TMLC:A Self Described “Grunt Civilian” gives First Hand Account of Chessani BOI...

Thomas More Law Center ^

[Gene Eric]

email

Direct from the Pendleton Battlefront, A Self Described “Grunt Civilian” gives First Hand Account of Chessani Board Of Inquiry (BOI)...

December 09, 2009

Email post by H. Hamilton – The report from a concerned CA citizen attending the Board of Inquiry for LtCol Jeffrey Chessani.

  Today (12-08-09) started with LtCol Kevin Gonzalez who was GREAT AND 3-4 HOURS!

  Brigadier General Lewis Craparotta (Board member) and the Defense stopped the ongoing, ad nauseum questioning of witnesses since Board already has testimony...

  Lieutenant Colonel Brian Christmas (under Colonel Stephen Davis who says Davis is his hero) was great and another Chessani protagonist who was with Davis 19 Nov '05...

  Colonel Christopher Conlin was there but they've cancelled him, Colonel David Furness too...

  Colonel Julian Alford spoke in the afternoon -- he has been with Chessani throughout their careers and reassured the Board that IF there was any question of the LAW OF WAR being broken, Chessani would have investigated...

  Lieutenant General Natonski (USMC Forces Command) was there...  He said EVERY civilian kill, every time, should be investigated -- pretty funny when the Defense asked him if that went for the 2nd Battle for Fallujah and he had to say "No" -- he added that all civilians had been asked to leave so they were "pretty sure" all kills were insurgents...  yeah, right...   BUT when he started, everything he said was what Chessani HAD done, LTG Natonski was saying things about trusting subordinates to get you the right info was essential (Chessani did!), that it was a "Marine's duty" and the "expectations" were to trust the reports coming up and with ensuing correctional reports changes made (Chessani and Davis did!).  SO when asked why he's relieved Chessani of his command, LTG Natonski said it was more than just the killings...  It was also:

o The Humvee that tipped over (oh goodness!  My son-in-law as a 1st Lt.
o ran a Humvee into a small canal on his first time out in the thing which was great fun for his entire platoon making fun of his "education!!! ...He's now a Company Commander...)
o A HAZING that took place (Oh NO not a hazing!! In the military?!!  I thought that was just for college kids and Boy Scouts!)
o The Sky news episode that maybe Don or Clo knows about -- something with a sniper? (They probably killed a nice insurgent...)

o A (better sit down...) HIGH STAKES poker game...  Yup, the amount:  TWO tril... mmmil... no, thousand dollars... that's $2,000.00 -- TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL...

  When LTG Natonski was done and heading for the door we all had to stand...As he approached the door, he looked neither left nor right...  I was at the door so out of respect for the man who had spoken of THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO, I opened it for him AND his minion followed, neither one saying THANK YOU.....  So I put my head out the door and loudly whispered, "YOU'RE WELCOME!" at his back -- @?#*~!

  12/09 witnesses:  8:00am

1. Major General Richard P. Mills (by phone from Afghanistan) Commander, 1st Marine Division.
  2. Major Dinsmoor
  3. Major McConnell
  4. Hyatt

  12/10 Thursday

  1. Allen
  2. Jessop
  3. Shaw (?)
  4. Merritt
  5. Drake
  6. Toolan

[Gene Eric]

Chessani list ping

[jazusamo]

Some news from LtCol Chessani's board of inquiry.

Thanks for the ping, Gene.

HADITHA MARINE PING!

[StarCMC]

Thanks for the ping.

[Lancey Howard]

Thanks for the ping!

[Lancey Howard]

Great post!

[Lancey Howard]

(( ping ))

[driftdiver]

Thats one General that needs to be retired.

[Velveeta]

Watching, waiting, praying.
Thank you for the ping.

[4woodenboats]

This is all they got? There's not one thing that relates to the case! I can't help but wonder if one or more of his aides were doodling while the general was on the can, and "inadvertantly" handed him one of the notes punking him as he headed out the door.

I sure would have liked to have heard Major Dinsmore's testimony.

Thanks for the ping, jaz!

[Marine_Uncle]

I’m a bit confused on this one. Perhaps my mind is in such high gear on postings regarding the climategate issue I am not think clearly on other important issues.

[Gene Eric]

>> I’m a bit confused on this one

I don't know who the "Grunt Civilian" is, but his comments on LTG Natonski are interesting regarding the appearance of hypocrisy when it concerns investigations of civilian deaths.

See Bob Weimann's article:
Sins of the General’s Part 5: Political Equivocation at the BOI

[smoothsailing]

Sounds like Natonski’s been wearing his helmet too tight for too long, squeezed all the blood out of his brain.

[jazusamo]

Here's the link to this specific article at TMLC if that's what you were referring to.

TMLC email

[jazusamo]

LOL! That’s an excellent way of saying he really made a fool of himself. It’s amazing a LtGen would ramble on at a BOI like he did.

Possibly the reason he didn’t thank the guy for opening the door for him was that he was thinking about his fourth star laying on the floor of that hearing room.

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks Gene.

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks for the email link.

[smoothsailing]

You nailed it, he can kiss that 4th star goodbye.

[Lancey Howard]

It almost sounds like the scumbag JAGs were kicking over rocks looking for a witness, any witness, and somebody told Nagonski to bite the bullet and be it.

[Semper Fi Mom]

Thanks for the ping!! Very interesting reading!!