By law, an Article 32 investigation must be conducted by the local GCM authority. By law no commander in the chain can influence the investigation. We do not need the damned media to start alleging "coverup."
Has there ever been legal deals struck, laws bent, behind closed doors Mr Verity? Ever think political animals ever succumb to organized opinions of many? U S Marine Corps is one organization that places a high if not the highest premium on what the American public thinks about it. The Marine Corps over the years has maintained itself, many times , fighting off attempts to disband the Corps by having a public relations machine second to none. CMC knows there are many parents of potential Marines watching how they handle this young man. You get a little of where I'm coming from verity? Ladies a Gentlemen, ASSAULT ON ALL FRONTS. Make the calls. Save this Marine from a ruined life by PC. We can make a difference. As we did a few weeks ago.
Hate to disappoint you... but you're wrong!
An Article 32 is only convened when the GCM authority believes there is sufficient evidence for such.
The immediate commander will recommend action/inaction depending on a finding of a preliminary investigation. If judicial action requires more than that commander is authorized to administer it will be referred to a higher command... and so on up the line.
If an investigation determines no General Court Martial action is appropriate, no Article 32 investigation will be required.
A battalion commander may determine that this is an incident that he will adjudicate punishment at his level/innocence/referral to GCM authority). Battalion commanders have Summary Court Martial authority but not GCM authority.
Having been in similar situations on several occasions I must heartily agree with a previous poster... we here on this forum were not present... have no idea of the circumstances, threats, implied threats, fears, knowledge of surrounding threats.
Until PROVEN guilty I'll stand behind this Marine and have no respect for old media and others in their attempts to disparage our troops.
BTW... I encourage those who refer to the media to do so as "Old Media". Fox, the internet, bloggers and others are the "New Media". Consistently referring to them as Old Media will certainly disturb them if nothing else. The term "MSM" gives them credibility. We surely don't want that.