On 08 Jan 2004 20:08:49 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

Subject: The nature of military justice.
From: nt (Krztalizer)
Date: 1/8/04 11:12 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

I got an education in this myself. I ended up before an admin board after I
served my punishment for a minor offense. A CDR came forward and offered to
speak on my behalf, so my LTJG attorney, with six months Naval experience
(just
like on JAG, right?) agreed to only have him as my personal reference. When
we
walked in the hearing, we found the command-selectee CDR's new squadron legal
officer on the admin board. Not wanting to appear soft, the CDR changed
course
180 degrees and blew me out of the water. My caught-in-the-headlights
attorney
and I had our jaws wide open, listening to him re-write his testimony into a
personal attack. His legal officer took seconds to consider my fate and
abruptly ended the hearing; they walked out together. There was a row of four
MCPOs standing in the passageway waiting to stand up for me, but the hearing
was over just that fast. I had seen officers lie before, but never like that
-
I honestly never considered this man capable of such treachery, even if I
understood the motive behind it.

But, I put myself in that situation, so I try (on alternate days) not to hate
him for it.

v/r
Gordon

There was a transcript of the proceedings. There was arguably a
statement by the witness provided in disclosure that should have
indicated the expected testimony. Your attorney did not serve you
well, you have grounds for appeal, and you should (if you ever want to
readdress this) consult a civilian counsel.


It goes that way all too often. But only those of us in the military realise
it. The military will do damn well as they please any time they please.

GMAFB!!! Art, when did you get out of the military? Would you admit
that things change in fifty years? Hell, the UCMJ was written long
after the Articles of War!



Arthur Kramer


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8