Sergeant First Class Charles Martland

Sergeant First Class Charles Martland deserves better.  A combat veteran and member of our Special Forces, Sgt. Martland is being drummed out of the military for upholding the best of American values.  In short, he's a political pawn that can be sacrificed for the greater, or lesser, good.

Sergeant Martland is being kicked out of the military for shoving a member of the Afghan Local Police force.  Were that all that had happened, it might be understandable.  But the reason Sgt. Martland pushed the Afghani is far darker:  The Afghani in question had tied a young Afghan boy to a post and had repeatedly raped the boy over a ten-day period.  When informed about the ongoing violations, Sgt. Martland and his commanding officer, Capt. Daniel Quinn, slammed the ALP rapist into a wall, body slammed him and kicked him in the ribs before kicking him out of the base.  According to the account of Sgt. Martland gave, at no time was the ALP rapist beaten senseless or even hit in the face.  At best, the rapist lost face in the community.

Despite what seems to be a clear case of intervention to save a victim from an unspeakable crime, the military removed Capt. Quinn and Sgt. Martland from the base for their "vigilantism." 

The resulting furor is understandable.  We preach against crimes victimizing women and children in this country.  Jared Fogel, late of the Subway promotions, went to prison for having sex with an underaged girl.  Rolling Stone magazine published a now-debunked story of a date rape at the University of Virginia.  The infamous Duke lacrosse rape case recently was featured in a 30 for 30 episode.  Presumably, our troops are supposed to support the rule of law, not subvert it. 

I'm no expert in Afghani law.  I don't know whether rape of a minor is condoned there.  But when the mother came to the commanding officer begging for someone to help her son, what were they supposed to do?  Stand by and do nothing?  Couldn't that expose them to a charge of complicity?

I can understand perhaps removing the two from the theater.  I can even understand giving them a legal slap on the wrist.  But dishonorably discharging Sgt. Martland?  Do we not expect our military to uphold American values?  Beyond the UCMJ, isn't there a moral imperative that should be obeyed?

I've often complained about ROE's and how they unnecessarily tie the hands of our military.  I'm not advocating that our troops be turned loose like a Western posse to do justice as it sees fit.  At the same time, I don't believe punishing our military for bravery even in non-combat situations that may not comport with an ROE.  Sgt. Martland did what any civilian in this country would be praised for doing in a similar situation.  That he's being sacrificed, at great loss to his reputation, for political expediency is immoral.  He should be promoted in the ranks for showing the kind of leadership we should expect from our military.

The feckless Obama administration could stop all this.  The President, after all, is the Commander-in-Chief.  I've heard precious little from the White House about this case.  Of course, when it suits its political purposes, the administration declares that the legal process run its course.

Unless, of course, Bowe Bergdahl is involved.  If he's convicted in his court martial, I predict that the President, if the conviction occurs before he leaves office, will pardon Bergdahl for his treason.

The President should do the right thing.  Congress should do the right thing.

Free Sergeant First Class Charles Martland from the theater of the absurd into which he's been thrust for being a hero.

(c) 2016 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles