Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland is going to be forced to leave the Army by Nov. 1 after being reprimanded for intervening to stop a child rape in Afghanistan.
According to reports, Martland, a Green Beret, found an Afghani unit commander had a small boy held captive and was sexually assaulting the boy.
Martland intervened on the boy’s behalf, and was given a negative mark on his record; many suspect the U.S. military routinely discouraged troops from intervening in such sexual assaults and used Martland as an example.
Now, outraged American citizens are standing up for Martland. Sen. John McCain’s, who serves as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was handed copies of petitions this weekend that held 130,000 signatures from concerned American citizens.. Next week, the petitions will also be delivered to House Armed Service Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry.
Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., asked Defense Secretary Ash Carter to review the case, saying he has little confidence that the Army leaders will admit they made an error in deciding to punish Martland.
On the 23rd of September, Martland’s appeal was dismissed by the Army.
“I hope that when making a decision between supporting an elite warrior like Martland or a child rapist and criminal, the organizations or individuals in a position to make a decision will side with Martland,” Hunter said in a letter to Carter earlier this month.
The State Department, in its annual human rights report, has consistently said that sexual abuse of children remains pervasive in Afghanistan. And it documents the practice called “bacha bazi” — which means dancing boys. Bacha Bazi involves the sexual abuse of boys, often by powerful or wealthy local businessmen, who sexually abuse young boys trained to dance in female clothes.
In its 2014 report, the State Department said that many child sexual abusers are not arrested, and “there were reports security officials and those connected to the ANP (Afghan National Police) raped children with impunity.”
A number of U.S. House and Senate members have asked the Army about Martland’s case.
Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., sent a letter to Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, calling for the Pentagon to reverse what he said was its policy of ignoring sexual abuse of children in Afghanistan.
“It is bad enough if the Pentagon is telling our soldiers to ignore this type of barbaric and savage behavior, but it’s even worse if we are punishing those who try to stop it,” said Buchanan in the letter. “The only people who should be punished are the ones who created and condoned this immoral and savage code.”
According to Hunter and others familiar with the 2011 incident, Martland acted professionally. But Hunter said that a commanding general signed an order of reprimand against Martland saying his conduct during the incident was inexcusable and “demonstrates a flagrant departure from the integrity, professionalism and even-tempered leadership I expect from all soldiers of this command, especially a special forces professional.”
According to defense officials, an investigation into the incident resulted in what the Army calls an “adverse action” — essentially a black mark — on Martland’s personnel record. Under the Army review process, soldiers can be forced out if their performance doesn’t mean the standards for continued service.
The New York Times reported that Martland and Dan Quinn, a former Special Forces captain, beat up an Afghan militia commander who was working with the Americans but also was discovered to have kept a boy chained to his bed as a sex slave
The Associated Press contributed to this article
I agree with the comment so far. I had sons serve in the military and still do. Those that were in the Army got out partially because the things that commanders were being forced to do to and with their troops. The worse thing that has happened to our country is Obama and the next worse thing is HIllary.
I still can’t understand this Pinko Muslims first tour in the white house ! I was appalled at the second tour. I say ” Give this e-7 all his entitlements back, promote him to e-9 and take the powers to be that were responsible for this criminal activity, put them in prison and forget where you put them ! I was in Viet Nam when the order of the day was (don’t shoot unless shot at) which came down from LBJ’s puppet Westmoreland which got many of our Marine and I’m sure Army troops killed. This country was founded on trust in God and look whats happened !God is riding in the back of the bus and it’s heading to hell! Thanks Mr. president and all who voted for him
Damn well said….
The officer who reprimanded Sgt Martland should be court marshalled for condoning crime! The Sargent should be commended and put in charge of operations to ensure the good name of the American Forces and to help win the hearts and minds of the population!
Either tyhat or get your troops the hell out of there – they are only there to condition the country into accepting an oil pipeline for commercial profit of one of the multinational oil corporations, and a few connected politicians as well!
Well I guess we see what happens when homosexuals set the moral standards for the military. Martland’s commander should be the one court martialed. This commander is basically punishing one who is trying to do right and act honorably. If allowed to stand, this action will send a message to the troops that sexual abuse is okay and those who try to prevent sexual abuse will be punished severely. Is this the standard we want for our military? Do we really want America’s finest to be replaced by America’s horniest?
He is being discharged because he did not allow someone to commit rape against a minor.
God bless him.
No more comments.
Such a disgrace! He should be commended not reprimanded and punished, in the least, for doing what is right! A lot of ‘humans’ could learn from his behavior. Our country is going to HELL very quickly. So very sad.
I guess the general is mad because he probably abuses children.What takes so long to correct an error from the stupid people above this man. He should have killed the commander and then he would have gotten a metal.Its not the government but the leaders above us that areso stupid it is hard to think of saying some thing bad.
So agree with your comment!
I have sent a zinger to patty murray in washington but i am not holding my breath as she is of the cliton bunch. every member on the house armed services committee should be swarmed with protest emails.it don’t do any good to mail o’bummer ,he was probably helping the diaperhead chase the kid down..
Let me see if I understand this. He is being kicked out of the service because he came to the aid of a young boy who was being sexually abused by a so called officer in a foreign army. My first question is why does this other army allow this to happen? The more important question is why was Martland punished when our so called army brass find a deserter innocent. No wonder our army doesn’t get anywhere. We need to get a president that has a set of balls and who is willing to do the right thing no matter the blowback and B.S. I’m tired of all these pussies from the White House on down.
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Although I am old enough to have been drafted during the conflict in Vietnam, I was not and I have never served in any position in our military. That having been said, I would like to suggest that we take a lesson from the Jesuits who had monasteries for their people wherever that might have been in the world, and established schools as a priority. Ethical and regionally appropriate farming technology might help solve some issues there (as well as the world). A generally educated (not schooled) population can usually make changes better than outsiders.
Let me start by saying that if Sgt. Martland’s dismissal stands, at least he will leave the Army with a clean conscience. He comes from a culture/background where acts such as he witnessed are not tolerated, and acted accordingly. To court marshal him for this, assuming a court marshal led to his dismissal from the army, seems excessive at the very least. If the “brass” felt Sgt. Martland’s actions undermined their mission in Afghanistan, then reassigning him would be a reasonable response. There are many other places where such a man’s services would be welcome. His actions would be commended most anywhere else where our military serves. Rep. Vern Buchanan has it right, and I hope he is successful in his efforts to get the Pentagon to reverse it’s decision regarding Sgt. Martland. God bless them both.
I completely stand w sgt. martel and want to be placed on any petition being sent on his behalf. he absolutely did the right thing in preventing a child from being raped and the consequences should be implemented on anyone above martel from the president on down who finds fault w sgt. martel’s action. they are the real criminals here, not our beloved sgt.!
HERO GREEN BERET
It’s all going to Hell in a hand-basket, right before our eyes folks… I feel ALL 534 of Washington’s “politicians” should be placed in the position of that poor little abused boy. On their hands and knees taking what he took….*Without the Vaseline.. **(Most would probably like it anyway!..) Ugh!