Army Retains Decorated Green Beret Sergeant First Class Martland

The story was first reported by Fox News, when Sgt 1st Class Charles Martland and his team, physically confronted a local Afghan police commander in 2011 who was repeatedly raping a young Afghan boy and beating his mother.

The commander is said to have laughed the incident off and Martlane pushed him to the ground.  Truth and Action reported that “the disgusting practice of Bacha Bazi, or “boy play”, which is the use of young boys for sexual entertainment and pleasure is not only a common occurrence, it’s a cultural one.”

This is when all his heroic service crumbled to dust in light of this issue that the U.S. Army deemed as a dischargeable offense.

Martland and his team leader were later removed from the base, and eventually sent home from Afghanistan. The U.S. Army has not confirmed the specifics of Martland’s separation from service citing privacy reasons, but a “memorandum of reprimand” from October 2011 obtained by Fox News makes clear that Martland was criticized by the brass for his intervention after the alleged rape. Asked for comment in September 2015, an Army spokesman reiterated, “the U.S. Army is unable to confirm the specifics of his separation due to the Privacy Act.”

Many have been fighting the good fight on SFC Marland’s behalf and their diligence has paid off as he will remain in the Army.

“The decision by the Army to retain this hero is long overdue and represents a significant victory for SFC Martland,” said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ.  “Justice has been served. The U.S. military has a moral obligation to stop child sexual abuse and exonerate SFC Martland for defending a child from rape. The Army finally took the corrective action needed and this is not only a victory for SFC Martland, but for the American people as well.”

“The Army did the right thing and we won — the American people, won,” said Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., a Marine veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, in a phone interview with Fox News. “Martland is who we want out there.”

Martland told Fox News, “I am real thankful for being able to continue to serve.  I appreciate everything Congressman Duncan Hunter and his Chief of Staff, Joe Kasper did for me.”

Source: Fox News