Father Of Veteran Flies Flag Upside Down

ST. ANTHONY, Idaho -- In light of Veteran's Day, one former soldier's father is raising his American flag upside down to show he remembers his son's sacrifice.

Many may think it's a sign of disrespect, but the military uses it as a distress signal.

The U.S. flag code state "the flag should never be displayed with union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property."

Curtis Carnahan said his son, Sgt. Evan Vela, has spent more than three years in prison and is, along with other veterans, in distress, And he wants the public to know.

"We are under distress, evan is under distress, one of your American soldiers has been wrongfully imprisoned by his own government to cover up the lies that took place in Iskandariyah, Iraq," Carnahan said.

Since his was convicted of murder stemming from an incident in Iraq, Carnahan has fought to get him out of prison.

"They are saying that somebody needs to pay for an innocent Iraqi farmer, but he wasn't an innocent Iraqi farmer,” Carnahan said.

While serving in the Army in May 2007, Vela said he was ordered to kill an Iraqi who had discovered their sniper hideout.

Two months later, he was charged with murder, and in Feb. 2008 he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

"They train our young men to be killers. That’s as simply as I can put it,” Carnahan said. “Then they order them to kill, and then they order them to kill and convict them of murder and put them in prison. Unacceptable."

With the support of his family, Vela filed an appeal more than eight months ago; he is still waiting to be heard.

"He's been incarcerated for three years, four months and 10 days, and that's three years four months and 10 days too many," Carnahan said.

But as they wait, Carnahan hopes raising his up side down flag will signal some relief.

~Upside Down Flag~

By Curtis Carnahan

Dateline: 10 November 2007, Baghdad, Iraq

I am on the witness stand. James Culp is Evan’s Defense Attorney. His first question, “Mr. Carnahan, please tell us why you are here today?” I answer, “Because my son is being held a prisoner in a foreign country, by a hostile government?” “Who’s government?” James asks. “The United States Government.” is my reply.

Today marks 1228 days that my son Sgt. Evan Vela Carnahan has been held as a political prisoner. The only change is the location. Instead of Iraq or Kuwait, he is in the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is still imprisoned by a hostile government.

On 7 October 2010 Evan’s case is heard by the Army Board of Parole in Arlington, Virginia. We prepared. We had letters of support from Senator Crapo & Risch, Congressman Simpson and Governor Otter. We had Ken Koepnick, the owner of Ken’s Construction in Burley, Idaho. Ken gives testimony about the job and a new start he has for Evan and his family.

This is the first time an employer has testified at the Army Parole Board. We have the support of everyone who has heard about this case. We have unanimous approval for parole from the prison officials. One week later Evan is informed, that his petition for parole is denied. They say that despite the obvious support, a job, his wife and kids, he has not done enough time for the severity of the crime.

The Army is holding fast to their lie that Evan committed murder.

1228 days and counting is long enough, 1228 days too long.

Let me tell you why Sgt. Vela was betrayed, stripped of rank and rights and imprisoned. Let me tell you what I am planning and how Evan needs your HELP RIGHT NOW!

11, May 2007, Jurf-as-Sukhr, Iskandariyah Iraq. Evan is ordered to kill and Iraqi who has discovered their sniper “hide.”

What is important is not that he killed, but rather who he killed. Genei Nasir Al-Janabi. He is a member of the Al-Janabi Tribe. It is well known by the Army that the Janabi’s are Al-Queda.

One of the goals of “the surge” in “07” is to bring local population over to our side. This is done by offering $300.00 per fighter to their sheiks. Evan’s battalion commander, Lt. Col Robert Balcavage, has tried for months to get Sheik Sabah Al-Janabi to come to the table. Sabah is unwilling. Why should he negotiate when his Al-Queda fighters are winning. Balcavages battalion is having no effect, especially from the snipers. Six months in and no kills. Balcavage brings in SSG Michael Hensley to revamp and lead the sniper squads. Mike does just that with great effect.

Hensley’s first mission, five kills. Over the next several weeks the body count increases. The snipers are very effective. The locals call Mike “The Painted Demon” due to his tattoos. The power has shifted.

11 May 2007 SSG Hensley orders Evan to shoot and Al-Janabi. It is the snipers last kill. Disgruntled soldiers (Spc. Flores and Spc. Petta) are mad at Sgt. Vela because he has reprimanded them for dereliction. They tell the chaplain about bait items in the snipers weapons room. They say the snipers are killing illegally. An investigation is launched by Army CID. Illegal interrogations are held. Threats are made towards Evan and his family. “Confessions” are coerced and then rewritten to better suit the need. Pre-meditated murder charges are brought against SSG Hensley (3 counts), Spc. Jorge Sandoval (1 count), and Sgt. Vela (1 count). Evan is the only one convicted.

10 September 2007 the 501st pays Sheik Sabah Al-Janabi, Sheik Hamid Al-Janabi and Sheik Talid Al-Janabi $52,500 in US $100 bills for joining with the Americans. Within weeks Jurf-as-Sukhr, Iskandaryah Iraq is safe. Markets open. Major Gen. Rick Lynch and an Iraqi General have their photo taken at a vegetable stand.

Gen Lynch is the convening authority. He has complete control of Evan’s case. Lynch wants Evan to plead guilty to pre-meditated murder and receive 25 to life. Gen Lynch refuses all defense motions including moving the trial from Baghdad to Fort Richardson, Alaska. The case becomes the first capital crime case to be tried on foreign soil, away from the American public. The Iraqi general and the minister of Human Rights are permitted to attend the trial. They are demanding payment for the murder of an “innocent Iraqi farmer.” Gen Lynch hand picks his panel/jury for the trial. He stacks the panel. Four of the eight are from his office building in the green zone.

Evan’s attorney’s James Culp and Dan Conway build an excellent defense. We have our experts. Dr. Michael Baden, world famous forensic pathologist, Dr. Rosemary Carr-Malone, Psychiatrists, Navy Commander, Dr. Dimitry Fomen, sleep deprivation and Army Colonel. We truly expect to win.

We don’t win in Baghdad, but we don’t lose either. We fought Gen Lynch and his cronies in there own sandbox. Evan was found guilty of second degree murder, given 10 years and has the right to appeal. We are. Nobody got what they wanted. I call it a stalemate, but they still have Evan. This why we need to become UNITED in our cause.

I titled this Upside Down Flag because I know what we need to do. Evan’s case must be brought to the National media stage. Believe me, we have tried everyone from A-Z for three years. We need to create a sensation that will grab the nation’s attention.

Thursday is Veteran’s Day. Please join me in flying our countries flag upside down for Veteran’s Day until Thanksgiving. I am fully aware of what an upside down flag symbolizes. It is a distress signal. Sgt. Vela Carnahan is in distress. SEND HELP! I would never do anything to desecrate or demean our flag or country nor ask anyone else too. We can send a powerful message to those who are.

All of us know that Evan is wrongfully imprisoned. Many of you want to know what to do. Do this for the TRUTH. Do this for EVAN. Evan’s wife and children need him more than I can say.

There is so much more to tell.

Log on to FreeEvan.com. Read the stories that support this letter.

Let us do this to Free Evan NOW!

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