Naval officer chooses discharge rather than go to Iraq (Watada case mentioned)

Seattle PI ^ | April 18, 2008 | Mike Barber

[jazusamo]

EVERETT -- Eleven years ago, Sabrina M. Weiner graduated as a valedictorian at Kamiak High School near Everett. She was a National Merit Scholar, aiming for a bright future after earning a Navy ROTC scholarship to Stanford University.

Two months ago, Weiner, 27, after seven years in the active and reserve duty during which she rose to the rank of lieutenant, forfeited her career.

In a rare instance involving a commissioned officer, Weiner was arrested and given a choice between a court-martial or less-than-honorable discharge after refusing to serve in Iraq.

Speaking publicly for the first time about it, Weiner says she was not against the war but the so-called "individual augmentee" program. In the past several years, that program has sent nearly 60,000 sailors from ships and bases to augment Army and Marine ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. "It is not an against-the-war argument but a people-accountability argument," Weiner says. "I was proud to say I was a Navy officer. My problem is the way they are using us as IAs. It minimizes the job and training we do for the Navy."

It cannibalizes the Navy -- and Air Force -- to cover up a shortage of Army and Marine troops to fight the wars, she argues.

For her convictions, she was thrown in jail, flown across the nation in shackles and threatened with court-martial. Today she is scraping by in Everett, living frugally, tutoring high school kids in math and is enrolled in graduate studies at the Alden March Bioethics Institute based at the Albany Medical College in New York.

"I'm not another Watada," she cautions, referring to the Fort Lewis Army active duty lieutenant, Ehren Watada. In 2006, Watada refused to accompany his Stryker Brigade to combat duty in Iraq, contending that the war is immoral and unconstitutional.

Unlike Watada, whose case remains active after moving from a military to a federal court last year, Weiner's was resolved within a month in February. And unlike the Army lieutenant, Weiner has not become an anti-war cause for Hollywood celebrities and peace activists.

Navy officials declined to discuss Weiner's case, saying they were unfamiliar with it.

According to the Navy Department, 7,063 active and 5,050 reserve sailors are serving as individual augmentees, not only in Iraq and Afghanistan but also in the Horn of Africa and other locations. They include 3,145 active-duty and reserve officers and more than 9,000 active-duty and reserve enlisted men and women. The Defense Department and top Navy officials have acknowledged that the policy has created hardships for sailors and their families. The Navy has altered the program after listening to complaints from sailors, and invites more input, though it says the program is needed and will remain in place for some time to come.

Assignments are voluntary and involuntary, and reviews from sailors are mixed. Active- and reserve-duty sailors, who declined to be named, cited problems with the program to the Seattle P-I. They included a ship driver from San Diego, a sailor from Eastern Washington and a Navy aviator.

The aviator contacted his congressman after he was involuntarily sent to serve with ground forces in Iraq only a few months after returning from a full deployment with his squadron flying support missions in the war zone.

The individual augmentee jobs typically include public works and reconstruction; training local forces in Afghanistan; medical care; protecting U.S. bases; interpreting laws, especially concerning contractor obligations; forging closer ties with communities in Afghanistan; handling detainees; and administrative work.

Weiner got a call before Christmas that she would be getting orders soon to be called up.

Weiner says her job in Iraq was to have been commerce officer, providing money to local Iraqi leaders.

That gave her pause, not only because she was not trained for the job, but also because she is of Japanese, Korean and Jewish ancestry.

"They were going to have me negotiate money transactions with Iraqi warlords. A woman of Jewish and East Asian descent to try to talk to men about money in a country where women aren't always allowed to handle money," Weiner says.

Weiner's record and fitness reports before she was called up to IA duty indicate anything but a shrinking violet. She had earned two overseas service ribbons, commendation and achievement medals and was part of a Meritorious Unit Commendation.

After graduating from Stanford in 2001, Weiner started her career aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex, a vessel second in size only to aircraft carriers and which transports Marine landing forces. She was serving overseas during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

She received glowing fitness reports:

"Assigned to arduous sea duty ...," her commander wrote in one review. "Outstanding officer and Navy professional! On the fast track! Assign only to the most challenging jobs!"

She left active duty in August 2004, receiving high marks in her final evaluation in all categories but professional expertise.

By 2005, Weiner as a reservist worked as a research liaison officer at the prestigious Office of Naval Research. Her detachment was responsible for managing research in underwater unmanned vehicles and weaponry. She also served as the unit's public information officer. Her fitness reports continued to average "above standards" or "greatly exceeds standards." A commander called her "an excellent officer" and "a highly motivated self-starter."

Her last good report was November 2007, this time newly assigned to a joint service unit of the Selective Service System in New Orleans.

"She is most strongly recommended for promotion and greater responsibility in the Naval Reserve," her commander wrote.

It all unraveled on Jan. 9 when she received orders to be called up.

She agonized over the policy and her own convictions, readiness and obligations as an officer. The job seemed to her a random call for a warm body.

"I was not afraid of dying; I was afraid of acting out of weakness," she said. "It would have been easier to just go along with it." Weiner was to report Jan. 28. She was depressed, and she tried to call local Navy lawyers for advice. "I was told they could do nothing because I'm a reservist" with her headquarters in New Orleans, she said.

