The members of the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces are civilians, appointed by the President for 15 year terms. There is currently one vacancy on the 5 member court. Three of the members of the Court were appointed by George W. Bush. The current Chief Judge of the Court was appointed by William Jefferson Clinton.
Here we have 4 civilian judges ruling the military cannot force a prisoner to shave even though the prisoner voluntarily joined the military, was aware the Army did not permit facial hair when he joined, and served up to the time of his crime in compliance with the facial hair regulations. It has only been subsequent to his crime that he demanded special privileges on religious grounds.
The fact this court would remove a military judge for insisting a soldier under trial comply with military regulations is a travesty of justice. The face three of the four judges were appointed by George Bush demonstrates how little the Bush White House really cared about conservative values and principles. Had these judges been properly vetted the court would have rejected Major Hasan’s appeal and ordered him shaved.
Amen, brother. I keep thinking, I HAD to shave when I was in the army, how come this POS gets a pass? I cannot say the rest of what I’m thinking.