Special court-martial in Purple Heart case

[unhappycamper]

Special court-martial in Purple Heart case
By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Oct 30, 2008 6:32:35 EDT

A chief hospital corpsman accused of faking a Purple Heart will face a special court-martial.

Robert J. White, 42, is accused of making false statements to obtain the award after he returned from deployment with 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, in Hit, Iraq, in 2005.

If convicted, the 19-year sailor could face up to a year in the brig and a dishonorable discharge.

White, who most recently was assigned to Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill., has said his medal is legitimate and his case stems from a massive clerical error by the Navy records-keeping system.

Rear Adm. Douglass Biesel, commander of Navy Region Midwest and the convening authority in the case, recently decided to bring White before a special court-martial after an Article 32 hearing in September. The prosecutor in the case had recommended White face a general court-martial, a more severe proceeding that could have resulted in more than a year’s incarceration.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/navy_white_medalcm_102908w/%2e