Homer screwed up hard.
I agree that this Marine screwed up big time. There is no deployment where it isn’t absolutely clear that no contraband of any kind, and great emphasis is placed on any kind of weapons, is permitted to be taken from country.
There is no doubt left in anyone’s mind. This Marine deserves to be punished for disobeying this order just as much as with any other order.
That said, let’s talk about the punishment. America’s fairness under the law is seriously lacking. There are people getting one year for murder...I posted such a link a few weeks back...and here’s a screw up that could get 10 years.
There is no way that that processes. The first is a mistake and the 2nd was a cold-blooded hiring someone to kill his wife. Is that finding an extreme case? Sure it is, but I could find lesser things: rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, etc. Aren’t all those worse than admiring a weapon and breaking rules to bring it home?
I think so. My gut says dismissal from service in disgrace is sufficient punishment. Add six months hard time or something like that, if necessary, because I think flagrant disobedience to an absolutely clear, reasonable order must be punished.
There’s no way, though, that it rises to the level of those other crimes mentioned.