LAT: Marines Discharge Vietnam-Era Deserter

[question everything]

From the Los Angeles Times

Marines Discharge Vietnam-Era Deserter
From Times Staff and Wire Reports

March 17, 2006

A 56-year-old deserter was given an administrative discharge Thursday and a ride to San Diego's Lindbergh Field so he could catch a flight home, a Marine Corps spokesman said.

Allen Abney deserted in 1968 and fled to Canada to avoid being sent to Vietnam. Maj. Gen. Michael Lehnert decided to give him an administrative discharge rather than refer the case to a court-martial.

Abney was arrested last week when a random computer check showed a federal arrest warrant as he attempted to enter Idaho from British Columbia.

He was held in the Camp Pendleton brig.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-sbriefs17.1mar17,1,1369637.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california

[MadMaddie]

1. Another waste of money...

They spent $$$ to hunt him and others down just to give him an administrative discharge.

Here's an idea to save some bucks...for all of the soldiers that deserted from Vietnam...why doesn't the military just give blanket administrative discharges to all of the soldiers....announce it and tell the soldiers there will be no prosecution.

See it's really easy to come up with solutions....:sarcasm:

[John Q. Citizen]

4. Yeah, it's time to close the chapter and turn the page. It makes too

much sense though, so it won't happen.

[ET Awful]

5. In all fairness, they didn't spend money to "hunt him down" he tried

crossing the border, and an old warrant turned up in the computer under his name. Hardly what I'd call hunting him down.

[MadMaddie]

6. In this case you are right...but the other day it was

reported that the military has created a military group to hunt down deserters. The articles below explain the military unit tasked to look for the deserters.


http://talkleft.com/new_archives/014227.html

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-03-07-deserter-side_x.htm


:hi:

[reichstag911]

2. Who, Bush?

No, that's right, he was Air National Guard (kinda sorta).

[madokie]

3. So the deserters weren't included with the amnesty that Pres. Carter

gave the draft dodgers? that sucks.

[ET Awful]

7. Nope, but they would have been eligible for an amnesty by Ford

if they'd applied. Not many did.

[madokie]

8. That sucks because it was the ones who resisted, deserted

and took to the streets who I have the most respect for not, Without them we would probably still be in vn