She turned to GI Rights hotline, a nonprofit organization at www.objector.net that offers legal help to servicemen and women, especially to those refusing to go to war.

Weiner found a lawyer and filed a request for personal hardship, In a conference call, her commanding offer was angry at her, she said. "I never got to tell them why I was refusing to deploy," she said. He ordered her report to New Orleans.

Weiner said she refused to report while her request for exemption was in the pipeline. Counselors and lawyers seemed unfamiliar with how to handle officers refusing to report, having handled mostly Army enlisted personnel.

A Navy official tried to reach her at her parents' home. Weiner was told to report voluntarily or risk arrest and being transported in shackles.

"My dad said, 'We support you. They are trying to send you to an Army position in Iraq. I understand.' "

Weiner put her jobs and a graduate program in bioethics on hold. She said she was preparing in to pack for New Orleans on the night Everett police arrived at her door.

Weiner said she was booked and strip searched and did nothing to resist, and credits jail and military authorities who handled her arrest with "acting very professionally." Though friends and the GI Rights people knew of her situation, she wanted no action or protest. " I wanted to know what the Navy will do." Military police took over and escorted her in shackles, walking to help her conceal them and avoid attention through the airports from Seattle and in New Orleans. "The staff was kind and wonderful to me," she said.

She was flown to New Orleans on a Friday night, and the Navy was ready for her: Face detention, then a court-martial or accept an other-than-honorable discharge,

a separation from the service in a middle ground, ranking below honorable and general discharges but above bad conduct and dishonorable discharges.

Weiner said she mulled whether how much it might affect her later life. Wanting to teach and write after graduate school, she opted for the discharge. She was flown home the next day. Her final fitness report dated Feb. 20, 2008, sharply contrasts her earlier ones.

"Lt. Weiner's failure to report ...was counter to good order and discipline, negatively affected the command climate and represents a failure to live up to the Navy core values of honor, courage and commitment. Lt. Weiner effectively put her personal desires above the needs of the Navy team and the nation ...Lt. Weiner is most strongly recommended for separation from the Navy."

The episode still makes her emotional both in what she gave up and for the support she has received. Weiner feels she showed honor, courage, commitment. She wants to continue to serve her community, perhaps to take apply her studies in bioethics into ensuring the safety of the food we eat.

"I want people to know about IAs, but there's a good side," she says. "The Navy did the best it could. I have no hard feelings. We are there to serve -- we serve the constitution."

[SatinDoll]

Yeah, it was really tough duty. I had a two bedroom apartment with tiled bath and kitchen, marble floors, balcony overlooking a golf course, and all for $85.00 per month. Though having to look over my shoulder for crazy Arab terrorists trying to shoot me off my bicycle while going to work took the shine off of it at the end.

I left right in the middle of our bombing Khadafi’s tent. The jumbo jet I rode home in only had sixteen people on it, due to his threats against all U.S. airlines.

[BIGLOOK]

Roger that, Jeff.

[M-cubed]

Id give her credit too for her convictions....
2 days off of a 2 yr sentence....

Sometimes..it isn't all about YOU!

[BIGLOOK]

I left right in the middle of our bombing Khadafi’s tent.
Love the Aardvarks!

Welcome home, Satin Doll!

Talk about Freedom Birds.....you had one to yourself..........

[SatinDoll]

<...she had a duty to obey and that duty extends beyond her own self-interest. >

Yes, I agree with that. If I had been in her shoes I would have gone. But sending a Jewish woman? Someone did not have their thinking hat on with that one!

After the nuclear plant I worked at was shut down permanently, I had a job offer that would have sent me to Saudi Arabia. My first name is one of those that can be either male or female - like Leslie, or Dana. I declined the offer because I’m not stupid. Western women in that kind of culture are targets because only prostitutes go out and do business with men to whom they are not married.

As for being Jewish, we all know what happened to Daniel Pearl, don’t we?

[Jeff Head]

Lueys do not get to tell High Command or Command Authority, as regards legal, constitutional orders, "No, I don't think I will follow that order. I don't like it."

The prospect of such conditions is horrific to contemplate because you would have complete chaos and would be easily defeated by any dedicated, committed enemy.

She had a duty to obey, particularly if she made her reservations known and was ordered to go ahead. She failed in that duty.

God bless all those soldiers, from buck priavtes up to Generals who stormed ashore in places like Normandy, Tarawa, Okinawa, etc. I am sure they did not like it. They knew there was a good prospect of them getting killed.

But they put their duty, the liberty and security of their nation above their own self interest and their very life, and we are all well served because of it and hallow their service and names.

This officer is clearly not of that mettle. She is not a good officer at all in that sense or by that measure. The service is well served and best off with her drummed out.

[Jeff Head]

Pearl...God rest his soul... was not under arms or in the military.

My guess is that this woman's direct assignments would have been such where they did not compromise or threaten the mission. She may have worked with those assignments, but very quickly would not have been on the point end of that sword.

Either way, she failed in a sworn duty and the service is best off without her.

