USN SEAL Eddie Gallagher Not Guilty on 6 of 7 Charges

[Jarnhamar]

Sounds like they were granted immunity.

Good deal.

 

[OldSolduer]

Ambien...

Thank you.

 

[tomahawk6]

I think its time for Special Operations personnel to have more oversight and to be more accountable for their conduct.

 

[OldSolduer]

I think its time for Special Operations personnel to have more oversight and to be more accountable for their conduct.

Limiting the number of missions they go on would be a start.

 

[Remius]

Limiting the number of missions they go on would be a start.

Maybe oversight can help with that?  :dunno:

 

[OldSolduer]

Maybe oversight can help with that?  :dunno:

The problem is who will provide that oversight? A SOF HQ or some other HQ?

 

[tomahawk6]

Its the job of each service to provide oversight. meaning that officers in the chain of command from the team level on up. The culture of the SEAL units is a problem. An example is the case where SOF operators killed a Green beret. through the years other SOF abuses have surfaced and it usually involved money. They are some of America's best but need adult leadership IMO.

 

[mariomike]

In today's news,

3 hrs ago
 
The San Diego Union-Tribune

SEAL commander charged in war crime cover-up heading to trial in September
http://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/seal-commander-charged-in-war-crime-cover-up-heading-to-trial-in-september/ar-AADUgVd?ocid=ientp

 

[tomahawk6]

Reminds me of the CF's experience in Somalia which resulted in the break up of a parachute regiment.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Which part of this reminds you of Somalia?

 

[FJAG]

Its the job of each service to provide oversight. meaning that officers in the chain of command from the team level on up. The culture of the SEAL units is a problem. An example is the case where SOF operators killed a Green beret. through the years other SOF abuses have surfaced and it usually involved money. They are some of America's best but need adult leadership IMO.

It's a real difficult question, that's for sure.

I've always felt that oversight agencies that parallel the chain of command are the equivalent of political commissars in the old soviet style of military. Maintaining standards and discipline is--and should be--a function of the chain of command and when that doesn't work you fire the weak links and replace them with better leaders.

The problem comes with units that have very tight relationships and an ethos of secrecy where outsiders are seen as, well, outsiders. Sometimes maintaining discipline runs counter to maintaining esprit de corps, although it ought never to.

I'm not sure to what extent US (or any) SOF units have "internal affairs" type of investigators/agencies (over and above the usual NCIS, CID or USAFOSI folks) that are operators/former operators and a part of the organization's staff--but not the actual leadership chain of command. That might be an answer (although perhaps a flirtation with the commissar concept)

Reminds me of the CF's experience in Somalia which resulted in the break up of a parachute regiment.

While Somalia opened up the CAR to in-depth examination, it was the hazing videos that were the straws that broke the camel's back; that and the fact that during a period of ever tightening financial restraint it was hard to find and justify a role for the CAR as constituted.

In some ways the Regiment's demise eventually paved the way to the formation of the much better structured and organized Canadian Special Operations Forces Command.

:cheers:

 

[tomahawk6]

The culture of special units that got out of hand.

 

[tomahawk6]

Soldiers should use the IG if they see violations of the UJMJ. Another avenue would be to complain to their Congressman. In the CF that would be the ombudsman right ?

 

[OldSolduer]

The culture of special units that got out of hand.

And certainly some of that was evident within the CAR.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Maybe oversight can help with that?  :dunno:

Or just good old fashioned ‘proper leadership’.

 

[FJAG]

In the "You can't make this crap up" category:

Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher sues his ex-lawyers, military nonprofit
By Melissa Leon | Fox News

Decorated Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who was acquitted of murder in a war crimes trial this past July, has sued two of his former lawyers and a military legal defense nonprofit, according to court documents filed in Texas Friday.

Attorneys Colby Vokey and Phillip Stackhouse and the United American Patriots (UAP) are named in the complaint brought by Gallagher, who alleges that Vokey and UAP orchestrated a “money-making scheme” and purposely delayed his case.


According to the filing, they “allowed [Gallagher] to languish in pre-trial confinement for several months while engaging in delay tactics and needlessly running up the legal bills.” Gallagher was kept in pre-trial confinement at Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar in San Diego for more than seven months.

...

Vokey filed a lawsuit against Gallagher last month demanding $1 million in alleged unpaid legal fees, according to the complaint. Gallagher is seeking a declaratory judgment stating he doesn’t owe any legal fees and that if fees should be rendered, then UAP should pay them – not Gallagher.

...

https://www.foxnews.com/us/eddie-gallagher-navy-seal-sues-ex-lawyers-military-nonprofit-united-american-patriots

Waiting for the book(s) to come out.  :facepalm:

:cheers:

 

[tomahawk6]

Didnt he have a gofundme page ?Navy SEALS Fund collected over a half million so I would expect some sort of settlement. It doesnt look good suing your attorneys who helped to get you free.

https://navy-seals-fund.networkforgood.com/projects/60396-justice-for-eddie-gallagher-support-fund

 

[FJAG]

Didnt he have a gofundme page ?Navy SEALS Fund collected over a half million so I would expect some sort of settlement. It doesnt look good suing your attorneys who helped to get you free.

https://navy-seals-fund.networkforgood.com/projects/60396-justice-for-eddie-gallagher-support-fund

The two lawyers were terminated or quit before the end of the case.

