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Alleged US Army Deserter Reports For Duty at Japan Base After 40 Years
VOA ^ | 11 Sep 2004 | Steve Herman

Posted on 09/11/2004 7:15:21 AM PDT by demlosers

Camp Zama, Japan 11 Sep 2004, 12:07 UTC

An alleged U.S. Army deserter, who spent almost 40 years in communist North Korea, voluntarily surrendered on Saturday at an American base in Japan. With a long snappy salute, alleged deserter Sgt. Charles Jenkins entered this U.S. Army camp, telling an officer, Lt. Col. Paul Nigara that he was reporting for duty.

Sgt. Jenkins, accompanied by his family, arrived at Camp Zama military base two hours after he was discharged from a Tokyo hospital, where he had been a patient since July.

The 64-year-old quickly traded his suit and tie for an Army uniform and signed documents, with his military defense counsel looking on, which changed his status from deserter back to active duty.

Army Colonel John Dykstra says, until a court martial convenes, Sgt. Jenkins will be treated just like any other soldier on active duty except he cannot go off base without permission.

"He is not under arrest at this time," said Colonel Dykstra. "He is under charges; he has been under charges since 1965. He will be permitted to move about freely on Camp Zama with his escort or sponsor."

Sgt. Jenkins faces charges of desertion, abetting desertion, acts that served the interests of the enemy and encouraging disloyalty from his days serving along the Demilitarized Zone between the Koreas.

The Army says he has been assigned temporary quarters typical for a sergeant where he will live with his Japanese wife, Hitomi Soga, and their two daughters, who were born and raised in North Korea.

The plight of the family has been intensely followed by Japanese. Ms. Soga gained national sympathy for her poise and eloquent comments, after she was allowed to return to Japan without the rest of her family in 2002.

Ms. Soga and her mother were among the Japanese kidnapped during the Cold War by North Korean agents. Ms. Soga married Sgt. Jenkins, who was her English teacher, in North Korea in 1980.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi negotiated her release along with other Japanese abductees. But Sgt. Jenkins only agreed to leave North Korea to join his wife after Mr. Koizumi met with him in Pyongyang and reportedly assured him he would not be arrested by U.S. military authorities.

Sgt. Jenkin's case has been the subject of substantial diplomatic discussion between Japan and the United States.

The chief of public affairs for the U.S. Army in Japan, Major John Amberg, was asked on Saturday if Sgt. Jenkins was given special treatment because of pressure from the Japanese government.

"Each and every time a deserter returns to Army jurisdiction, whether that is they're apprehended or voluntarily turn themselves in, the case is dealt with individually looking at all of the aspects and all of the factors," he said. "So it is safe to say no two cases are treated exactly the same."

While he remains on active duty, Sgt. Jenkins will receive a paycheck and allowances totaling about $3,300 a month.

Japanese media report Sgt. Jenkins is expected to plead guilty to the desertion charge as part of a plea bargain. He was quoted in the only interview he has given since coming to Japan as saying he is eager to "clear his conscience."

Japanese commentators say they expect that following legal proceedings, which could last one to three months, the family will move to Ms. Soga's quiet hometown on Sado Island.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: charlesjenkins; deserter; jenkins; turass
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Charles Jenkins shortly after
surrender Provost Marshal's office at U.S.
Army's Camp Zama
1 posted on 09/11/2004 7:15:22 AM PDT by demlosers
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To: demlosers

Why is he allowed to wear stripes at all? He is a disgrace.


2 posted on 09/11/2004 7:17:53 AM PDT by SkyPilot
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To: demlosers
With a long snappy salute, alleged deserter Sgt. Charles Jenkins entered this U.S. Army camp, telling an officer, Lt. Col. Paul Nigara that he was reporting for duty.

It seems superfluous to bother with a joke.

3 posted on 09/11/2004 7:18:23 AM PDT by ScottFromSpokane (Re-elect President Bush: http://spokanegop.org/bush.html)
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To: demlosers

I noticed that he mimiced John Kerry. Gave a half-a$$ed salute and said "reporting for duty".


4 posted on 09/11/2004 7:19:07 AM PDT by jim_trent
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To: SkyPilot

I just heard on Japanese TV that he is going to get PAID $ 3000 a month plus be housed in a not too shabby place on Camp Zama !


