Court-Martial Trial Practice Blog
Nothing like being out for a few days, and a lot happens.
Navy Times reports: CAPT Honors’ BOI recommended retention.
The board did not elaborate on why it found Honors had committed those offenses but should remain in the Navy. The government had been asking that Honors be honorably discharged. . . . Although Honor’s career won’t come to an abrupt halt for disciplinary reasons, it is still possible he won’t remain in the service much longer. Honors is among those the Navy is considering for early retirement as it thins out its ranks to cut costs.
Military.com reports: Maj. Gen. William H. Wade II, who led the California National Guard from 2005 until early last year, was summarily removed Wednesday from active service as a Guard member.
Navy Times reports (no. 17): The commanding officer of Naval Support Activity Saratoga Springs, N.Y., was fired Wednesday following an Aug. 20 driving while intoxicated arrest, the Navy said.
A Bee investigation published in April found that Wade had received about $155,000 in improper double-dip earnings — two days’ pay for a single day of work. Last month, after state officials completed their own analysis, the California controller demanded that Wade repay $80,720.
Truth-out blog reports:
The US Army has told a reservist who has spent half his life in the military that he is barred from re-enlisting, asserting he “leaked” classified information to this reporter during an interview in which he spoke candidly about his experiences working as a guard at Guantanamo Bay eight years ago.
KITV.com reports: The military has charged three men based at Marines Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe in connection with the suicide of another Marine in Afghanistan. Mercury News has a more extensive piece.
KSRO reports: A military court [NMCCA (not on their website yet)] has rejected an argument by defense lawyers to dismiss a major Iraq war crimes case involving a Marine [Wuterich] whose squad killed 24 Iraqis in Haditha in 2005. Forbes.com and UPI also report this item. Picture from LA Times from AP.
dcmilitary.com reports: What are the consequences of drinking and driving? If you are an Airman, the consequences can be serious. In addition to losing base driving privileges, you may even be brought before a court-martial. This is the position Tech. Sgt. Michael E. Blackburn, 317th Recruiting Squadron, found himself in after drinking and driving May 21 on Joint Base Andrews.
Army Times reports: Authorities say a missing infant from Colorado has been found safe in Oklahoma and her father has been arrested on suspicion of abducting her. Police say Hembree is a soldier who is absent without leave.
Army Times reports:
A Fort Wainwright soldier who served as a mental health technician has been convicted in a military trial of murdering his wife.
Spc. Aaron M. Rentfrow, 30, was found guilty Wednesday by a court-martial panel, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported. He had already pleaded guilty to strangling Tonya Lynn Rentfrow and had been in custody at Fairbanks Correctional Center since the night of his wife’s death.
9News.com reports (h/t SomeArmyGuy):
An Army Captain from Evergreen, who was accused of killing two Iraqi civilians, has been cleared of any charges placed against him.
Captain Carl Bjork was found guilty of negligent homicide in May 2010. On Sunday, his father Peter Bjork received a letter from the United States Military saying the charges had been dropped due to an error in the case.
“We just received word that the Judge Advocate General of the Army, LTG Dana K. Chipman, with the approval of the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff GEN Martin E. Dempsey, has set aside the homicide related charges against Carl, and without ordering a new trial, has dismissed those charges,” Peter Bjork said.