Lt Col Scheller in Brig awaiting pre-trial confinement

3,611 Views | 24 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by UTExan
usmcbrooks
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/outspoken-marine-officer-went-viral-blasting-military-leaders-afghanistan-jailed


Damn shame in this retired enlisted Marines opinion.
Strong Men Armed
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This retired Marine will agree to disagree with you.
File5
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AG
No (devil) dog in the fight, but just have a logistics question. Are proceedings like this typically made public, or kept sealed? I'm sure the trial itself won't be, but I mean documentation and whatnot.

Also, at risk of getting political, what would a black and white reading of the UCMJ and any relevant SOPs be regarding LTC Scheller's actions? I'm interested in it because it seems there is a wide opinion even among Marines, who I had previously considered to be somewhat monolithic in these types of things.

(I'm non military so apologies if these questions are obvious)
Eliminatus
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Just part of the process and he already acknowledged and accepted it. They put a gag order on him which he blithely ignored and kept posting to social media detailing the current events as they were happening to him. He went against orders so he has to deal with the consequences. Which again, he already accepted.

His whole scenario is an interesting one to me. I wholeheartedly believe in what he did and I don't think he was shooting for internet martyrdom. He did what, 14 years in the infantry? I was a grunt too and those weeks very recently were also incredibly frustrating to me. The casualties over the last 20 years skews heavily towards this relatively small portion of the military. Especially in the earlier years. To be blunt, the infantry have lost a lot more skin in those conflicts than most, so I get why the fall of Afghanistan can push a man to speak out. His rhetoric a while back though was veering towards dangerous ground but I just chalk it up to in the moment anger. I've been there and done that myself.

My question is how much does the USMC just try to quietly and quickly sweep this under the rug? Light to middle level punishment quickly processed and administratively separated would probably be best case over all. If the light keeps shining on it though, do they make an example and publicly throw the book at him?
Strong Men Armed
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I don't fault him for his disenchantment with the system, but I do fault him for his use of social media to vent. Basically, he has cursed the gods and thrown himself into the volcano. Maybe he is playing the "long game", and is maneuvering into position as a potential Fox News subject matter expert... the next Ollie North (who, by lying to Congress, violated his commissioning oath). We'll see how things work out for him.

Full disclosure: I was a Marine infantry officer, post-Vietnam, pre-Global War on Terror. So I understand the frustrations encountered by the rank and file officer corps. I had friends killed in Beirut, and their deaths were the direct result of having to follow rules of engagement ordered by civilians who had no idea of conditions on the ground. I have strong opinions about how the recent deaths of Marines and corpsmen in an amtrac accident off the California coast resulted in almost no consequences for those who were truly responsible. I'm in the cohort of those who lived at Camp Lejeune and drank/bathed in the contaminated water for years. So, rage against the machine is something I have dealt with.

If you're going to serve a career in the armed forces, you will frequently be confronted with situations that make you cringe with embarrassment at the lack of transparency and integrity. You have a choice: you can forge ahead, hoping that those above you in the chain of command are also cringing but are following a lawful order; or, you can resign your commission in protest. Make no mistake: the Marine Corps will go to great lengths to avoid bad publicity, and in order to do that, good Marines are thrown into the volcano. LtCol Scheller wasn't thrown... he willingly jumped in.

So, how does the Marine Corps suffer this "social media martyr" for the least amount of time? Process him for discharge as expeditiously. Let him move on to whatever future he will make for himself. I wish him well.
74OA
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I can imagine what that same LtCol would do to one of his subordinate officers or NCOs if they similarly took to social media to publicly denounce his judgement and integrity.

If discipline goes, everything goes.
Strong Men Armed
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LtCol Scheller is junior varsity compared to that active duty major at Quantico who participated in the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol. If anyone should be used as an example for the application of military justice, it's the major; however, if DOJ is handling his case, about the most we can expect is a slap on the wrist, and then the Marine Corps can discharge him.

There's a saying that goes,"My oath of commissioning/enlistment has no expiration date." At some point, all who ever swore that oath should reread it and consider what it says. I served under five different Presidents in 20 years. Devoted myself to the profession of arms and service to country during each of their terms.Did I vote in elections? Every time. Was my candidate elected each time? Nope. Did it matter how I approached my job? Nope. A non-partisan professionally led military is absolute to the maintenance of our republic.
Hey Nav
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If you're a Field Grader, stay off of social media.

Vent to your peers and go UP the chain. That's how it works. If you have such strong convictions, man up and face your superiors with your complaints.

Work in the system to make things better. Quitting solves nothing. The military needs the good ones to stay and fight for things to improve.

Something just doesn't add up here.

Then, there's the whole family thing - unless he's independently wealthy, punching out at this time leaves his family without a very good retirement package, to include heath care insurance. What's a year and some change?

