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Marines discharge sergeant for Facebook posts
Associated Press ^ | April 25, 2012

Posted on 04/25/2012 11:34:36 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY

SAN DIEGO (AP) - The Marine Corps said Wednesday it has decided to discharge a sergeant for criticizing President Barack Obama on Facebook.

The Corps said Sgt. Gary Stein will be given an other-than-honorable discharge for violating Pentagon policy limiting speech of service members.

(Excerpt) Read more at wvva.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: garystein
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1 posted on 04/25/2012 11:34:38 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
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To: Free ThinkerNY
But this Facebook post is just fine with CIC and USMC...

Photobucket

2 posted on 04/25/2012 11:36:56 AM PDT by Dick Vomer (democrats are like flies, whatever they don't eat they sh#t on.)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

I think to harsh. Discharge but with Administrative, maybe a general. OTH is really bad. No decent job at all.


3 posted on 04/25/2012 11:37:40 AM PDT by napscoordinator (VOTE FOR NEWT!!!!)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

I’d still follow Sgt. Stein up a hill. I wouldn’t follow Obi across a golf course.


4 posted on 04/25/2012 11:38:42 AM PDT by donozark (The key to winning the Vietnam War was not Vietnam, but Laos...)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

The article says he got an OTH discharge. Not as bad as a Dead Duck or Big Chicken Dinner, but still not something you want to put on a resume. It’s good to be passionate about your politics, but stupid to ruin your life over it. He knew what the rules were regarding politics and in the military. He chose to disregard those and now he’s paying the consequences.


5 posted on 04/25/2012 11:40:05 AM PDT by Old Teufel Hunden
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To: Free ThinkerNY

The posting: “Screw Obama and I will not follow all orders from him.”

Now, as regards following orders the set in question is “all orders,” which must be the set of lawful orders union the set of unlawful orders; there is no obligation to follow unlawful orders, so then how is this a dischargeable offence?

For saying, “screw [SUPERIOR]”? If that is the case then I think there is quite a misnomer in the UCMJ, specifically “uniform” for it cannot be denied that a not-insignificant portion of soldiers/marines will (at some point) say “screw [X]” where X is some superior.

In any case, I find it intriguing how the Pentagon/DoD, deriving its authority from Congress, can limit the exercise of free-speech when that power is itself denied to Congress.


6 posted on 04/25/2012 11:47:00 AM PDT by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: Old Teufel Hunden

What are the rules he broke?

He had a disclaimer saying that his site was not associated with the USMC.

What rule did he break? Show it to me.


7 posted on 04/25/2012 11:48:56 AM PDT by butterdezillion
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To: butterdezillion
Article 134 for being an obtuse s***bird for starters.

9 years and he was still a Sergeant. That in and of itself was reason enough to RIF that pogue.

8 posted on 04/25/2012 11:55:43 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro is a Kenyan communist)
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To: butterdezillion
ART. 134. GENERAL ARTICLE Though not specifically mentioned in this chapter, all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of by a general, special or summary court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offense, and shall be punished at the discretion of that court.

I'm sure he was counseled, yet continued.

9 posted on 04/25/2012 12:03:38 PM PDT by xone
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To: A.A. Cunningham

What does Article 134 say?


10 posted on 04/25/2012 12:04:25 PM PDT by butterdezillion
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To: napscoordinator

“Other-than-honorable” usually means “General” which reverts to “Honorable” after six months of ‘clean time’ out of the service, or at least, that is the way it used to be.


11 posted on 04/25/2012 12:08:36 PM PDT by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise
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To: xone

ACtually I read an article when this story first came out which pointed out that he had twice been told what he was doing was OK because he had a disclaimer on his site saying that it was not associated with the USMC.

Saying that you will not obey unlawful orders is the height of discipline and good order - and that was what was previously listed as being what he said that got him in trouble. (To be truthful, this particular article is so poorly-written, I’m not sure whether what they put in quotes is directly from this guy or not. The whole article is clear as mud).

