You guys just don't get it do you!
Do you guys watch the news where they let men out of prison because they were wrongfully convicted? Have you seen the stories where someone has ACTUALLY been framed?
It happens and it is out there. My friend has an exemplary record! Everytime he went up for eval's it was for an early promote. This guy would break his back for his command. He would fulfill his duties and help out were they were short handed. He would give 200% even when the job caused a broken wrist. His command would having him do jobs that were no where within what he was supposed to be doing. He was an excellent leader and follower, but he was too good a follower. He followed the orders of 2 men in his direct command. The orders were on paper. The orders made sense. He followed through. He made purchases that were required for his unit to run at top form. Then he made an enemy of someone not in his direct command. He ran an informal audit and "found" unathorized purchases.
My friend spoke with security, he spoke with JAG, he was not given a lawyer, he was not given advice, we did everything he could to prove his innocence. The 2 people were never investigated, even though their name was on everything. Security found the scapegoat, someone so they didn't have to look further. There was corruption in my friend's unit, just not by him. During the court matial, he was told to plead 'no contest' by his lawyers, he did what he was told, he had no opportunity to get a second opinion. The jury asked outright were the investigation stood in relation to the other 2 people and what there punishment was. The judge had to tell them, there was no investigation.
I stood by him because I knew he spoke the truth, I knew what was going on and no one would look into it. The person who "authorized" the investigation would not let it be looked into any further.
Any ways the issue is now moot. The 2 people-God knows what happened and they will get the final punishment. My friend, I stood by at work and everyday at the court matial.
2 years after the court martial he received his final discharge papers. The judge had went to bat for him. The JUDGE filed a report in my friend's defense when it went to appeal.
All I needed to know was that a R1 would allow a re-enlist and an R4 would not.
The military lost one of it's best and hardest workers. It also hurt an innocent person, who thought he was following legal orders.
If you are in the military. How many standing orders are you aware of? Looking into it is not fair. How many do you know off the top of your head?
Sadly seeing what the military is turning into, and its not pretty!