Posted on 05/31/2007 7:36:14 AM PDT by Lady J USA 1981
U.S. Marine Vet Faces Hearing on Discharge Status for Wearing Uniform at Protest
Thursday, May 31, 2007
KANSAS CITY, Missouri — A U.S. veteran who served in the Iraq war could lose his honorable discharge status after being photographed wearing fatigues at an anti-war protest.
Marine Cpl. Adam Kokesh and other veterans marked the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq in April by wearing their uniforms — with military insignia removed — and roaming around the nation's capital on a mock patrol.
After Kokesh was identified in a photo caption in The Washington Post, a superior officer sent him a letter saying he might have violated a rule prohibiting troops from wearing uniforms without authorization.
Kokesh, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, responded with an obscenity.
Now, a military panel has been scheduled to meet with Kokesh on Monday to decide whether his discharge status should be changed from "honorable" to "other than honorable."
"This is clearly a case of selective prosecution and intimidation of veterans who speak out against the war," Kokesh said. "To suggest that while as a veteran you don't have freedom of speech is absurd."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
His daddy is a venture capitalist and owns the horse track in Santa Fe.
And the little bastard goes around telling people the military targets poor people when recruiting. That there's a back door economic draft.
Lying bastard.
Tim Goodrich of IVAW testified that our military routinely commits war crimes.
IVAW = John Kerry Wannabes = Vietnam Veterans Against The War Re-enactors.
Thanks, I just read the posting, not the whole article. So it means that the article is misleading, this guy hasn't been discharged, just separated from active duty.
I wish these media guys would hire some vets so they could get these things right.
two things. 1. if they still have the service tape, ie the “USMC” over the pocket, and, 2. if they are the newer Marine Corps “digicammies,” they have the marine corps logo all over the “cami” pattern, as well as the EGA sewn on the pocket, then they are military issue things. You can dess up like a police officer, but if you do so and wear a real badge on a real issued uniform, removing your nametage and the rank on your collar doesnt cut it.
as a reservist, he IS subject to the UCMJ (and not just on drill days, in any case that would fall under military jurisdiction.)
It’s complete bull to say some panel can change his discharge from honorable to UOTHC. If he’s discharged, he’s discharged, unless they can show the photo was taken before his discharge was final. Further, anybody facing a discharge under other than honorable conditions is entitled to a hearing before a board of officers. Basic stuff.
Colonel, USAFR
Me either. I did see a picture at one point of a Marine reservist in full uniform at a rally...that is a BIG no-no.
...and I just saw the reservist info and the two above posts. Indeed, if he’s just gone back to inactive status, he’s subject to the UCMJ whenever he’s performing duty, even inactive duty (during duty hours). He can’t be court-martialed for this kind of stuff if he wasn’t on orders, but can certainly be subject to an unfavorably characterized discharge (general or UOTHC). And oughta.
Colonel, USAFR
I don’t think we’d be well-served to prosecute this dirtbag. It would just make him seem more important than he really is.
TC
Kind of stupid on his part, his answer should have been, "Sorry sir, I didn't realize that, it will not happen again."
Shades of Winter Soldier...
I read in the other article he’s IIR. I don’t see how he can be subject to UCMJ or called into meet with the military.
Normally, a Vet is in Inactive Reserves until 8 years from date of enlistment, subject to call up, etc..
Yeah, I know. Dr Raoul was kind enough to point it out to me.
Like I said a few posts ago, the article was misleading; he doesn't have his discharge yet, just his separation papers. So yeah, he's in the reserves whether he's signed up with a reserve unit or not, until he gets his discharge.
And to some degree, that DOES mean he gives up certain aspects of freedom of expression for the time being.
Honorable Veterans don’t reply to questions from their superior officers with obscenities. Less than honorable ones do.
Good. Guess he hasn't figured out that uniform isn't his.
When I was in it was 7 years, and of course they never mention that part when you sign up.
They save that for the day you get mustered out of active service, those sneaky rascals!
I was REAL happy to hear that after 4 years of active duty, I was supposed to do the "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" thing just like the guys who signed up for the reserves.
A Marine’s uniform is always a Marine Uniform.
Marines use a distinctive Camouflage pattern call MARPAT, Short for Marine Pattern.
If he’s individual ready reserve, he still has some sort of reserve commitment and is subject to recall for administrative action, though probably not UCMJ action.
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