Kokesh at Alberto Gonzales Hearing
Yeah, sure. Wearing his uniform at a protest is the only reason they want to dishonorably discharge him.
Marine Corps Wants America’s Favorite Marine To Shut Up!
Iraq veteran and honorably discharged Marine Sgt. Adam Kokesh has been the Pentagon’s biggest public relations nightmare this year, because he’s some kind of magical Cindy Sheehan — people actually like him!
And while right-wingers had no problem mocking the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, they have a tougher time mocking an actual living Marine male veteran who actually fought in the war they just write about on their blogs.
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The funeral stunt earned the protesters a coveted “political protest” arrest — apparently it’s now illegal to protest anything for political reasons — and your favorite Marine was also charged with “Unlawful Assembly — Loud and Boisterous,” despite the fact that he was silent during the performance.
Here’s something from Kokesh’s personal blog about his forcing a hearing — the last thing the Marines want is more publicity on all this — on his pending dishonorable discharge:
In Unprecedented Prosecution Former Marine Adam Kokesh Rejects Plea Bargain
The implications of this hearing may be far reaching, as the prosecution of a member of the inactive reserves under these circumstances is unprecedented. At stake is the right of freedom of speech for the hundreds of thousands of members of the Inactive Ready Reserve, as well as the nation’s right to get the unbiased truth out of Iraq. Last week, the prosecuting attorney, Captain Sibert, offered Kokesh a general discharge. To accept this would be to allow the Marines to say that members of the IRR do not have freedom of speech, so naturally, he declined.
UPDATE: Turns out that there was a second Marine at the protest who isn’t being disciplined. AND the VFW is backing Kokesh. What a difference from Vietnam! (Thanks SN for finding this)
related link:
Iraqi Veterans Against the War
UPDATE 2: The military panel recommended Kokesh receive “a nonpunitive discharge” ruling his actions were a theatrical performance to which the rules about military dress don’t apply. Ah, they took the easy way out.
#60…Mr. Fusion….My Uncle said that he was Honorably Discharged from *active* duty, but has not been seperated from duty until his full 8 year term is up. That he is still considered *military* until that last 2 years is done(in his case in like15 days), and is still bound by chain of command rules….when the officer told him that he may be investigated for violating UCMJ…..he apparently told the officer to stuff it, only a bit more colorfully….he would have been fine doing that after June 18th….but until then, the officer is still an officer and he is still an enlisted man, just not active duty. My Uncle said that a lot of guys/girls think when they are discharged from *active* duty, they are discharged, period. But, apparently not.
Also, the uniform he was wearing, while without insignia, was his actual uniform, issued by the military to him, and since he was still military, he couldn’t wear it to the rally…..you confused??….I sure am……lol
Anyway, my Uncle called this morning to tell me to check out the news….he was right, they gave him what amounts to a General Discharge and washed their hands of him.
The military is the military….the majority of them are really patriots and care about their country I think…..they can’t be happy about whats going on in this country anymore than the rest of us, but they can’t say it. The decision to do what they did came down so fast and hard, it had to be a ranking officer that just decided to end it all before the politicians could get involved and screw it up more.
I am an 8 year Army and National Gaurd veteran and I fully support Adam Kokesh.