If he followed protocol and *****ed and complained and wrote reports and white papers, he could have possibly forced some dialogue.

Now... he comes across as a pain in the ass self seeking media ****. There were better ways for him to finish his USMC service.
Ag_of_08
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Jefferson said what he said about patriots and martyrs, he didn't define whether they should take a uniform off first.

There's also a point where the average citizen starts to wonder why a star can commit treason and avoid prosecution, but the cluster becomes convinced he's no longer able to follow coc and get anything dome, so he speaks up, and ends up in the brig.
Strong Men Armed
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If this LtCol had simply resigned first and then launched his protest, he would not be facing punishment. Instead, he committed career suicide and will be remembered for figuratively setting himself on fire. Lifetime benefits gone, Hope it was worth it.
CharlieBrown17
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Eliminatus said:

Just part of the process and he already acknowledged and accepted it. They put a gag order on him which he blithely ignored and kept posting to social media detailing the current events as they were happening


This is what I think a lot of Mil and non mil are missing. Pre confinement is being used because it was obvious he was going to keep doing the action(s) that he was being punished for if he wasn't confined.
CT'97
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This is exactly what he wanted. It get's him more attention, which is all it seems he's really after.

What started as a principled statement that got a lot of support from many frustrated current and former service members now appears to be the cry's for attention from an Instagram thot. The faster the USMC can prosecute and separate him the better.

Texas A&M - 148 years of tradition, unimpeded by progress.
Lee72
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The only objection I have to his punishment is the same that I have with the so-called insurrectionists from 6JAN. They're all being held in solitary and incommunicado. Those are Nazi and Commie Pinko tactics!
BTW, I spent 36 years in USN and 20 were as a NCIS Agent…I don't recall anyone ever being treated that way.
Buck Turgidson
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Strong Men Armed said:

the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol
You cannot possibly believe that was an insurrection. If we had a real insurrection, they would have easily overwhelmed those cops and a lot of leftist politicians caught in the capitol would have been hanged on the spot. These were just naive clowns seeded with ANTIFA agitators in red hats who walked into the capitol while the cops waved them in, made fools of themselves and left. Not a single Dem traitor harmed.
Buck Turgidson
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I don't know what to think of this man. He's like the monk who torched himself in public in protest over Vietnam, except he just set his career on fire instead of his body. Seems like this is just not an effective strategy to bring about change.
Strong Men Armed
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I do believe it qualifies as an insurrection. Congress convened to perform a Constitutionally-mandated task, and was forced to flee the chambers due to the incursion of a violent mob, who were representative of the "flat earthers" in our society who would not accept that the Presidential election did not go their way. Only the deployment of troops could insure that Congress could reconvene and finish their task. And the many audits of local election results since has not uncovered a single case where the results of the election should have been overturned.

As to LtCol Scheller, my recommendation would be general discharge under other than honorable conditions. His refusal to follow a directive to stay off of social media led to his incarceration and if you disobey a lawful order, you forfeit your right to an honorable discharge (IMO).
BigJim49 AustinNowDallas
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CharlieBrown17 said:

Eliminatus said:

Just part of the process and he already acknowledged and accepted it. They put a gag order on him which he blithely ignored and kept posting to social media detailing the current events as they were happening


This is what I think a lot of Mil and non mil are missing. Pre confinement is being used because it was obvious he was going to keep doing the action(s) that he was being punished for if he wasn't confined.
Forever?
BigJim49AustinnowDallas
UTExan
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74OA said:

I can imagine what that same LtCol would do to one of his subordinate officers or NCOs if they similarly took to social media to publicly denounce his judgement and integrity.

If discipline goes, everything goes.


We don't know that. At some point military officers have to decide to stay or go over policy differences. I was fortunate in that my breakpoint came during the Carter administration. I remained in the reserves through the Reagan administration and was happy there, but staying on active duty while Carter was in office would have been intolerable for me. And to see Scheller's public criticisms, I am not shocked when the US Army openly tolerated, graduated and commissioned a rebellious West Point cadet who, as a committed Marxist, openly mocked the US and was insubordinate during his academic and service tenure.
“If you’re going to have crime it should at least be organized crime”
-Havelock Vetinari
Strong Men Armed
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And therein lies our difference, UTexan… you left active duty over policy issues for which you blamed President Carter, which was your prerogative. I served on active duty during the entire Carter presidency, and did not agree with some policies, but I thought I was serving the nation, not a particular President or administration. In fact, I can't recall any officers with whom I served - senior, peer, or subordinate - wrestling with their conscience about whether to stay or resign due to political policies, in any administration.

Yet, you stayed in the Reserves… continued to take the king's shilling despite despising the king. That's weak, bro. Whatever… your right to make that decision.

BTW… I knew one of Carter's Marine One pilots. He described Carter as very personable, low maintenance, and treated the military folks who served around him with dignity.