5 posted on 09/11/2004 7:19:08 AM PDT by sushiman
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To: SkyPilot

He should be wearing correctional orange or a rope, IMHO.


6 posted on 09/11/2004 7:21:28 AM PDT by SirLurkedalot (REMEMBER!)
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To: sushiman
He is innocent until proven guilty. But, he is not innocent.
7 posted on 09/11/2004 7:23:40 AM PDT by Jet Jaguar (Who would the terrorists vote for?)
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To: SirLurkedalot

Rope the dope.


8 posted on 09/11/2004 7:24:17 AM PDT by iopscusa (El Vaquero)
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To: SkyPilot

He is under charges, he as not been convicted of anything so he has not been reduced in rank.


9 posted on 09/11/2004 7:25:01 AM PDT by gilliam
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To: demlosers
With a long snappy salute, alleged deserter Sgt. Charles Jenkins entered this U.S. Army camp, telling an officer, Lt. Col. Paul Nigara that he was reporting for duty.

With a long snappy salute, Vietnam deserter John Kerry entered the Democratic National Convention, telling the audience that he was reporting for duty.

10 posted on 09/11/2004 7:25:44 AM PDT by kennedy
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To: sushiman

. . . then he'll be fined all back pay since 1965, reduced in rank to E-1, given a dishonorable discharge, and a one way ticket back to his MEPS station.


11 posted on 09/11/2004 7:26:24 AM PDT by PokeyJoe (The plural for RAT is RATS, not RATICS)
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To: demlosers; Neil E. Wright; dcwusmc; Taxman; A Navy Vet; Alas Babylon!; Jim Robinson

Volunteers Needed for firing squad.


12 posted on 09/11/2004 7:27:54 AM PDT by CholeraJoe ("Pull for Lucky Jack! Pull for Lucky Jack!")
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To: demlosers

So, when is Kerry going to serve out the rest of the tour he defrauded the United States out of with fake purple heart recommendations?


13 posted on 09/11/2004 7:27:56 AM PDT by UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide (Give Them Liberty Or Give Them Death! - Islam Delenda Est! - Rumble thee forth...)
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To: iopscusa

: )


14 posted on 09/11/2004 7:29:04 AM PDT by SirLurkedalot (REMEMBER!)
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To: jim_trent

Karl Rove got him to do that!


15 posted on 09/11/2004 7:29:35 AM PDT by montomike (Gay means happy and carefree not an abomination)
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To: CholeraJoe

Oh, please include me.


16 posted on 09/11/2004 7:31:08 AM PDT by Jet Jaguar (Who would the terrorists vote for?)
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To: UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide

I Agree this guy has to pay his dues.

Can anyone tell me that this guy did anything worse than John Effin Kerry? I would contend that he has done less then Effin has.

This guy might have gotten money every month but look at what Kerry got. Our tax money! Effin is a scumbag.

And his salute was a hundred times better that Effins'
Any one care to comment?


17 posted on 09/11/2004 7:32:27 AM PDT by BookaT (Didn't Kerry say in his book he was willing to DIE for his country? Well?)
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To: demlosers

I can't believe we pay this turd, give him clothes, and living quarters.


18 posted on 09/11/2004 7:32:42 AM PDT by devane617
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To: demlosers

Dan Rather is waiting for definitive proof that he deserted.


19 posted on 09/11/2004 7:33:26 AM PDT by Iowa_Clone (Iowa = beautiful land)
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To: Jet Jaguar
He is innocent until proven guilty. But, he is not innocent.

While my sentiments lie with the other posters, technically, you are correct. However, the UCMJ charges every soldier, sailor and Marine with the responsibility of making every effort to escape when they are captured by enemy forces of the US. The fact that he, apparently, made no such effort and was allowed to marry, had a regular job and had a family, is prima facia evidence that he violated that provision of the UCMJ and is guilty.

As a former serviceman, it is repugnant to me that he is allowed to wear a uniform, live in comfortable base housing amd draw a check. How many additional American deaths did he cause during the Korean War as the result of intelligence he, likely, provided the North Koreans to whom he deserted?
20 posted on 09/11/2004 7:33:48 AM PDT by DustyMoment (Repeal CFR NOW!!)
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