Posted on 11/03/2009 11:53:15 AM PST by jazusamo
The Marine Corps said Monday that a brigadier general and two colonels will preside over a Board of Inquiry deciding the fate of Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the highest-ranking officer accused of wrongdoing after two dozen Iraqis were slain in the city of Haditha following a 2004 roadside bombing.
But a Marine Corps spokesman said the identities of the officers will not be disclosed.
"We're treating it like they are part of a jury pool and not releasing their names," said the spokesman, Lt. Col. Roger Galbraith. "We don't want people trying to contact them ahead of time. We don't want to taint them."
The Board of Inquiry is being conducted to recommend to the Secretary of the Navy if Chessani's conduct in the wake of the killings warrants ordering him to retire and if so, at what rank.
Chessani originally was charged with dereliction of duty for what prosecutors said was his failure to order a full-scale probe of the incident.
Chessani maintains he reported the killings up the chain of command and had no direction to launch a formal inquiry.
Charges against him were dropped earlier this year after the Marine Corps decided not to appeal a finding that his case was tainted by unlawful command influence involving a legal adviser to a general overseeing the case.
(Excerpt) Read more at nctimes.com ...
There should never be a full-scale probe of any such incident until there is a pattern of reports of such incidents to probe.
When you have a pattern then you have a case. When you have a *single incident* all you have is second guessing and finger pointing. Which is a useless waste of time in a war.
THE LTCOL CHESSANI CASE: GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS... MOSTLY BAD
Sheesh. This thing still going on. No matter what the damage is done. I think that the dems really did a job on this one. Did real damage to these guys and the President.
This is pathetic. They couldn’t get LtCol Chessani on criminal charges in a court-martial so they’re falling back on a Board of Inquiry to try to get a piece of him.
Thanks for the link to the LTC Weimann article. Chessani appears to be seriously hosed here unless he gets officers on that board with a high level integrity and appropriate command experience. It also wouldn’t hurt if those officers were already considering retirement so they could do the right thing.
I thought this was over. I can’t believe it’s going forward. Prayers up for Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani. What strength he has needed to get through this. My prayers for his mother (and wife, if there is one). They have taken every blow with him. My heart is so sad.
Absolutely...If these officers have combat command experience I’d bet they’ll understand just exactly what took place.
Thanks for the ping jazusamo.Here’s a bump.
How can I send a protest letter to Lt. Gen. Flynn? Do you know his address by chance? Thanks. The treatment of this Marine really does suck, and I think they should know it.
Thank you, both. :)
As CIC of the U.S. armed forces at the time all this was going on, GW Bush could’ve, should’ve, but failed to put a halt to this whole poltically correct, monkey show trial & proceedings. That is a major reason why I detest GW Bush, for NEVER stepping in to stop the political witch hunts & trials against our military men & women, who literally have a split second to make a decision, and then are hounded & persecuted for it afterwards. Thank you once again, you big dumb incompetent doofus & panderer to left-wing socialists, GW Bush!!!!
I’m betting that it’s only the public who doesn’t know who the officers on the panel are.
And that means that every single one of LtCol Chessani’s high-ranking military and civilian persecutors will know.
I’m hoping Thomas More Challenges this secrecy.
Can you imagine a civil court trial in which those hearing your case are kept secret???
How in the world is this not unconstitutional?
The most disturbing is the length of time it has taken to get to this point. He will get a letter of repremand and dismissal from the service but no jail time....I am not sure if he has over 20 years...if he does he might be able to retire quietly if this board finds anything. The reason I sound negative is like you said they could not get criminal so they are going administrative and that is easier to convict and believe me they don’t want a complete “non punishment” afterall the time and money went into this. He is the sacraficial lamb it appears. Good luck to him!!!!
I’m betting you’re right, xzins. I’m hoping his lawyers at Thomas More lays into them on this.
Amen to that! He does have the years to retire when this is over.
That's why the whole matter should be thrown out, not only judicially, but adminstratively as well.
What's occuring now is nothing less than a vindictive abomination on the part of his persecutors.
If the General and two Colonels are worth one ounce of their collective brass, they will kill this sham Board of Inquiry, completely vindicate Chesanni; and present publicly a scathing denunciation of the perpetrators of this rancid process.
I couldn’t agree more when you say it’s a vindictive abomination on the part of his persecutors, I really thought the Marine Corps was above this.
The Marine Corps is better than this.
I can’t prove the following, it’s speculation on my part, but if it walks like a duck...
This persecution is directly linked to funding, IMHO. This is pressure being brought by a civilian defense appropriator. The Corps is between a rock and a hard place.
Talk about unlawful influence.
I think it’s a strong possibility and believe the unlawful influence started in the House and flowed downhill.
Praying for this Brave Hero and his family that are being putting through this living Hell on earth!!
sMurtha is still smerkin’ and needs to put out of office...someone needs to lock him in a padded cell and through away the key, along with Carter and few other unmentionable DC TRASH!! Like you say....’stuff runs down hill’.
No reason why he could not have made a few phone calls and stopped this stupid harassment of Marines.
The facts and circumstances became irrelevant the day Haditha was politicized.
“dismissal from the service”
Point of clarification: officers only get a dismissal as punishment by a court-martial. He may be encouraged to retire, but they can’t force him out unless they do a discharge board, which I’d be very surprised at. And as an O-5, he almost certainly has 20 years and can go to 27.
Colonel, USAFR
Are they really serious?
UCI is basically an admission that the system was railroading Chessani, or at least appeared to be doing so, and now they want to conduct this “new” phase in secrecy!?
All of us retirees know that there’s no such thing as a Brigadier who is not known by every 4star and 3star in the force. And, so far as bird colonels go, it’s probably the same. And they can reach out and touch anyone, and it’s probably filed away in the back of these panelists’ minds that their 4-star wanted Chessani blackballed.
No way this panel shouldn’t consist of retired, combat-experienced officers from a different branch of service.
And it should be public, so we know who they are, and that that is the case.
A brigadier general and two colonels......I sure hope one of them is not Col. Ewers!
I have no idea if it’s typical for a “board of inquiry” to have anonymity for their panel members. Anyone know? Also, will his defense lawyers be able to have any input to this board?
This sounds too convenient in getting around having to start the case all over, yet handing out a possible punishment. Hopefully they will decide the damage to his career has been enough punishment and recommend no reduction for his retirement.
Thats some pic ma. I am sure there are others that also would echo your sentiments. It is all so damn sad for our Marines that got so screwed in the case.
Thank you for that information and your service to our nation. Best hope of course would be that this side show blows up in the face of those bringing this and the Lieutenant Colonel is found to have done nothing wrong and will be able to continue on his career and retire at his choice.
Thanks for the ping
At least we had a few victories tonight.
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