Refusing to confront an illegal foreign enemy combatant in the White HOuse would bring MUCH discredit upon the armed forces, so those refusing to address this are the ones in violation of Article 134.

And yes, the point at which he got into trouble was when he mentioned Obama’s ineligibility. Maybe he should be glad he got off with his life. The chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party didn’t...


12 posted on 04/25/2012 12:11:21 PM PDT by butterdezillion
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To: butterdezillion
934. ART. 134. GENERAL ARTICLE

Though not specifically mentioned in this chapter, all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of by a general, special or summary court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offense, and shall be punished at the discretion of that court.

13 posted on 04/25/2012 12:20:17 PM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro is a Kenyan communist)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Add this to the growing list of examples showing that Military Leadership is more loyal to Dear Leader than to the Constitution.


14 posted on 04/25/2012 12:21:38 PM PDT by JohnKinAK
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To: Free ThinkerNY
The Corps said Sgt. Gary Stein will be given an other-than-honorable discharge for violating Pentagon policy limiting speech of service members.

Pentagon Policy? Sounds political to me; what law did he violate?

What of the UCMJ recently revised by progressives to embrace and promote homosexual sex?

15 posted on 04/25/2012 12:24:06 PM PDT by DBeers (†)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

The best thing this Marine can do now, is run for Congress now.


16 posted on 04/25/2012 12:27:03 PM PDT by Trueblackman (I would rather lose on Conservative principles than vote for a RINO candidate.)
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To: butterdezillion
I don't like or support the current occupant of the White House. I don't believe he is eligible, and know that he is the worst trainwreck for a president that we have ever had.

That said, this Marine is an idiot for doing what he did. Only in a world of no discipline would one get away with it. I don't know if he was offered a chance to stop what he was doing, as his OIC, I would have recommended it. This kind of discourse is something for over beers at the Club, not for social media.

read an article when this story first came out which pointed out that he had twice been told what he was doing was OK because he had a disclaimer on his site saying that it was not associated with the USMC

No doubt from 'sea lawyers'.

Saying that you will not obey unlawful orders is the height of discipline and good order

That isn't a surprise, attaching that statement when commenting about your CIC is what is problematic. Like it or not, there hasn't been a finding by competent authority thet the current douche in the White House is ineligible. It isn't within the purview of military members to make one. Thankfully, we don't have military coups daily like some African/Central American countries. A Marines' job is to be ready to fight and fight when ordered. Political commentary is a job for retired Marines.

Refusing to confront an illegal foreign enemy combatant in the White HOuse would bring MUCH discredit upon the armed forces, so those refusing to address this are the ones in violation of Article 134.

Hyperbole.

17 posted on 04/25/2012 12:30:05 PM PDT by xone
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To: butterdezillion
"What rule did he break? Show it to me."

As a member of the armed forces (whether in uniform or out of uniform) you cannot make public statements criticizing the commander in chief. A number of generals of gotten retired over this issue through the years. What makes this case a little unique is that it was a sergeant. However, the rule still applies. It disrupts the good order and discipline of the armed forces to have the troops openly criticizing their commander in chief in a public forum. He should have just kept it at grumbling with his buddies.
18 posted on 04/25/2012 12:35:39 PM PDT by Old Teufel Hunden
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To: xone
I'm sure he was counseled, yet continued.

If you're correct (very possible but by no means certain,IMO) then a less than honorable discharge may well be appropriate.If not,then counseling should have been the first step by the chain of command.

19 posted on 04/25/2012 12:40:05 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Unlike Mrs Obama,I've Been Proud Of This Country My *Entire* Life!)
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To: Gay State Conservative

I don’t know who found out about his postings, or how his command was made aware of them. I have no doubt, however, that when the command was made aware, that he was counseled. Relying on the advice regarding the disclaimer no doubt contributed to his continuing. At that point he was (and should have been) hosed. I think the OTH had more to do with his response to the counseling than his postings on FB. Stupid is hard to fix, obdurate stupidity even harder.


20 posted on 04/25/2012 12:51:11 PM PDT by xone
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