Army retains decorated Green Beret it planned to kick out over confronting Afghan child rapist

[mystery-ak]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/04/28/army-retains-decorated-green-beret-it-planned-to-kick-out-over-confronting-afghan-child-rapist.html

Army retains decorated Green Beret it planned to kick out over confronting Afghan child rapist

By Lucas Tomlinson Published April 28, 2016 FoxNews.com

EXCLUSIVE: In a stunning reversal, the U.S. Army decided late Thursday to retain a decorated Green Beret it had planned to kick out after he physically confronted a local Afghan commander accused of raping a boy over the course of many days.

Sgt 1st Class Charles Martland, confirmed the Army's decision to retain him when reached by Fox News, who has been covering the story in depth for the past eight months and first broke the story of the Army's decision in August to kick out Martland over the incident, which occurred in northern Afghanistan in 2011.

"I am real thankful for being able to continue to serve," said Martland when reached on the telephone by Fox News.  "I appreciate everything Congressman Duncan Hunter and his Chief of Staff, Joe Kasper did for me."

As first reported by Fox News, while deployed to Kunduz Province, Afghanistan, Martland and his team leader confronted a local police commander in 2011 accused of raping an Afghan boy and beating his mother. When the man laughed off the incident, they shoved him to the ground.

Martland and his team leader were later removed from the base, and eventually sent home from Afghanistan. The U.S. Army has not confirmed the specifics of Martland's separation from service citing privacy reasons, but a “memorandum of reprimand” from October 2011 obtained by Fox News makes clear that Martland was criticized by the brass for his intervention after the alleged rape. Asked for comment in September 2015, an Army spokesman reiterated, "the U.S. Army is unable to confirm the specifics of his separation due to the Privacy Act."

An Army spokesman said Thursday that Martland's status has been changed, allowing him to stay in the Army in a statement to Fox News.

"In SFC Martland’s case, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records determination modified a portion of one of SFC Martland’s evaluation reports and removed him from the QMP list, which will allow him to remain in the Army," said Lt. Col. Jerry Pionk.

Martland's former Special Forces team leader, now out of the Army and living in New York said the Army is a better place with Martland in its ranks.

"This is not just a great victory for SFC Martland and his family- I’m just as happy that he can continue to serve our country and inspire his peers, subordinates and officers to be better soldiers.  Charles makes every soldier he comes in contact with better and the Army is undoubtedly a better organization with SFC Martland still in its ranks," said Martland's former team leader Danny Quinn when reached by Fox News Thursday.

"The Army did the right thing and we won--the American people, won," said Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. in a phone interview with Fox News. "Martland is who we want out there."

Lawmakers were not the only ones who supported Martland's case.

One famous Hollywood actor also weighed in.

Harvey Keitel of Pulp Fiction and Revervoir Dogs fame also asked the Army to reconsider their decision.

Quinn is a 2003 graduate of West Point.

Martland grew up south of Boston, in Milton, Mass. An all-state football player in high school, he set his sights on playing college football after graduating in 2001. Martland went for the Florida State University team, which just finished a season ranked fourth in the nation.

He made the team, impressing legendary head coach Bobby Bowden and famed defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews. Still, he often remained on the sidelines.

When Pat Tillman, a former NFL football player who volunteered for the Army Rangers, was killed in Afghanistan in 2004, he saw Tillman's sacrifice as motivation to apply for another elite program.

Martland dropped out of college and graduated in 2006 from Special Forces Qualification Course, one of the U.S. military's toughest training programs. Over the years he became a jumpmaster, combat diver and sniper.

After a deployment to Iraq in 2008, he deployed to Afghanistan in January 2010 as part of a 12-man unit. He and his team found themselves fighting large numbers of Taliban militants in volatile Kunduz Province.

In 2014, three years after being sent home from Afghanistan, Martland was runner-up Special Warfare Training Group Instructor of the Year from a pool of 400 senior leaders in Special Forces.

[sneakypete]

@MACVSOG68

EXCELLENT NEWS!

He is never going to be deployed to any more action teams in foreign nations,though. While there can be no moral question whatsoever that he did the right thing,he put the lives of everyone on his team at risk for doing it,as well as compromised their mission.

There are other,more subtle ways of handing things like this.