:cheers:

 

[The Bread Guy]

The latest:

Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher will retire as a chief petty officer now that President Donald Trump has restored his rank.

"Before the prosecution of Special Warfare Operator First Class Edward Gallagher, he had been selected for promotion to Senior Chief, awarded a Bronze Star with a "V" for valor, and assigned to an important position in the Navy as an instructor," a White House statement said.

"Though ultimately acquitted on all of the most serious charges, he was stripped of these honors as he awaited his trial and its outcome. Given his service to our Nation, a promotion back to the rank and pay grade of Chief Petty Officer is justified."

(...)

In March, Trump tweeted that Gallagher would soon be moved to a less restrictive environment, prompting the Navy to release Gallagher from the brig. Gallagher A military judge decided in May to end Gallagher's pretrial restriction at Naval Medical Center San Diego.

Gallagher's legal team also included Trump's personal attorney Mark Mukasey and longtime Trump associate Bernard Kerik, the former police commissioner for New York City.

When Gallagher was acquitted for murder in July, Trump tweeted his congratulations to the SEAL, adding, "Glad I could help!"

"Here's what the president did: He actually gave me the opportunity to prepare a defense," Gallagher's attorney Tim Parlatore told Task & Purpose at the time. "When he decided to release Eddie from the brig … it's such an important factor to being able to prepare a defense."

But the president was not finished. Trump ordered top Navy officials to rescind Navy Achievement Medals that had been awarded to the prosecutors in the Gallagher case ...

More @ link

 

[211RadOp]

Now Trump is getting into his review to see if he should remain a SEAL.

Trump says he won't allow U.S. Navy to punish SEAL who posed with corpse

Published Thursday, November 21, 2019 9:51AM EST 
Last Updated Thursday, November 21, 2019 7:24PM EST 


WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump insisted Thursday that the Navy "will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher's Trident Pin," inserting himself into an ongoing legal review of the sailor's ability to hold onto the pin that designates him a SEAL.

The Navy on Wednesday notified Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher that he will face a review early next month to determine if he should remain on the elite force.

Gallagher was acquitted of a murder charge in the stabbing death of an Islamic State militant captive, but a military jury convicted him of posing with the corpse while in Iraq in 2017. He was then demoted to chief.
His lawyers have accused the Navy of trying to remove the SEAL designation in retaliation for Trump's decision last week to restore Gallagher's rank.

Rear Adm. Charlie Brown, a Navy spokesman, responded Thursday: "The Navy follows the lawful orders of the President. We will do so in case of an order to stop the administrative review of SOC Gallagher's professional qualification. We are aware of the President's tweet and we are awaiting further guidance."

Trump tweeted Thursday, "This case was handled very badly from the beginning" and he urged those involved to "Get back to business!"

Gallagher filed a complaint with the inspector general accusing a rear admiral of insubordination for defying Trump's actions. Rear Adm. Collin Green is the Naval Special Warfare commander.

"How can Admiral Green credibly preach about preserving good order and discipline while publicly flouting the orders of the commander in chief?" attorney Timothy Parlatore said.

Two U.S. officials familiar with the case but not authorized to speak publicly said Wednesday that discussions about convening a review board began shortly after Gallagher's conviction in July. They said the decision was not in reaction to Trump's decision to restore Gallagher's rank.

It's unclear what effect Trump's tweet could have on the process and whether he can actually block the review from taking place or overturn any decision made.

Under the review procedure, a five-person board will convene Dec. 2 behind closed doors. It will include one SEAL officer and four senior enlisted SEALs, according to the two U.S. officials. Gallagher can appear once before the board on Dec. 4 but without his lawyers. He can dispute the evidence given to the board that will include his conviction and call witnesses.

Gallagher can appeal any final decision that will be made by the Naval Personnel Board, which will take into account Green's input and the board's recommendations.

Trump's initial order in Gallagher only referred to restoring his rank, but it did not explicitly pardon the SEAL for any wrongdoing.

Green also notified three SEAL officers who oversaw Gallagher during the deployment -- Lt. Cmdr. Robert Breisch, Lt. Jacob Portier and Lt. Thomas MacNeil -- that they are also being reviewed, according to the officials.

Removing their Trident pins means they will no longer be SEALs but could remain in the Navy.

The Navy has revoked 154 Trident pins since 2011.

The Navy will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher’s Trident Pin. This case was handled very badly from the beginning. Get back to business!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 21, 2019

https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/trump-says-he-won-t-allow-u-s-navy-to-punish-seal-who-posed-with-corpse-1.4695863