons including anything from medical and legal reasons to physical challenges may be disqualified and sent home. Those who pass the muster will be sent on to military occupational specialty schools to get refresher training, normally lasting between two to four weeks. The final stop is joining the deploying unit at least 30 days before deployment for collective training as a unit."

Link:http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/usar-irr.htm

The IRR is NOT a significant source for manpower for meeting the Army's operating force needs. Based on the information at the link, 23% of the IRR soldiers called to serve end up not being qualified for further service. So the Army expects to lose some of the soldiers along the way. The sergeant...oops...former sergeant is one of them. General Under Honorable Conditions is probably appropriate considering the character of his service while in the IRR. (Service which probably amounted to nothing more than being on the Army's IRR rolls until he was called up.) Personally, I've got the feeling that the Army was just taking the expedient route to get rid of a troublemaker and refusing to be a prop for any further Left Wing anti-war propaganada.