Posted on 02/09/2007 12:40:48 PM PST by RedRover
SWEETWATER, Tenn. – A 6-foot banner hanging from a gazebo in the center of this town of 6,000 reads: “Ray fought for Sweetwater. Now let's fight for Ray.”
Folks in Sweetwater are standing by hometown soldier Raymond Girouard, raising more than $18,000 for his defense against murder charges.
The 24-year-old staff sergeant with the 101st Airborne Division, was one of four soldiers charged with murdering three Iraqi detainees last year.
“Anybody that knows Raymond knows his character, and this is not Raymond,” said his grandfather, 64-year-old Ron Bentley.
The other soldiers have pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors; Girouard, the squad leader, is in a military jail in Charleston, S.C., awaiting a court-martial next month at Fort Campbell.
The soldiers initially told investigators they shot the detainees during a May 9 raid in Samarra because they were attempting to flee and because commanders had given them orders to kill all military-age men. But two of the soldiers now say Girouard ordered them to cut the detainees free and shoot them as they fled. One soldier also said Girouard cut him to make it look as if there was a struggle.
“None of it makes any sense,” said Girouard's sister, Joy Oakes. “My brother has no motive to go over there and harm all of these people. It's all hearsay.”
Oakes, 26, has set up an office, collected and sent to her brother newspaper clippings and letters from Sweetwater residents, and printed up 500 bumper stickers that read, “We support our soldier Staff Sgt. Ray Girouard.”
“The outpouring of people has just been wonderful,” Oakes said.
In just two days, the people of Sweetwater raised $14,000 – most of it from an offering at First Assembly of God, where Girouard played drums – to hire a civilian attorney.
“We're average joes that work for a living. That's a miracle right there,” said Julie Dennis, a mortgage broker who attends church with Girouard's family
Not everyone in town is backing Girouard. Ron Johnson, who runs Sweetwater Valley Antiques, said he would not donate because he doesn't know if the charges are true.
“I think he's got a lot of support from people who know him, but the people who didn't know him, they're not going to want to be involved,” Johnson said.
At the soldiers' Article 32 hearing – the military equivalent of a civilian preliminary hearing – the defense argued that a brigade commander Col. Michael Steele had given a command to “kill all military-aged males.” Steele, who led Army Rangers during the 1993 battle for Mogadishu in Somalia, has denied the allegations.
Oakes said she hopes the allegations against Steele will help her brother's case. “I feel there was a miscommunication in his orders, but we'll know more about that in the coming weeks,” she said.
Bentley is already looking forward to his grandson's return to Sweetwater, hopefully to a hero's welcome.
“I consider him my hero,” Bentley said. “I think Sweetwater considers him their hero.”
January 21, 2007: Army Commander Let His Own Men Face the Death Penalty To Hide His Own Reprimand
January 6, 2007: Military Gives Pedophile Immunity, Makes Him Star Witness in Airborne Murder Case
If you weren't pinged, let jazusamo or me know if you want on the Haditha Marine Ping List (currently keeping a watchful eye on another railroad job, this one of a brother-in-arms of the 101st Airborne).
Bump.
the defense argued that a brigade commander Col. Michael Steele had given a command to “kill all military-aged males.”with
"... kill the bad guys."A big difference in perception. Word games from NCIS?
I'm trying to envision a scenario where the context of the discussion would warrant that extremely cold blooded phrase, other than one in which 1940's German or Japanese generals, 60's Viet Cong or modern day Islamists were strategizing.
It's not coming to me, not by some sleazeball Colonel, and certainly not by some 24 year old sergeant from a town of 6,000.
And I have one hell of an imagination.
Stinkin thinkin from the Sweetwater Valley Antique owner.
Is ten dollars going to make or break you? C'mon.
That scenario would be Fallujah, and would be spoken of in context with all civilian personnel told for months to evacuate, knowing that those who are left, are most likely enemy.
Mr Snooty Fussypants. There's one in every crowd.
Now that's a wake-up call!
Besides, we didn't kill the reporters, red crescent or wounded, even though there was at least one case where a reporter brought soldiers into a room knowing there was at least one live enemy w/o informing our troops, then video taped the soldier shooting the wounded enemy soldier as he thought he was going for a weapon and broadcast it globally.
So, was the ROE "kill all military age males" or kill, capture or maim 'em?
It should have been KILL THEM.
Good for the town of Sweetwater, Tennessee. Raising $14,000 from 6,000 residents is pretty impressive, especially when it came mainly from one church congregation. God bless small town, America. There's a reason the middle of America is called "The Heartland".
Home is where your heart is ping.
bump
Makes this fellow Vol proud!
bump
Sure appears to be a lot of railroading taking place. Will we in the end find forced false confessions from confused or scared soldiers, only to find some great lawyers willing to take up their cases and get down to the truth.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.