U. S. Army needs leaders with moral strength

There has been a convergence of related stories.

As reported by Fox News, the Army is discharging Sergeant First Class Martland on 1 November (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/09/22/army-rejects-appeal-from-soldier-kicked-out-after-confronting-accused-afghan/?intcmp=hpbt2).  His crime?  A physical altercation with a notorious Afghan militia commander who kept a young boy chained to a bed as a sex slave.

This comes on the heels of a New York Times editorial speaking to reports that soldiers were "told to ignore" sexual abuse and the rape of children by Afghan militia and police (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/opinion/ignoring-sexual-abuse-in-afghanistan.html?ref=international&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=Moth-Visible&module=inside-nyt-region&region=inside-nyt-region&WT.nav=inside-nyt-region).

It is absolutely unbelievable that the U. S. Army leadership is discharging a combat decorated Green Beret for asserting American values in a combat zone, for taking action that may have saved the rape victim and prevented future rapes, and for doing the morally right thing.  It is incredible that no senior Army leader, uniformed or civilian, has shown the moral courage to step in and stop this miscarriage of justice.  From my perspective, it seems they are more concerned with getting the next star or promotion, than they are in displaying such moral courage.  For the spineless general officers unwilling to come to the defense of SFC Martland, I say, "If you do not have the moral courage to do what is right in garrison in a political matter, then it is clear you do not have the physical courage to lead soldiers in combat."  They should all be forced out of active duty.   

For the Pollyannas of the world, men of moral strength and courage at times have to step forward and take physical action to stop the abuse of others.  This is what occurred, according to reports, when Special Forces Captain Quinn and Sergeant First Class Martland confronted the Afghan militia commander with allegations that he had raped a boy and beaten his mother.  Reportedly the Afghan confirmed the allegations and laughed at our American soldiers.  At that point Quinn and Martland took physical action to educate the Afghan that his behavior would not be tolerated.  The result?  Quinn and Martland were relieved and sent back to the states.  While Quinn subsequently left active duty, Martland intended to remain, though the Army initiated discharge proceedings against this solider who has served his nation for 11 years.

In spite of Representative Duncan Hunter, Marine Corps combat veteran, coming in hard supporting Martland, an Army memo informed the soldier his appeal of the discharge has been denied.

Where is the moral courage we demand of our leaders?  Where is the Army senior leadership in this case?  Where is the Secretary of the Army?  Where is the Secretary of Defense?  It is patently offensive for these leaders to wax and wane in their comments about sexual assault in our Armed Forces, then do nothing to prevent the discharge of a soldier determined to stop the sexual assault of children by an Afghan militia commander.  The lack of action in support of SFC Martland is the height of hypocrisy and demonstrates a clear lack of moral courage.

For those throwing out the tripe that child rape is an Afghan cultural issue, into which our soldiers are not to insert themselves, let us remind them of all the comments made by senior military leaders and some elected officials about the imperative for our Armed Forces to be models of American values wherever they serve.  Certainly, taking the culture of the foreign nation into account is important.  But some acts are so egregiously contrary to American values that action by good men is required.

Unfortunately, the good men of which I write do not include the senior, uniformed and civilian, leadership of the United States Army.