U.S. Army Private Criticizes Commander-in-Chief

Oxford Town (Oxford Eagle) | April 30, 2003 | Self

[Spook86]

A U.S. Army Private from Mississippi has publicly criticized President Bush for his handling of military action in Afghanistan and Iraq, a move that could land her in hot water with her superiors.

Private Sarah Freeland, 22, a native of Oxford, said she "loathes" the President's decision to go to war against Saddam Hussein. In an interview pushlished in her hometown newspaper, the Oxford Eagle, Freeland rebuked the President for failing to gain UN approval for the war.

"The United Nations should have handled this," Freeland told the paper. "It's not our business taking it into our how hands." According to free-lance reporter Camille Comer, who wrote the article for the Eagle's entertainment section, Freeland identifies herself as "a liberal Democrat who hates Bush and his politics."

Freeland is an Army communications specialist, currently assigned to Fort Drum, NY. Her duties include operating and maintaining mobile communications systems. Private Freeland was interviewed while on leave from her military post.

Freeland's critical comments are considered highly unusual, given her junior rank and the military's prohibition on criticizing superior officers, including the Commander-in-Chief. During the Clinton Administration, at least two high-ranking officers were fired for making less-than-flattering remarks about the President. In both cases, those comments were made in private gatherings, not a press interview.

It remains unclear whether Freeland will be punished for her criticism of President Bush. A spokesman for the Fort Drum public affairs office said she had not seen the article, which was published last Thursday.

A check of the newspaper's web site revealed that the weekly entertainment section, "Oxford Town," is not available on-line. However, the print version of the article filled an entire page, with a photograph of a soldier identifed as Freeland in the center.

Freeland told the interviewer that she joined the Army in 2001 because "I thought four years of maturity and discipline would be a good thing." She entered the military after dropping out of the University of Mississippi because "I was too into partying. I couldn't hold down a job or make myself go to class."

Private Freeland, who is engaged to another Fort Drum soldier, said she is worried about Mr. Bush angering so many countries and failing to deliver on promises of assistance.

"In Afghanistan, we promised to set up something better, but these people are starving with no medical care. We promised the same thing to Iraq, but we haven't delivered in Afghanistan yet."

Despite her disagreement with Bush Administration policies, Freeland admitted that her political beliefs are irrelevant to her role as a soldier.

"No matter what moronic things Bush does or how much I don't agree, he's my commander-in-chief, and I'll go," she said.

[Squantos]

As much as I think she was wrong to do such as long as she was on leave and not in uniform she can say what she did "legally" according to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.............her conduct was not against military regulations unless she did such in uniform.........."on duty".

DOD troops are allowed to attend political rallies, protests, fundraisers and speak on a personal basis to address pro or con opinion. When they put on their uniform and do such then they have the piper to pay.

As you stated she was on leave...........just a little dumbassed troop that Oxford is exploiting for their agenda.

http://www.military-network.com/main_ucmj/SUBCHAPTERX.html#888.88


ART. 88. CONTEMPT TOWARD OFFICIALS

Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which ...........s/he is on duty or present.............. shall be punished as a court-martial may direct......

Stay Safe !



Stay Safe !

[elbucko]

You know,Get down in that Grease Trap and start cleaning soldier. and don't come up till your releived. Just wondered.

I coulda' went all day without being reminded of that. LOL!

[asformeandformyhouse]

The United Nations should have handled this," Freeland told the paper. "It's not our business taking it into our how hands."

I guess the fact that she almost had to actually 'do something' to earn her keep is just to much for her.

[Centurion2000]

IIRC .. she is about to find out the hard way that Article 89 is a quick way out of the Army and into the stockade.

[alethia]

Quite frankly, she doesn't need 4 more years -- she needs to be expelled -- weakest link and all that. The US Military is too good for this one.

[cynicom]

What a burden it must be for one so young to carry the burdens of the country upon her shoulders. To be so young and yet possess so much knowledge, she must find it indeed difficult to make her voice heard in the councils of government.

[MD_Willington_1976]

Why does it not surprise me that this is a stupid broad. She probably joined the military to make some kind of a point, not because she is a patriot.

Probly signed up to get some money so she could go back to college and partying since she can't hold down a real job. The only "job" she could probly hold down is in the center of some circle at a Frat party...but I wont' go into details.

[Trueblackman]

First who cares what this lowly E-1 thinks and her politics! If they throw her out the Army the Democrats will put this slime on stage at their convention. The best thing to do is let her finish out her time and don't allow her to reenlist.

[renosathug]

She likes to climb rocks--wonder if she'll like climbing out of the hole she put herself into?

[paul51]

Regardless of her motives, she is not fit to serve.

[Ditto]

"She entered the military after dropping out of the University of Mississippi because "I was too into partying. I couldn't hold down a job or make myself go to class."

Boy is her life off to a great start. First, she flunks out of college because she can't drag her hung-over butt out of bed in the morning and now she will leave the US Army with a less than honorable discharge.

Maybe she has a future in Hollywood, but in the rest of the world her resume won't get her past the swing shift at 7-11.

[ampat]

My but she has some problems. If after all this the Army can't make her grow up, the only thing that will is probably prison. Hope she grows up before that.

[ZULU]

Isn't this insubordination? Isn't that an offense under the military codes? Didn't Clinton punish military members who expressed dissatisfaction with him and his odious person???

[F.J. Mitchell]

The iterviewer rather than the interviewee, is the real culprit in this. Was a buck....OK Buckette Private, the highest ranking member of the military, willing to talk to the Oxford Eagle reporter? Wonder which File Clerk or Custodian around Oxford city hall, they go to for credible information and opinions about the mayor and city government in general?

A couple of months on latrine duty for this young lady, would do wonders for her attitude.

[ndafill]

Court martial and get rid of her. She's a danger to her fellow soldiers. That should be the paramount issue.

[johnb838]

By God, whenever I hear about snivelers like this or the fools in the cities who play their rap music and don't know or care who the CIC is, and I compare them to the brave young men and women of about the same age who are out there changing the world... it disgusts me.

[Timesink]

Give the bitch a DIShonorable discharge and a one-way Greyhound ticket back to mommy and daddy. That's all that need be done to insure she'll be paying for this for the rest of her pathetic little life.

[Charles Martel]

She's trying to get out of the army, and this is her way of doing it. That's all.

Yep, probably so. I hope she is not discharged for that exact reason. In fact, I'd like to see the Army promote her - to P.L.O.!

[Donna Lee Nardo]

She sounds like a very young and admittedly wild 22 year old with too little experience in life who will regret her public comments. We all make mistakes at young ages, but she has a supreme case of susansarandonitis.

[SwinneySwitch]

I remember officers were continually being warned not to criticize X-42! I'm not that applies to this enlisted b*tch.