My friend who was close to him is now deceased but as I recall, he tried to follow chain of command by asking his superior officers if it was a legit order. He was not given the chance to back off and deploy. He was simply arrested and prosecuted.
I believe it would have been his third deployment.
I can’t challenge your version of events and I certainly wish things had gone differently.
I simply can compare it to my Navy time.
You get your orders, report to the command.
Depending on the timing and whether you are filling a billet with an already deployed unit you travel to meet them or you leave with them.
Your orders in the Navy come from BUPERS (Bureau of Personnel) removed a few steps from the POTUS. The mechanics of it might be different for officers than for enlisted.
I guess my question is how on his 3rd deployment did he make the leap that this assignment was not a legal order.
The timing just feels odd, I will have to do more research until then.
I’m sorry it just doesn’t add up to me.
I hope his sentence has run and that he is out and has moved on.
I think a pardon would be nice but I think the chances are pretty slim.
Please be well.