[MACVSOG68]

@MACVSOG68

EXCELLENT NEWS!

He is never going to be deployed to any more action teams in foreign nations,though. While there can be no moral question whatsoever that he did the right thing,he put the lives of everyone on his team at risk for doing it,as well as compromised their mission.

There are other,more subtle ways of handing things like this.

 
Agreed, though there are some things worth taking a risk for.  I didn't read the entire story when it happened but bottom-line was it appeared to be more political than operational.  Anyway, he's not going to be hurting for work if he does get out. 

[Timber Rattler]

@MACVSOG68
There are other,more subtle ways of handing things like this.

Like what?  Report it up the chain of command, so that leadership can inform the appropriate Afghan officials, who then do....NOTHING?

[MACVSOG68]

Like what?  Report it up the chain of command, so that leadership can inform the appropriate Afghan officials, who then do....NOTHING?

Obviously the mission can never be jeopardized, but past that risk is part of the job.  If I were his CO, I'd be looking for someone like him for future missions.  Like Pete said, he probably won't, but I'm just glad to see it turn out okay.

[sneakypete]

  Anyway, he's not going to be hurting for work if he does get out.

@sneakypete

No contractor is going to touch him with a 10 foot pole. He laid hands on and humiliated in public a senior police officer with political connections though his family and tribal connections. If he ever goes downrange again he will be murdered by the locals,and so will everyone with him. On top of that the local royalty are likely to deny any company that hires him future contracts.

He might get a job doing technical training or evaluations for a contractor here in the US,but that's it.

The man betrayed and endangered his entire team by laying hands on a local police officer in public,and giving him a beat down in front of the locals over humping a young boy,something their culture accepts for everyone,especially for people with family connections to royalty. That official lost face forever and you can bet his family is pissed because from now on he has no career future in the police department or local government.

It's a wonder the army managed to pull him out before the local police attacked and murdered the whole team in their sleep. I don't remember the original story reporting on it,but common sense will tell you he whole team was pulled,and replaced by another team.

If you are going to be on deployed teams,you HAVE to be able to handle your emotions and keep them under control.

I can see  him serving as a branch instructor at SWC,though. I'm not so sure he would enjoy his notoriety,though. That would be tough for almost anybody.

[Kaslin]

@MACVSOG68

EXCELLENT NEWS!

He is never going to be deployed to any more action teams in foreign nations,though. While there can be no moral question whatsoever that he did the right thing,he put the lives of everyone on his team at risk for doing it,as well as compromised their mission.

There are other,more subtle ways of handing things like this.

Martha MaCullum reported about it a while ago on America's Newsroom with Bill Hammer and Martha McCullum

[MACVSOG68]

@sneakypete

No contractor is going to touch him with a 10 foot pole. He laid hands on and humiliated in public a senior police officer with political connections though his family and tribal connections. If he ever goes downrange again he will be murdered by the locals,and so will everyone with him. On top of that the local royalty are likely to deny any company that hires him future contracts.

He might get a job doing technical training or evaluations for a contractor here in the US,but that's it.

The man betrayed and endangered his entire team by laying hands on a local police officer in public,and giving him a beat down in front of the locals over humping a young boy,something their culture accepts for everyone,especially for people with family connections to royalty. That official lost face forever and you can bet his family is pissed because from now on he has no career future in the police department or local government.

It's a wonder the army managed to pull him out before the local police attacked and murdered the whole team in their sleep. I don't remember the original story reporting on it,but common sense will tell you he whole team was pulled,and replaced by another team.

If you are going to be on deployed teams,you HAVE to be able to handle your emotions and keep them under control.

I can see  him serving as a branch instructor at SWC,though. I'm not so sure he would enjoy his notoriety,though. That would be tough for almost anybody.

I'd like to see the whole uneditied Article 32 report, but until then, unless the mission was jeopardized, I have no problem with what he did.  We are taught coming in-country to respect the local cultures.  Raping a child, cultural or not (which I don't believe), is a bridge too far.  I still believe he'd have no problem with a future career.  Some people here even in security industries still value some human rights.  And we don't or shouldn't give all of those up when providing assistance to other nations.

[driftdiver]

@MACVSOG68

EXCELLENT NEWS!

