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 ...
To quote the site:
"The newest advancement in camouflage technology is the digitally enhanced camouflage pattern known as MARPAT, which stands for Marine Pattern camouflage. The United States Marine Corps holds a patent on the design of actual issue material and is currently only granting production licenses to to companies who produce clothing directly to the Marine Corps, thus making it unavailable to the civilian market. The digital camo clothing that we are offering here is a slightly modified variation of actual MARPAT clothing and unless someone comes up and and looks close for the miniature eagle, globe and anchor insignia, which is embedded in the official issue clothing, no one will know the difference."
So, it appears that at least the Marine new pattern is quite distinctively a US Military uniform.
‘Personally, I think he should be left in a room with some Marines who actually act like Marines, regs or not.’
A fine idea, I doubt there would be a shortage of volunteers.
‘But that wouldnt be right’
Maybe so, but it doesn’t keep it from being a fine idea.
administratively and legally, “R” is R, whether its IRR, Drilling reserve (SMCR or IMA), or AR. Always subject to administrative and legal action. The only limitation for that reservist who commits a crime while not under orders is the jusrisdiction of the particular legal authority. Typically its a civiilan jurisdiction, but there are scenarios where it is military or even federal (in the case of the non-marine passing himself off as a retired officer or the reservist going to a parade wearing medals he doesnt rate).
Mike Hoffman who started IVAW bragged about them being called the “rock stars of the anti-war moevment.”
Went back and looked at a group photo, a line up. He's removed everything but the Globe and Anchor. And I think that's in the fabric.
The Iraq Veterans Against The War are Vietnam Veterans Against The War pretenders. They even try and look like John Kerry and his rat bastard traitors from the 60's. The IVAW has tried to reenact, resurrect a number of the old protests from the 60's. Their rendition of "Operation Dewey Canyon" is best described as "Operation Screwy Canyon".
Another areticle states he bought a pistol home. He was marked “Class 4 Inelligble to reenilst” according to that same article. Guess they just decide to toss out the trash.
Here is the reply Cpl Kokesh sent to his Reserve CO, Maj Whyte:
Thanks, II hadn’t see that. Kokesh is an even bigger fool that I thought him to be.
I heard on the radio that the VFW supports him. Anybody want to tell us why? I don’t expect the VFW leadership to personally contact me and every other member and ask us for our input, but it would have been nice if we could have at least some input, one way or the other.
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