Real LIfe JAG
I attended a Courts Martial today, my first one in my 18 years of service, and it was quite a show. I'm almost afraid to say it was just like a trial on television or maybe even a far cry from A Few Good Men sans a hot prosecuting counselwoman and a General shouting "You can't handle the truth!"
From the start I knew this guy was screwed because 1)he was charged with something to do with drugs, and 2)he plead guilty to all charges. What was amazing was the judge's careful and methodical sequencing of the charges. He actually asked this guy why he thought he was guilty of all 12 specifications under the two charges.
This guy was a piece of work: accused, charged, and sentenced to 5 years in a federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison, $5000 fine, reduction in rate to E-1, forfeiture of all pay and benefits and dishonorable discharge. Pretty much the whole enchilada.
He was found guilty of possession of a controlled substance (cocaine, meth, and E-TC) onboard a naval vessel and off base/in the barracks, use of the above substances, and distribution of the above substances. Even after this guy was busted on a piss test for cocaine he still used the drugs while on restriction in the barracks. During a Helath and COmfort inspection they found coke residue in his backpack and then after a search found meth on his person. What a shithead.
I kept thinking during hte trial, "Where did this E-4 get all this money to buy this much drugs?" According to him, he started taking these drugs in July of this year and then he was finally caught in Spetember. That's a lot of blow to be snorting (he claimed 2-3 uses per day) and a lot of Ice to eating and smoking. I found out later that he did suck dick for coke and even had his own calling card that he passed out to potential customers. Douchebag...
I found it disturbing that the drugs had such a hold on him that he smoked meth and snorted coke in the torpedo room in the early morning when nobody was around. There were 5 other people involved with this ordeal but I don't know to the extent each was involved. What a bunch of retards.
It was an educational experience and I think that all the junior guys should have to watch at least one courts martial to see how it pans out. Maybe that will be the deterent that keeps just one of these guys straight.
From the start I knew this guy was screwed because 1)he was charged with something to do with drugs, and 2)he plead guilty to all charges. What was amazing was the judge's careful and methodical sequencing of the charges. He actually asked this guy why he thought he was guilty of all 12 specifications under the two charges.
This guy was a piece of work: accused, charged, and sentenced to 5 years in a federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison, $5000 fine, reduction in rate to E-1, forfeiture of all pay and benefits and dishonorable discharge. Pretty much the whole enchilada.
He was found guilty of possession of a controlled substance (cocaine, meth, and E-TC) onboard a naval vessel and off base/in the barracks, use of the above substances, and distribution of the above substances. Even after this guy was busted on a piss test for cocaine he still used the drugs while on restriction in the barracks. During a Helath and COmfort inspection they found coke residue in his backpack and then after a search found meth on his person. What a shithead.
I kept thinking during hte trial, "Where did this E-4 get all this money to buy this much drugs?" According to him, he started taking these drugs in July of this year and then he was finally caught in Spetember. That's a lot of blow to be snorting (he claimed 2-3 uses per day) and a lot of Ice to eating and smoking. I found out later that he did suck dick for coke and even had his own calling card that he passed out to potential customers. Douchebag...
I found it disturbing that the drugs had such a hold on him that he smoked meth and snorted coke in the torpedo room in the early morning when nobody was around. There were 5 other people involved with this ordeal but I don't know to the extent each was involved. What a bunch of retards.
It was an educational experience and I think that all the junior guys should have to watch at least one courts martial to see how it pans out. Maybe that will be the deterent that keeps just one of these guys straight.
Court martials are tough, but like most trials the guys/ or gal is guilty and everyone else did everything possible to avoid it. Sorry about getting kicked off the Subs cause of Kidney stones, I'm sure thats tough, but at least no more drills? My rooomie still spits in disgust about them, he was on a boomer in the atlantic. Best wishes and nice blog.
ReplyDeleteTim Norman, OK
That is one consolation- no more drills. As anyone that has been on submarines knows the drills for an inspection are always worse than the inspection itself. The drill monitors run around with their little notebooks writting down every little hit with an air of borderline snobbery. I'd like to see them don a fire fighting ensemble with a Scott Air Pack and let me take notes.
ReplyDeleteI have had several casualties during my years of riding boats and in every case the casualty was faught prioficiently and professionally. Even the flase alarms are met with direct and deliberate action.
But, the drills do suck.
Forgive my ignorance -- if you're a drug user/addict, is rehab part of your prison sentence? I imagine some of them would be facing severe, life-threatening withdrawal problems. The pansy-ass liberal in me honestly wonders if prison is REALLY appropriate for drug use.
ReplyDelete