San Francisco war objector fighting court-martial

SFGate.com ^ | 8/8/03 | Brett Martel

[LibWhacker]

A Marine reservist facing a court-martial says he's being prosecuted for criticizing the military at anti-war rallies and for publicizing his application for conscientious objector status at a news conference.

The Marines argue they pursued charges against Lance Cpl. Stephen Funk because he skipped out on 47 days of training in defiance of orders by his commander.

[onedoug]

How about 30 years?

[thoughtomator]

Ok... so if one is unwilling to fight a war, why again would one join the Marines? Can we trade him to France for the one brave guy they have left?

[JeeperFreeper]

What a waste of skin! He missed a unit deployment. In the Marines, that's very very serious crime. He should get a bad conduct discharge, some brig time and a large fine.

[martin_fierro]

*I'm* more of a Marine than this pantywaist.

[Poohbah]

"People go AWOL (absent without leave) all the time and they don't get court-martialed," says Collier, who has handled military clients off and on since the first Gulf War.

When it hits 30 days, it's "desertion," and they DO get court-martialed for that.

[Riley]

"People go AWOL (absent without leave) all the time and they don't get court-martialed," says Collier, who has handled military clients off and on since the first Gulf War. "He's a conscientious objector who went public with his beliefs, and that's something that should be respected, not retaliated against."

1. Horsecrap. There are always consequences in the military for being UA or AWOL. If you do something like miss a day of duty and don't have it pre-arranged, you usually get an Article 15. This does apply to the Reserves, as well.

2. If he were a conscientious objector before he enlisted, and the military was trying to conscript him, it would be different. You can't just pick and choose what duty that you want to do. Why did he join in the first place, fercryinoutloud?

[Riley]

Can we trade him to France for the one brave guy they have left?

I nominate the French blogger, "The Dissident Frogman". I think he's got his head screwed on straight.

[LibWhacker]

Sounds good to me. We've got to discourage this sort of thing.

[LibWhacker]

. . . for the one brave guy they have left?

Uh . . . That guy died in 1918. :-)

[LibWhacker]

He probably woke up one morning and said, "I'm going to join the Marines and ACT UP!" We should never, ever, EVER let "them" make a farce out of the Marines.

[LibWhacker]

LOL

[LibWhacker]

Yep, that's the way it was when I was in the Army a zillion years ago. Can't imagine the Marines being more lenient.

[mbynack]

The title of the article struck me. "San Francisco war objector fighting court-martial".

It should have read "Deserter Faces Punishment".

[LibWhacker]

Yep, the military has lots of experience with guys like this. They always think they've got a strong case and will get off easy. LOL, what a bunch of maroons!

[truth_seeker]

It's not why I'm opposed to being in the military," Funk said.

"Certainly, I'm oppressed in the military, but I can deal with that. That's a personal problem. But if I was forced to go to war ... than I would be perpetuating oppression and violence against others," Funk said.

During Vietnam it was a common tactic for conscripts (draftees) to claim (conscientious objector) CO status.

I worked in personnel, and came to know a couple of men involved with such claims.

Firstly, they were assigned to regular duties, overseas (Germany). They were given orders to go somewhere, and they followed the orders.

The US military needs to have recruits sign a Disclosure that would set the stage for cases like this.

Obviously this guy is young, liberal, etc. He is CLAIMING a naivity, which may be a ploy.

I cannot imagine why someone who disdains violence would join the military. It strains credibility.

Normally the military just wants problem people OUT these days. During the draft, the military wanted to make examples, some times.

I think that justifiably, this guy should be an example for AWOL during conflict.

[LibWhacker]

I knew a couple of guys like this when I was in the Army. Made me sick then and it makes me sick now -- And I was a liberal then!

[tbpiper]

why again would one join the Marines

Here's a clue:

he wanted the discipline..........he is gay.

Wasn't the kind of 'discipline' he thought, mayhaps. Then too the possibility of breaking a nail, for heaven's sake, it some realy icky combat kind of oppressing poor people thingy was just toooo much to contemplate.

[nightdriver]

"But if I was forced to go to war ... than I would be perpetuating oppression and violence against others," Funk said."

What a glittering jewel of colossal ignorance!

The ultimate purpose of the military is to kill people and break things. Anyone who doesn't know that is either non-compos-mentis or severly mentally challenged.