UTExan
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Strong Men Armed said:

And therein lies our difference, UTexan… you left active duty over policy issues for which you blamed President Carter, which was your prerogative. I served on active duty during the entire Carter presidency, and did not agree with some policies, but I thought I was serving the nation, not a particular President or administration. In fact, I can't recall any officers with whom I served - senior, peer, or subordinate - wrestling with their conscience about whether to stay or resign due to political policies, in any administration.

Yet, you stayed in the Reserves… continued to take the king's shilling despite despising the king. That's weak, bro. Whatever… your right to make that decision.

BTW… I knew one of Carter's Marine One pilots. He described Carter as very personable, low maintenance, and treated the military folks who served around him with dignity.


I have zero doubt about Carter being a very decent human being. And the reserves were one way of dealing with those disagreements AND being politically active to promote change in national leadership and policy direction. That served the nation better in historical hindsight than remaining silenced in a military job in my personal circumstance and opinion; a major point of disagreement with Carter was pardoning those who fled the draft on his first day in office in 1977. Perhaps you cherished your economic security and/or your position in the military over your right to publicly speak as an American citizen and perhaps your concept of rule of law/discipline was willing to overlook willful evasion of the lawful military draft. That was certainly a popular opinion at the time. I could not do so.
In the current administration, you have a C-in-C whose decisions unnecessarily cost the lives of troops with myopic explanations as to how he didn't recall getting other policy advice from the DoD or Joint Chiefs, who would have retained a ground force presence with control of Bagram. I understand where LTC Scheller is coming from. Perhaps his personal integrity did not allow him to wait until his separation had been finalized before speaking out. He was taking a huge risk and he knew it. Props to him for his personal courage and conviction, knowing that he was having to violate principles of discipline and order that he held dear to bring public attention to this fiasco. And now he will pay for it in a procedure which will do no credit to anyone involved.
“If you’re going to have crime it should at least be organized crime”
-Havelock Vetinari
74OA
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UTExan said:

Strong Men Armed said:

And therein lies our difference, UTexan… you left active duty over policy issues for which you blamed President Carter, which was your prerogative. I served on active duty during the entire Carter presidency, and did not agree with some policies, but I thought I was serving the nation, not a particular President or administration. In fact, I can't recall any officers with whom I served - senior, peer, or subordinate - wrestling with their conscience about whether to stay or resign due to political policies, in any administration.

Yet, you stayed in the Reserves… continued to take the king's shilling despite despising the king. That's weak, bro. Whatever… your right to make that decision.

BTW… I knew one of Carter's Marine One pilots. He described Carter as very personable, low maintenance, and treated the military folks who served around him with dignity.


I have zero doubt about Carter being a very decent human being. And the reserves were one way of dealing with those disagreements AND being politically active to promote change in national leadership and policy direction. That served the nation better in historical hindsight than remaining silenced in a military job in my personal circumstance and opinion; a major point of disagreement with Carter was pardoning those who fled the draft on his first day in office in 1977. Perhaps you cherished your economic security and/or your position in the military over your right to publicly speak as an American citizen and perhaps your concept of rule of law/discipline was willing to overlook willful evasion of the lawful military draft. That was certainly a popular opinion at the time. I could not do so.
In the current administration, you have a C-in-C whose decisions unnecessarily cost the lives of troops with myopic explanations as to how he didn't recall getting other policy advice from the DoD or Joint Chiefs, who would have retained a ground force presence with control of Bagram. I understand where LTC Scheller is coming from. Perhaps his personal integrity did not allow him to wait until his separation had been finalized before speaking out. He was taking a huge risk and he knew it. Props to him for his personal courage and conviction, knowing that he was having to violate principles of discipline and order that he held dear to bring public attention to this fiasco. And now he will pay for it in a procedure which will do no credit to anyone involved.
Whatever the rationale, a serving officer cannot publicly express contempt for his superiors, nor repeatedly defy lawful orders to desist without suffering the consequences. Both actions are clear violations of the UCMJ and to give Scheller just a slap on the wrist would send a message to all servicemen that discipline can be flouted with impunity.

If he felt so strongly, he should have resigned his commission and then spoken out to his heart's content. Now he is trying to negotiate his way out of the consequences of his actions and that makes me question just how sincere his convictions really are.

I reiterate with absolute confidence that Scheller would not have tolerated similar public disrespect and disobedience from his own subordinates. He cannot have it both ways.
UTExan
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Quote:

He cannot have it both ways, and I reiterate with absolute confidence that he would not have tolerated similar public disrespect and disobedience from his own subordinates.

