Hospitalized Reservist's AWOL Case to Proceed

An Army reservist who checked himself into a civilian psychiatric hospital after being turned away from a military clinic should be court-martialed for being absent without leave, according to an Army report.

First Lt. Jullian P. Goodrum, of Knoxville, Tenn., is a veteran of both U.S. wars in Iraq and is being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Goodrum was also suffering from the disorder last fall, the time of his alleged infraction.

"Lt. Goodrum has been diagnosed with PTSD, though this should not be reason to not pursue court martial action," states the report by Army Lt. Col. Michael L. Amaral, the investigating officer in the case.

Goodrum's legal team, which released the Amaral report to The Washington Post, intends to fight the recommendation. The Post wrote about Goodrum and his case in its Style section last month.

"The diagnosis of PTSD is at the very heart of the case, and for that diagnosis to receive a single line in this investigating officer's report just goes to show how little attention has been given by the military to this case and the real issues in it," said Matthew J. MacLean, of the law firm Shaw Pittman.

Goodrum, 34, is a 16-year military man who has served in the Navy, Tennessee National Guard and Army Reserve. He served in Iraq last year as a platoon leader in the 212th Transportation Company. His deployment was cut short after three months by an extreme case of carpal tunnel syndrome. Shortly after his return to his base at Fort Knox, Ky., symptoms of his post-traumatic stress disorder emerged, culminating in a mental breakdown the day he was turned away from a base clinic.

I admit it I have not heard of this soldier and his plight. But, after reading the article I am of the mind that the Army is pressing forward in the right direction.

Getting Frist involved is well smooth work on behalf of the accused.

I googled and well he also has support from Anti War folks as well.

Judging only from the information in this article, I'm not quite as sure about this guy as you and others here are. He's a 16 year veteran (Navy, Guard, and Army). He must be a Mustang since he's a 1st Lt. (02), and they don't pass commissions out to NCO's in combat units just for fun - he must have done something right.

Since I don't trust the MSM, I'm not sure what "veteran of both Iraq wars.." means. Was he a Navy Petty officer sitting relatively safely in a ship off the coast in support of Desert Shield/Storm, or was he on the front lines?? Was he a combat veteran who cracked the second time 'round, or was he his command mis-read, a guy unprepared to lead a combat unit who was thrust into the wrong role?

In any case, I think this guy's 16 years service owes him his Court Martial (i.e. a neutral term; I can request Court Martial to clear my good name, if appropriate). He may have some real problems, caused by combat or whatever. He might have had some legitimate issues, and his Chain of Command may have provided weak leadership and guidance. Even though he's an 16 year vet. he's still only a Junior Officer.

And, the military medical system can be a disgrace at times. And, CONUS can hide some very petty, political Commanders, i.e. guys the Army would never send to war.

So, I'm not a bleeding heart here, but they need to figure out what's going on in this guys head, and what the facts of the situation are, before we all start reflexively bashing this officer. As a Junior Officer, I was involved (non-JAG) in over 250 NJP proceedings, and one thing I learned (from painful, personal experience, courtesy of my C.O. who slapped me down once for good reason) was that you can't pre-judge things - you can't play God in guys lives.

SFS

He must be a Mustang since he's a 1st Lt. (02), and they don't pass commissions out to NCO's in combat units just for fun - he must have done something right.

Not at all. He didn't get a combat commission -- we haven't done that in a couple decades. He could have gone to ROTC after enlisting. He could have gone to OCS in the National Guard. Based on my experience with both programs, he doesn't have to be a hero to get a commission through either.

As for PTSD being contributory to his charges -- he gets the opportunity to PROVE it in the Court Martial. Even if he's convicted, he gets to use it as a mitigating factor prior to sentencing.

For crying out loud, people, let the damn system work the way it's supposed to.

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