[OldCorps]

well, as a former 11b, you probably know what its like to be dirty, cold, exhausted and hungry. West, as an artillery officer, has being doing that for 20 years (putting up with privation) at low pay.

Everyone has an opinion. I respect yours, but i strongly disagree with you. You think its ok to court martial an officer who has served honorably for 19.9 years and take his pension for only discharging a sidearm to intimidate an enemy spy (the man was not in uniform and thus not protected by the Genveva convention as a combatant).

i could not disagree with you more. Punishment should be appropriate to the offense. In this case, the punishment should have been an a$$ chewing.

I've served in the 4th ID, the 8th ID and the 5th ID and i've commanded an infantry rifle company and a division HQ company. I know that the best leaders that i served under would have only given West a verbal reprimand and gone about the mission.

Regards,

[Ispy4u]

An ass chewing would not have sufficed if only because his actions were witnessed by subordinates.

As a leader you are the example. There is no substitute.