[TheMole]

You have GOT to read her blog. Got to. Really.

Lair of the Infinite Dragon

[M-cubed]

She's an Asian/Jewish officer<<

NOPE...she was an OFFICER!..... but I understand where your coming from...
I took orders from one of those Jewish/asian pricks too..... It was all about money to them!

[SatinDoll]

Ok, ok...I’ll go read it.

[csvset]

So much for, “ Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead “. The Navy is better off without the scurvy dog.

[Jeff Head]

She was honored to see off Cindy Sheehan as she went to Crawford?

[BIGLOOK]

That’s beyond my understanding.

[TheMole]

You got it. I can't believe that blog ... the posts are from when she was still on active duty. Here's the worst one I've found:

Direct link to this post http://infinitedragon.blogspot.com/2005/08/gold-star-mom-and-veterans-must-walk.html

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Gold Star Mom and Veterans must walk in the Ditch??

Greetings from Dallas, TX! I am currently at the Veterans for Peace 2005 Convention, and what a time I have having!

I had the distinct honor of seeing off Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Mother, as she headed off to Crawford to ask George Bush why her son is dead. She is going back tomorrow, and will stay there until she gets an answer, and the truth.

Over two dozen Veterans for Peace escorted her there today, and were forced to walk in the ditch by the side of the road by the security guards there. Yes, this is how we "support our troops" and "honor the sacrifice" of Gold Star Mothers.

But even better: when the Veterans tried to bring her water, they were turned away at the barricades (three layers that were hastily erected by the security guards, who didn't want to be kept overtime but cared nothing about whether a Gold Star Mother expired on the President's lawn).

Let me point you to two ignorami:

Confederate Yankee refuses to accept that real, live veterans escorted Cindy Sheehan as he smears her as a "walking cliche of Democratic Underground-type talking points". So they're only good Americans when they sit down and shut up and let their families and lives be taken away from them? Sounds like a pretty nice empire there, complete with peons.

Bright and Early has decided to dictate that Gold Star Mothers are to be seen and not heard, that they should piously and quietly mourn and not fight . . . which is, of course, exactly what the Chickenhawks did after September 11, 2001. Practice what you preach, Nimrod; let's see how you feel after one of your loved ones die being sent to the slaughter in an unnecessary and bloody occupation . . . or even better, why don't you sign up and tell your Mom to be sure to mourn quietly?

More news can be found by Googling or using Technorati. This has hit international news and blogs, and it's only been 10 hours.

posted by Infinite Dragon @ 8/06/2005 09:16:00 PM

Yeah, she was just standing up for the rights of Navy Reserve officers...

The Seattle P-I photo of Miss Weiner:

[NavyChief]

You and I paid her tuition to Stanford University in return for her “honorable” service. I want my money back.

Wouldn’t it be great if every service member refused to do their duty because they did not “feel” they should do it. Then EVERYBODY would be so “upfront” and “honorable.”

[Tainan]

RedState - to answer your query - Never in the thoughts of this former senior NCO.
IMO all the comments re:her 'ancestry' are irrelevant. She was to be an Officer wearing the uniform...not someone walking around with an ethno-patch on her bosom. As has been brought to light via her 3 year old blog, there appears to be other motivating factors at play in this drama.
Oh, and Satin Doll, there were folks working and watching to make certain you, and the base, were safe during the time you mention in Spain. Some were living down the road in Cadiz, some were in Sevilla(Seville) and a one or two cowboys even made the trip over from the Motril area to skulk about. Plus the Spanish authorities, who were and are most excellent at their job. Remember, they have been dealing with the ETA for a long long time. Its good to be a bit paranoid, but don't let the hype overshadow the facts. The big news at that time was the Achille Lauro. Everyone was on high alert in Spain due to that bit of terr madness. And no, that is not discounting the then new terr on the scene, Sabri Al Bana...aka Abu Nidal.

[Caesar Soze]

Individual augmentation, even to positions for which one has not been extensively trained or for which one has little natural talent, is a way of life in the reserve component. You go do your job, then if you're a hotshot officer like Weiner's ebullient OERs and newspaper hagiographer say she is, you become CNO and fix the system. Better yet, you win the war and obviate the need for cross-leveling. Stamping your feet and throwing a mutiny of one isn't really done in the best of circles.

[FreedomPoster]

The military has been putting round pegs in square holes for longer than either one of us has been around.

Is this A Good Thing? No.

Is the way this woman chose to deal with that, A Good Thing? No.

Sometimes you just suck it up and peel the potatoes.

[FreedomPoster]

>>She signed on for military service, not “nation building”. Hire a civilian for that job.

So those guys in uniform working for Maxwell Clark and Douglas MacArthur, nation building in Germany and Japan post-WWII, should have been pinstriped guys from Foggy Bottom? Tell us more.

[napscoordinator]

As a Navy officer I would not be happy about doing a Army officers mission. But stuff happens,deal with it and move forward.

I agree 100 percent with your statement. It makes me very mad that the Army can’t seem to handle the war and has to use the Navy personnel, but that is life. The Army has had a very difficult time trying to win this thing maybe the Navy can win it.