Sounds like a nice tall tale. We’ve been told that Lakin was never actually ordered to deploy, so nobody missed anything because of Lakin. Also, let’s ignore the warnings that Lakin gave well in advance of disobeying orders and let’s ignore that President Stitch Lips hid like a 2-year-old child during this entire process.
Major Dobson and his wife (also a Major Dobson) who both testified against Lakin were the final stake in the heart of the Lakin defense in the sentencing phase.
It was also highly unusual that MRS. Lakin was not in attendance at the trial. Wives of defendants always elict sympathy from a jury panel and the fact that she was not there was not a good thing for the defense.
Mrs. Lakin hiding is more significant than President Stitch-lip’s hiding. I can guarantee you that Stitch-lip’s legal advisors told him in no uncertain terms to say nothing and do nothing to influence the military justice system one way or the other.
My money is still on a Stitch-lip pardon for Lt.C. Lakin at some time close to the next election.
Non-Sequitur posted an example of what I was referring to, only a couple of days ago, "Lakin wasn't ordered to Afghanistan, he was ordered to report to his brigade commander's office located in the D.C. are and to report for duty with a unit in Kentucky." Dobson can't replace someone who was never specifically ordered to go Afghanistan. It is a non-sequitur.