‘Someone in the Marine Corps needs to exercise a little common sense’

June 3, 2007

Given the circumstances, “a little common sense” sounds like it’s desperately needed, but is in short supply.

The nation’s largest combat veterans group on Friday urged the military to “exercise a little common sense” and call off its investigation of a group of Iraq war veterans who wore their uniforms during anti-war protests.

“Trying to hush up and punish fellow Americans for exercising the same democratic right we’re trying to instill in Iraq is not what we’re all about,” said Gary Kurpius, national commander of the 2.4 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars.

“Someone in the Marine Corps needs to exercise a little common sense and put an end to this matter before it turns into a circus,” Kurpius said.

The main controversy surrounds Marine Cpl. Adam Kokesh, who attended a recent Iraq war protest with other veterans. He wore fatigues — with military insignia removed. Kokesh is no longer on active duty, and he received his honorable discharge after one combat tour in Iraq, though he remains part of the Individual Ready Reserve.

Apparently, his attendance at the protest event was enough to spark a controversy. Kokesh was photographed at the event, and is now under administrative review. If punished, Kokesh could lose out on educational and other benefits he is eligible to receive, and may no longer qualify for job opportunities that require a security clearance.

It’s a curious way to support our veterans, isn’t it?

I should also note that the VFW coming to Kokesh’s defense is something of a surprise. It’s not that the VFW is reluctant to support troops, but rather, as Josh Marshall noted, the group’s ideology.

Most of you probably already know this. But it bears noting that the VFW is an extremely conservative organization — not in the Movement conservative sense, but about as down-the-line as you get in terms of cultural conservatism and reflexive hostility to pretty much any sort of anti-war protest. I give Kurpius credit for taking a principled position on this. But I think this is also a measure of just how unpopular this war and this president have become.

Good point.

Let’s also not forget that Kokesh is not an isolated case.

A mock patrol like the one staged in midtown Manhattan last Sunday could result in Vermont antiwar activist Liam Madden’s being slapped with a less-than-honorable discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps.

Madden, a 22-year-old Iraq combat veteran, was recently warned in writing that his discharge status could be downgraded. The threatened punishment stems, the Marine Corps indicated, from Madden’s involvement in a March protest in Washington and from “disloyal statements” he allegedly made — perhaps on that occasion.

Madden won’t discuss his case on the advice of his attorney, and he was not on hand Sunday for the New York reprise of Operation First Casualty, the defiant guerrilla-theater event organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War.

The official line from the Marine Corps is that the response would be exactly the same if Iraq veterans participated in a pro-war event. Forgive my skepticism, but I find that hard to believe.

Intelligent people don’t want to give up their right to protest a war, in the abstract, and recognize that a war could come along that they wouldn’t support, even if it’s not this one.

  • In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality, was tacitly denied by their philosophy. The heresy of heresies was common sense. -George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four

  • [Kokesh], wore fatigues — with military insignia removed. –CB

    There are two things about that story which drive me nuts. One is that few MSM outlets (or even blogs) have picked up on it.The other is that, of those which did, all said that he had been demonstrating in “military uniform”. If that had been the case, the military might have had some reasonable “beef” (no politicking while in uniform). But it had *not* been the case.

    According to the article — to which you alerted us a few days ago and which you reference again today (the last part of the posting, about Madden):
    He was wearing an olive-green muscle shirt and Marine Corps camouflage pants with his name stitched on a flap above the right rear pocket. It was his similar regalia at the March protest that led to the threat against Kokesh’s honorable discharge.

    The part about his wearing a *uniform* comes directly from the accusers, the Marine Corps. But that’s what everybody is writing, as if it were undisputed truth. In the Seven Days article, the bit about the accusation/uniform comes up a couple of paragraphs above the bit describing what he actually wore. Makes me wonder whether those who bothered to mention the story at all, bothered to read the whoile thing.

    Also, why are so few people pointing out that this intimidation is all-of-a-piece with the previous attempts: limiting access to MySpace and new restraints on e-mail and blogging. To me, it sounds like a concerted effort to muzzle the anti-war elements within the military, both during and after the service, not just some isolated incidents.

  • Just in case, I’d recommend anyone else on reserve status who wants to participate in an event like this pick up their cammo’s from a sporting good store and leave the military issue stuff at home.

  • CalD, isn’t that silly though that somebody should have to buy the same thing from a private store instead of from a PX, and doesn’t it beg the question of whether the reprimand is right in the first place?

  • ***…an olive-green muscle shirt and Marine Corps camouflage pants….***

    Which, by the way, can be picked up at any one of a thousand Army/Navy surplus stores; any one of ten thousand thrift shops; any one of a hundred thousand garage sales, yard tales, tag sales, rummage sales, and estate sales. Will the Moron Corps’ next move be to start prosecuting civilians who buy used military clothing? Will they be herded into camps for “impersonating a soldier?”

    The spew…the loud…the Morons. Semper Bushylvania, all….

  • Thanks CB. I have a feeling this WILL become a Three Ring Circus if history is a clue.

    Ronald

  • If Bush and the GOPers reserve themselves the right to use U.S. soldiers in full regalia for their photo-ops, I don’t see why a vet in camo is a problem. (He was not in uniform).

    As Karpius so eloquently put it: “Trying to hush up and punish fellow Americans for exercising the same democratic right we’re trying to instill in Iraq is not what we’re all about,”

    Damn right! Punishing a vet for expressing his feelings by denying him a better path in life after he served his country loyally, is revolting.

    Then again, the US government and the Defense Dept. could care less about both active trrops and veterans.

  • Supposedly, the USMC’s latest uniform, Marine Pattern (MARPAT) camouflage cannot be purchased anywhere outside of the Marine Corps. You can get all the other uniforms elsewhere, but the Marine Corps has forbidden the sale of MARPAT, which can be distinguished by the presence of the eagle, globe and anchor printed throughout as well as embroidered on the left breast pocket.

    This is one of the reasons the Marine Corps thinks they’ve got a case here. Unlike the desert and woodland patterns most of us are familiar with, the new uniform is supposed to be too unique, if you catch my meaning.

    The other reason has to do with Marine Corps uniform regulations. They are pretty strict and comprehensive, evening governing how you may dress in civilian attire.

    As a former Marine myself, I applaud these Iraq War vets, and support them as I have done by participating in such events. I also agree, as do many other vets, that the USMC needs to butt out and worry about keeping those in harm’s way properly motivated, equipped and trained.

    You’d be surprised how many veteran and active Marines–enlisted and officer–agree that allowing these guys to exercise their rights as Americans is perfectly acceptable. As for uniforms being worn, the USMC needs to go back and punish every Marine that has worn the uniform in protest. To me, it sounds like there are some bored officers who need something to do.

    Harassing veterans is low class and generally considered a major no-no amongst active duty military. The VFW knows this and they’re trying to get the idiots to take the hint.

  • We see the same type of Marines groveling around at the shallow end of the performance pool. Cpl Kokesh WAS a Sergeant who tried to SMUGGLE a weapon back into the country. He was lucky NOT to get an OTH discharge or worse in the first place. He is not a representative of a real Marine but is an imposter who was discovered before the end of his first enlistment. Now he chooses to exercise his “freedom of speech” in a manner that tarnishes the Marine Corps image that the rest of the Corps attempts to keep clean. He should be ashamed of himself and accept the fact that he couldn’t measure up to the standard.

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