He is never going to be deployed to any more action teams in foreign nations,though. While there can be no moral question whatsoever that he did the right thing,he put the lives of everyone on his team at risk for doing it,as well as compromised their mission.

There are other,more subtle ways of handing things like this.

If I want subtle I don't normally think about spec ops veterans.

[sneakypete]

If I want subtle I don't normally think about spec ops veterans.

You have been watching too  many movies and tv shows. Subtle is what it's all about when you are operating behind the lines with a small number of troops and no "Big Army" support on instant call.

[driftdiver]

You have been watching too  many movies and tv shows. Subtle is what it's all about when you are operating behind the lines with a small number of troops and no "Big Army" support on instant call.

yeah I guess I didn't learn anything from my 10 years in the air force and friends that are Seals and Rangers.  Thanks for correcting me.

[MACVSOG68]

yeah I guess I didn't learn anything from my 10 years in the air force and friends that are Seals and Rangers.  Thanks for correcting me.

Thanks for your service @driftdiver.  We have several vets here but we can sometimes get into some pretty intense discussions. 

[sneakypete]

yeah I guess I didn't learn anything from my 10 years in the air force and friends that are Seals and Rangers.  Thanks for correcting me.

You didn't,so you are welcome.

[Bigun]

I'd like to see the whole uneditied Article 32 report, but until then, unless the mission was jeopardized, I have no problem with what he did.  We are taught coming in-country to respect the local cultures.  Raping a child, cultural or not (which I don't believe), is a bridge too far.  I still believe he'd have no problem with a future career.  Some people here even in security industries still value some human rights.  And we don't or shouldn't give all of those up when providing assistance to other nations.

  He should have gotten a metal IMHO but I fully understand why that will never happen!

[sneakypete]

He should have gotten a metal IMHO but I fully understand why that will never happen!

People tend to either forget,or don't know,that SF teams that are deployed to foreign countries are there as guests,NOT occupation troops. Local law and customs are still controlled locally,and you can not only get your team killed or booted out of the country for flagrant violations of local customs,like striking a policeman in public,but even get other teams booted out or attacked if it is the wrong/right official  you beat up. Smack the wrong guy,and you can even create a diplomatic incident that would result in the US President and State Department having to issue a formal apology as well as bags of cash to mend the rift. This is serious business.

This is contrary to pretty much every deployment by US forces,where US/Military law replaces local law,and US MP's worth with the local police to enforce the law.

Nobody gets a medal for breaking the laws of host countries and attacking their officials.

Diplomacy is a part of ever deployed SF teams mission,and that means that what is right in their minds might not apply and they have to live within the local rules and customs. Nobody likes it,but it's a part of the job.  You can bet your bippy that SFC Martland understands this himself. Chances are after years of deployments and biting his tongue to keep silent,he finally ran out of patience. He is human,like the rest of us,and nobody ever said it was easy to be on a deployed SF A Team. If it was,anybody could do it.

[Bigun]

People tend to either forget,or don't know,that SF teams that are deployed to foreign countries are there as guests,NOT occupation troops. Local law and customs are still controlled locally,and you can not only get your team killed or booted out of the country for flagrant violations of local customs,like striking a policeman in public,but even get other teams booted out or attacked if it is the wrong/right official  you beat up. Smack the wrong guy,and you can even create a diplomatic incident that would result in the US President and State Department having to issue a formal apology as well as bags of cash to mend the rift. This is serious business.

This is contrary to pretty much every deployment by US forces,where US/Military law replaces local law,and US MP's worth with the local police to enforce the law.

Nobody gets a medal for breaking the laws of host countries and attacking their officials.

Diplomacy is a part of ever deployed SF teams mission,and that means that what is right in their minds might not apply and they have to live within the local rules and customs. Nobody likes it,but it's a part of the job.  You can bet your bippy that SFC Martland understands this himself. Chances are after years of deployments and biting his tongue to keep silent,he finally ran out of patience. He is human,like the rest of us,and nobody ever said it was easy to be on a deployed SF A Team. If it was,anybody could do it.

Sure he does! And so do I!

[Timber Rattler]

Nobody gets a medal for breaking the laws of host countries and attacking their officials.

