Re: [Marxism] Letters to GI Army Times defend unit's refusal of mission

[Andy <esquincle@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

December 6, 2004

U.S. Army Reservists Escape Court-Martial for Refusing Iraq Mission
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 7:10 a.m. ET

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Twenty-three Army reservists who refused a
dangerous mission to transport fuel in Iraq will face punishments such
as extra duties or reduction in rank but won't be court-martialed, the
military said Monday.

All the reservists from the 343rd Quartermaster Company are being
disciplined for failing to follow orders under Article 15, which means
no court proceedings will be held and the identities of the soldiers
involved will not be released publicly, military spokesman Lt. Col.
Steve Boylan said.

The soldiers failed to report on Oct. 13 for a mission to transport
supplies from Tallil air base near Nasiriyah to Taji north of Baghdad.
They had claimed that they balked at the mission because the vehicles
were unarmored and in poor condition. They also said complaints to
their commander about their concerns went unheeded.

``They felt they didn't have the proper equipment to do the mission
they were ordered to do and are being disciplined for failing to follow
orders,'' Boylan said.

Boylan said 18 of the soldiers had been punished so far and the other
five would face reprimand this week.

While most had been expected to face administrative punishment,
officials had said earlier that courts-martial were possible for some
of the reservists. Refusal of orders during a time of war can be
punished by death, discharge, forfeiture of pay and benefits or
confinement, among other things.

Brig. Gen. James E. Chambers, commanding general of the 13th Corps
Support Command, which manages the provision of fuel, food and
ammunition across Iraq, decided to deal with the reservists under
Article 15 proceedings rather than by court-martials based on
``evidence and recommendations'' presented to him, Boylan said.

Boylan declined to comment on the quality of the evidence.

Military investigators found that some of the complaints raised by the
soldiers, including concerns over vehicle maintenance and protection,
were credible and actions had been taken to address the issues.

U.S. convoys, particularly larger ones that include trucks carrying oil
and other military supplies, are regular targets for insurgents in
Iraq, who have used roadside bombs and ambushes to deadly effect on the
country's roads and highways to try derail American-led reconstruction
efforts.

``But the area where they (the 343 Quartermaster Company) drive is no
less dangerous than any other location in Iraq, and their unit has not
taken any casualties in the 10 months they have been here,'' Boylan
said.

Boylan said the soldiers were expected to remain in Iraq until their
12-month tour of duty ends in March and that most were continuing to
perform the same duties, but some have been assigned to other units.

One of the reservists, Spc. Major Coates, has said that he was properly
trained to deploy to Iraq but acknowledged that when he arrived in
March, officials ``did not tell us we were infantry now.''

In October, Coates said that he and his fellow soldiers had not banded
together to refuse to perform their duties but had chosen individually
to do so.

If soldiers act as a group in what the military considers a mutiny they
could receive a more severe punishment than if they acted individually.


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