Article

2004-12-22 Iraq-Jordan

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is calling for clemency for six Ohio National Guard troops court-martialed for taking vehicles and parts for their unit in Iraq. Durbin, who becomes assistant Democratic Senate leader in January, sent a letter to the White House Tuesday calling on President Bush to pardon the reservists, including two decorated officers. The members of the 656th Transportation Company based in Springfield, Ohio, were court-martialed for taking two tractors and two trailers left in Kuwait by other U.S. military units that had moved into Iraq and stripping an abandoned 5-ton truck for parts to repair their vehicles. They pleaded guilty and were fined, dishonorably discharged and stripped of military benefits. Durbin said while scavenging unused vehicles technically violated military law and showed poor judgment "the punishment is completely out of step with the violation."

For once, I agree with Durbin.

Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, has asked the U.S. Army to grant clemency to a major sentenced to six months in prison and a chief warrant officer court-martialed in May.

Posted by Steve 2004-12-22 11:47:00 AM|| || Front Page|| [11131 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Isn't scrounging for parts a time-honored military tradition? What is it with the persecution?

Posted by Zhang Fei 2004-12-22 12:49:47 PM|| [http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2004-12-22 12:49:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 ZF, true, scrounging usually involves petty plunder. Stealing two tractors & two trailers that some other unit was prolly going to use when they came back from the front is a tad beyond the time honored tradition. One would have to get the "rest of the story" on this to make a better decision. Jail time seems extreme to me though.

Posted by Jarhead 2004-12-22 12:57:03 PM|| 2004-12-22 12:57:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Indeed Zhang it is. In the Air Force they alwyas have a 'Hanger Queen' that is used for spare parts. And I used to do my own fair amount of scrounging (aka Stealing) to make our unit more confortable. I agree with Durbin that the punishment does not fit the crime.

Posted by Cyber Sarge 2004-12-22 12:58:47 PM|| 2004-12-22 12:58:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 IANAMP (I am not a military person), but from my military friends and blog reading, it seems to me that the Army National Guardsmen get the short end of the stick in just about everything, from training to equipment to the way they integrate in with the regular Army. I'm not surprised that their recruiting numbers are down.

Posted by Seafarious 2004-12-22 1:18:52 PM|| 2004-12-22 1:18:52 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 As I understand it, not only did they "scrounge" equipment belonging to another unit, they then made every attempt to remove all identifying marks and lied several times about the situation.

One of the people was a major and another was a CWO. Hardly wet behind the ears. I think they got what they had coming.

Posted by Chuck Simmins 2004-12-22 3:45:28 PM|| [http://blog.simmins.org] 2004-12-22 3:45:28 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 CS: As I understand it, not only did they "scrounge" equipment belonging to another unit, they then made every attempt to remove all identifying marks and lied several times about the situation.

Isn't erasing all evidence is the first rule of scrounging? It's not exactly a good idea to flaunt one's liberation of other units' property in their faces.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2004-12-22 4:11:44 PM|| [http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2004-12-22 4:11:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 The first ever SAS raid? On a New Zealand camp whose occupants were off elsewhere, in Egypt in 1941. They stole the whole thing, including the tents...

Posted by Bulldog 2004-12-22 6:29:52 PM|| 2004-12-22 6:29:52 PM|| Front Page Top

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