So you're a POG-type who would sit in a tent and listen to one of those deviants rape a little boy over and over again and do absolutely nothing about it, just because of some warped sense of diplomatic protocol and misguided military accommodation for local authority?

Well, I'm certainly relieved to see that the moral rot that has infected the U.S. has largely by-passed our Armed Forces....geeez.

[Bigun]

So you're a POG-type who would sit in a tent and listen to one of those deviants rape a little boy over and over again and do absolutely nothing about it, just because of some warped sense of diplomatic protocol and misguided military accommodation for local authority?

Well, I'm certainly relieved to see that the moral rot that has infected the U.S. has largely by-passed our Armed Forces....geeez.

Calm down TR!  I don't see where he said anything like that. He just stated the FACTS that govern ANY clandestine service member.  There have been many incidents where those rules have been violated and the only reason you know about this one is that the need to know ethic has been thrown out the window under Obama!

[MACVSOG68]

So you're a POG-type who would sit in a tent and listen to one of those deviants rape a little boy over and over again and do absolutely nothing about it, just because of some warped sense of diplomatic protocol and misguided military accommodation for local authority?

Well, I'm certainly relieved to see that the moral rot that has infected the U.S. has largely by-passed our Armed Forces....geeez.

Trust me Timber, Sneakypete has more than paid his dues.  He's anything but a POG.  Both of us as well as Bigun have been there and done that.  We disagree on this particular issue, but not enough to get personal.   

[driftdiver]

Thanks for your service @driftdiver.  We have several vets here but we can sometimes get into some pretty intense discussions.

Spent just over 6 of the 10 underground in places that didn't exist and the rest building sandbag bunkers and hoping the SCUDs weren't launched.   Even spent 1 attached to an army post in Korea.  Boy that was fun, Camp Humphries.

[driftdiver]

People tend to either forget,or don't know,that SF teams that are deployed to foreign countries are there as guests,NOT occupation troops. Local law and customs are still controlled locally,and you can not only get your team killed or booted out of the country for flagrant violations of local customs,like striking a policeman in public,but even get other teams booted out or attacked if it is the wrong/right official  you beat up. Smack the wrong guy,and you can even create a diplomatic incident that would result in the US President and State Department having to issue a formal apology as well as bags of cash to mend the rift. This is serious business.

This is contrary to pretty much every deployment by US forces,where US/Military law replaces local law,and US MP's worth with the local police to enforce the law.

Nobody gets a medal for breaking the laws of host countries and attacking their officials.

Diplomacy is a part of ever deployed SF teams mission,and that means that what is right in their minds might not apply and they have to live within the local rules and customs. Nobody likes it,but it's a part of the job.  You can bet your bippy that SFC Martland understands this himself. Chances are after years of deployments and biting his tongue to keep silent,he finally ran out of patience. He is human,like the rest of us,and nobody ever said it was easy to be on a deployed SF A Team. If it was,anybody could do it.

We aren't in Afghanistan in a clandestine manner the last I heard.

[Bigun]

Spent just over 6 of the 10 underground in places that didn't exist and the rest building sandbag bunkers and hoping the SCUDs weren't launched.   Even spent 1 attached to an army post in Korea.  Boy that was fun, Camp Humphries.

Thank you for your service to our country!

[MACVSOG68]

Spent just over 6 of the 10 underground in places that didn't exist and the rest building sandbag bunkers and hoping the SCUDs weren't launched.   Even spent 1 attached to an army post in Korea.  Boy that was fun, Camp Humphries.

Sounds like you had a ball.    Hope to see more of you on our military threads here.   

[Bigun]

We aren't in Afghanistan in a clandestine manner the last I heard.

In a general sense no! But I can tell you from personal experience that that does not mean a thing with regard to what we are discussing here!

[driftdiver]

Thank you for your service to our country!

Thank you but I didn't say it to get thanks.  I said those things because I have been in similar positions.   I watched these South Korean organized crime guys rape one of their girls after beating the crap out of her on the street.   All with the police watching.   I know the feeling of wanting to do something but knowing that if I did that I'd probably end up missing and dead.

I respect this guy for what he did.  I know the rape of children in Afghanistan and Iraq is not uncommon and frequently overlooked.  Our military leaders and politicians should certainly have never allowed this to be handled this way.

We can't save every child but it certainly seems that we should where possible.