Marines investigate antiwar activities of inactive reservists

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Houston Chronicle/Washington Post

June 1, 2007, 2:03AM
Marines investigate antiwar activities of inactive reservists
The case raises questions about freedom of speech

By DAVID MONTGOMERY
Washington Post

WASHINGTON — Going on a mock patrol can get you in real trouble with the U.S. Marine Corps.

In a case that raises questions about free speech, the Marines have launched investigations of three inactive reservists for wearing their uniforms during antiwar protests and allegedly making statements characterized as "disrespectful" or "disloyal."

Two of them were part of the guerrilla theater squad of 13 Iraq Veterans Against the War who roamed Capitol Hill and downtown Washington in March, clad in camouflage and carrying imaginary weapons, to mark the fourth anniversary of the Iraq war.

Adam Kokesh, 25, a graduate student at George Washington University, faces a hearing Monday in Kansas City, where the Marines will recommend an "other than honorable" discharge from the Individual Ready Reserve. He was previously honorably discharged from active duty after fighting in Fallujah and receiving the Combat Action Ribbon and the Navy Commendation Medal.

Upon learning he was being investigated for wearing his uniform during the mock patrol, Kokesh wrote an e-mail to the investigating officer, Maj. John Whyte. The combat veteran discussed his service and his critique of the war, and asked the officer, "We're at war. Are you doing all you can?" He concluded with an obscene recommendation about what Whyte should go do.



Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4852936.html

[youngdem]

1. This must be the freedom they are dying to protect? Right? Anyone?

:crazy:

[roguevalley]

18. what a great kid he is. only a rear eschelon motherfucker would

do this to him.

[keopeli]

2. Kokesh is still in the news! Go get em, Kokesh! You faught in the battle of Fallujah. We're with you

[tchunter]

3. we need to support Kokesh

he's currently a grad student at George Washington University and if they change his discharge from honorable to other than honorable he may lose his benefits like veteran health care and have to pay back the over $10,000 in educational benefits he earned while serving his country. We may have found a replacement for Cindy, and oh yeah, Kokesh is smoking hot.


if he removed all insignia from the uniform how is it an issue, you can buy the fatigues at any army surplus store?

[Karenina]

4. THAT'S EXACTLY what I wanna know!

[blogslut]

19. me too

They're punishing these soldiers for practicing the very rights that the armed forces are sworn to uphold.

[bemildred]

5. So much for "free speech" eh? nt

[tabasco]

6. The only problem I see is with the uniform.

But how many years have we seen military in uniform at pro-war "patriotic" (republikkkan) rallies ?

What are they gonna do, kick them out of the IRR?

OOooohhhh - that would be terrible!!

[Journeyman]

7. Yes, the uniform is not to be worn at any "political" rally or event. . .

unfortunately, the military has a history of selective enforcement of this regulation and, when all else fails, will utilize it to stifle dissent. The protestors should have used a "generic" uniform/costume, something along the lines of the old "generic" branding used in supermarkets -- white clothes with a blue sash, "Generic Military Uniform" emblazoned across their chests.

[Samurai_Writer]

9. Did all those Vietnam vets that wore their uniforms get treated this way?

There were hundreds, if not thousands, of Vietnam vets who wore their uniforms to anti-war rallies and peace protests. I don't remember them being prosecuted this way. What a bunch of crap. The guy is already discharged from active duty and is INACTIVE in the IRR.

[Kagemusha]

10. No, they just got vilified when they ran for President after.

As if it was a crime.

[kiteinthewind]

12. Is being against the war political? I thought it was a moral issue, not a partisan issue.

:shrug:

[Doctor_J]

17. Umm, Smirk has repeatedly used troops for his rallies

are those soldiers being denied HD's?

[Barrett808]

15. But was he really "in uniform"?

The story says he is "accused of wearing his camouflage shirt at an antiwar march in January."

Was he wearing insignia? Did he have the rest of the uniform on? Doesn't everybody own camouflage shirts?

[tabasco]

20. That's a good question.

As far as I know if he had removed all of the insignia and patches, it's not a uniform.

It says he removed the insignia, but what about the patches? I'm not sure how they define "uniform" for an IRR member, but IMO fatigues with ALL insignia and patches removed is not a uniform. You can buy that stuff at the Army-Navy store. Of course, even in the IRR, the military owns your ass and their rules apply.

[Solo_in_MD]

8. Mixed feelings

during outprocessing they were cautioned about what they could and could not do, even as members of the non-reporting reserves (BTDT)

[David__77]

11. If they ban the uniform at one event, it should be banned from all events.

They should also not be able to attend pro-war demonstrations in uniform, which some do. There is a double standard. In any event, I applaud all those resisting the war. Perhaps the IVAW can make it clear that they are veterans without the actual, regulation uniform?

[Catchawave]

13. Oh, this is good.....

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/06/01/publiceye/entry2875018.shtml

Is Adam Kokesh The New Cindy Sheehan?

[DianaForRussFeingold]

14. So, What Will They Do With This WW2 Vet Protesting While In Uniform

:patriot: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x446453

[IndianaGreen]

16. Not even Nixon engaged in these Gestapo tactics

Nixon didn't go after John Kerry and Ron Kovic in this fashion (he did in other ways that Bush has already used against his critics among war veterans).