Correct as that may be, the law of individual conscience must be higher than the UCMJ. Recall that famous speech and book by Smedley Butler before Congress after he retired: he stated military (while fulfilling the vital function of national defense against foreign aggression) also made the world safe for the American ruling political/economic elite class. Butler retired, then complained publicly about the tasks to which he had been put. As stated, I had extreme reservations about Carter policies, one of which was to passively, or incompetently assist with Marxist takeover in southern Africa. Reagan's constructive engagement and gradualist reform in southern Africa (as opposed to Carter's Andrew Young-led State Department) was much more helpful in checking Communist aggression in that region.
“If you’re going to have crime it should at least be organized crime”
-Havelock Vetinari
74OA
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UTExan said:

Quote:

He cannot have it both ways, and I reiterate with absolute confidence that he would not have tolerated similar public disrespect and disobedience from his own subordinates.

Correct as that may be, the law of individual conscience must be higher than the UCMJ. Recall that famous speech and book by Smedley Butler before Congress after he retired: he stated military (while fulfilling the vital function of national defense against foreign aggression) also made the world safe for the American ruling political/economic elite class. Butler retired, then complained publicly about the tasks to which he had been put. As stated, I had extreme reservations about Carter policies, one of which was to passively, or incompetently assist with Marxist takeover in southern Africa. Reagan's constructive engagement and gradualist reform in southern Africa (as opposed to Carter's Andrew Young-led State Department) was much more helpful in checking Communist aggression in that region.
There is no "get out of jail free card" for exercising individual conscience. An officer deliberately and repeatedly violated the UCMJ and must be held accountable. Period.
Strong Men Armed
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UTExan said:

Quote:

As stated, I had extreme reservations about Carter policies, one of which was to passively, or incompetently assist with Marxist takeover in southern Africa. Reagan's constructive engagement and gradualist reform in southern Africa (as opposed to Carter's Andrew Young-led State Department) was much more helpful in checking Communist aggression in that region.

Now you're cherry-picking your Presidents. Let's not forget that President Reagan's feckless diplomacy and rules of engagement were directly attributable for 243 American warriors sent back in caskets from Beirut. Listen, all of them (Presidents) had their successes and failures. Most of us who serve in uniform and read history understand this, as well as the concept of being in uniform and forfeiting the right to "vote" on the missions we're assigned. Feel free to grouse about them when you're separated or retired... your First Amendment right.

LtCol Scheller simply refused to obey a directive that required him, a serving officer, not to voice his personal opinions in social media. Now he'll suffer the consequences.
UTExan
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Strong Men Armed said:

UTExan said:

Quote:

As stated, I had extreme reservations about Carter policies, one of which was to passively, or incompetently assist with Marxist takeover in southern Africa. Reagan's constructive engagement and gradualist reform in southern Africa (as opposed to Carter's Andrew Young-led State Department) was much more helpful in checking Communist aggression in that region.

Now you're cherry-picking your Presidents. Let's not forget that President Reagan's feckless diplomacy and rules of engagement were directly attributable for 243 American warriors sent back in caskets from Beirut. Listen, all of them (Presidents) had their successes and failures. Most of us who serve in uniform and read history understand this, as well as the concept of being in uniform and forfeiting the right to "vote" on the missions we're assigned. Feel free to grouse about them when you're separated or retired... your First Amendment right.

LtCol Scheller simply refused to obey a directive that required him, a serving officer, not to voice his personal opinions in social media. Now he'll suffer the consequences.


I much preferred Reagan's diplomacy, as misguided as it may have been regarding his attempt to safeguard the Palestinians, to the incompetence of Carter, whose State Department torpedoed a solution for Rhodesia/Zimbabwe by backing the Marxist Mugabe over Abel Muzorewa. Similarly, Egyptian chief of state Anwar Sadat warned Menachem Begin to never trust the Palestinians: advice Reagan should have taken. Those of you who read history (and open source intelligence) of course know that. And as a student of history, I am certain you are aware of the paranoia among both politicians and career military over General Patton's statements and of course General Singlaub's words which led to his firing by Carter. And dare I mention Douglas McArthur or Billy Mitchell? Interesting that those speaking up for Mitchell at his court martial would be Ira Eaker, Hap Arnold and Eddie Rickenbacker. He, of course, accused superiors of "almost treasonable" maladministration. As one who reads history, you know all that. So while your current chairman of the joint chiefs reportedly consorted and agreed with a partisan political leader that the former president was "crazy" and took active steps to neutralize any orders he might issue (then astoundingly said it was not his job to assess the mental state of the POTUS when asked about Biden) , no substantive investigation or disciplinary action was contemplated at all. So pardon me if I am dubious if your defense of the status quo and your judgment of Scheller.
“If you’re going to have crime it should at least be organized crime”
-Havelock Vetinari
UTExan
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And this interesting (somewhat dated- 2013) take by a Hudson Institute scholar on why the military loses many its best and brightest leaders:



“If you’re going to have crime it should at least be organized crime”
-Havelock Vetinari
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