Posted on 10/25/2007 9:17:47 AM PDT by Tennessean4Bush
The story of General Petraeus getting accidentally shot in the chest is a case in point. One of his own soldiers had pulled the trigger. Normally, something very bad would have happened to that soldier and his commander. Instead Petraeus sent that soldier to Ranger School, and his Captain (Fred Johnson) was promoted early. In June, I witnessed LTC Fred Johnson helping to restore security and rebuild Baqubah. Fred Johnson is a believer in second chances.
Some months ago, a soldier in Baghdad wrote a piece on the way war can degrade the morals and affect the judgment of combat soldiers. His story was published at face-value in The New Republic magazine. In it the soldier wrote terrible things about his unit, making the article sensational.
I was in Iraq when it first hit the stands and someone asked me about the plausibility of the events described in the article. I skimmed the story but it did not even pass a simple sniff-test. With a shooting war going on, there is no time for trivial pursuits, so my only comment was something like, “It sounds like a bunch of garbage.” Turned out it was.
The soldier’s name was Beauchamp. He’d tried to hide his identity, but poor Beauchamp had no idea that the blog world would get on his trail and tree him like a coon. Beauchamp crawled up to the top of that tree, looked down into the snarling spotlight, and suddenly knew he was caught. His simple mask was no more effective than a coon’s, and that in itself might provide a little insight into how deeply Beauchamp had thought this all through. In any case, he was up in that tree, surrounded by hounds who’d done this plenty of times, yet always found this...
(Excerpt) Read more at michaelyon-online.com ...
Michael Yon Ping
Well said Mr. Yon.
L
If he'd have taken the easy out offered - the cut and run - all bets would be off.
And I imagine he's going to try to be the best soldier he can, to prove to himself and others, and to earn the second chance he was given. (He will still always have this stigma around his neck, so he will never be totally free of it - consequences.)
Very interesting first hand account. I too am impressed Beauchamp stayed with his unit, probably out of guilt for throwing them under the bus to advance his little writing career. I’m saving the majority of my scorn for the morons at the New Republic who are all too eager to believe anything that puts America in a bad light.
I think the act he committed was treasonous and he should be charged under the UCMJ.
Yon is wrong on this.
Another example of why Michael Yon is the most important journalist in covering the war in Iraq. He is certainly the most respected by the military, the most honest in his journalistic integrity, and the most traveled throughout the Iraqi theater. His new iniative to have his blog translated into 17 languages is unbelievable. His words may help win the ‘hearts and minds’ of muslims throughout the Middle East.
There are always stupid youngsters, drama queens, and misguided wannabes around. The real fault is with TNR, which didn't bother with the most basic editorial standards - i.e. the fact-checker on the story was Beauchamp's wife. . . . talk about a conflict of interest! TNR ignored a lot of warning flags and then, Dan Rather-like, stuck with their story to the bitter end.
***He’d tried to hide his identity, but poor Beauchamp had no idea that the blog world would get on his trail and tree him like a coon.***
Does he mean raccoon?
I hadn't heard that little tidbit before. That's almost as stupid as hiring your husband to research whether Saddam is trying to buy uranium ore.
thanks, bfl
find later bump
Did I read that right? There are thousands of patriotic, honest, American boys serving in dangerous parts of Baghdad. They should be honored that Beauchamp is "paying his price" by joining them?
All due respect Mr. Yon, dead wrong here, he has not paid his price yet. When I hear that he has repeatedly volunteered for the most dangerous missions, saved a few of his comrades, and donated his first medal to his old unit, then maybe he would have begun to pay his price.
For God's sakes Mr. Yon, his fabrications were translated in Arabic and published on untold numbers of blogs in the Middle East, many people over there do not - and will never - know that he was unmasked as a fraud. The damage he wrought the country and the war efforts is immeasurable, and you think he is acquitting himself well of all of this by joining his fellow soldiers in doing his duty?
Are we living in alternate universes?
“Yon is wrong on this.”
Then so is the company commander, everyone in the investigation, and all the higher ups in the chain of authority.
Or ExpatGator is wrong.
I agree what he did was terrible, but he seems to be making the only restitution he can, at the risk of life and limb.
Or ExpatGator could be right. Who can know with certainty?
The only “second chance” here is the chance to screw our servicepeople again. Wanna bet he tries his hand at writing again—only this time with a few scenarios that are a little harder to figure out? I certainly wouldn’t want to have him watch my back in a war zone.
Nice piece. He (and Beauchamp’s Commander) are way more forgiving of him than I am...
LTC Glaze wants to keep Beauchamp, and hopes folks will let it rest.
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I imagine him writing a bare-all novel once he's out of uniform. He joined to improve his chances as a writer with the left, he will prove true to form.
I did not write the UCMJ. Read and understand the document and decide based on the facts.
awesome last paragraph!!
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