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Clemency sought for Ohio Guardsmen
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is calling for clemency for six Ohio National Guard troops court-martialed for taking vehicles and parts for their unit in Iraq. Durbin, who becomes assistant Democratic Senate leader in January, sent a letter to the White House Tuesday calling on President Bush to pardon the reservists, including two decorated officers. The members of the 656th Transportation Company based in Springfield, Ohio, were court-martialed for taking two tractors and two trailers left in Kuwait by other U.S. military units that had moved into Iraq and stripping an abandoned 5-ton truck for parts to repair their vehicles. They pleaded guilty and were fined, dishonorably discharged and stripped of military benefits. Durbin said while scavenging unused vehicles technically violated military law and showed poor judgment "the punishment is completely out of step with the violation."
For once, I agree with Durbin.
Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, has asked the U.S. Army to grant clemency to a major sentenced to six months in prison and a chief warrant officer court-martialed in May.
Posted by: Steve 2004-12-22
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=51900