Tag: U.S. Army

Army denies medals, Special Forces insignia to soldier Trump pardoned for alleged murder

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WASHINGTON – The Army has rejected an appeal to return medals for valor to retired Maj. Mathew Golsteyn, a Special Forces soldier former President Donald Trump pardoned for alleged murder in Afghanistan. It was one of three high-profile cases in which Trump interceded on behalf of troops accused of war crimes.

The decision regarding Golsteyn, reached last June, was not announced by the Army in Trump’s final months as president but is revealed in documents released to USA TODAY. The Army also denied Golsteyn’s request to restore his Special Forces tab, marking his service as a member of an elite unit, and the removal of a letter of reprimand placed in his personnel file.

A Green Beret, Golsteyn was charged with killing a suspected bomb maker who had been ordered released after questioning in Afghanistan in 2010. Golsteyn admitted during an interview to join the CIA that he had killed the man. That launched an Army investigation that culminated in the murder charge, but Trump’s pardon canceled his court martial. Continue reading.

Army initially pushed to deny District’s request for National Guard before Jan. 6

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The Army initially pushed to reject the D.C. government’s request for a modest National Guard presence ahead of the Jan. 6 rally that led to the Capitol riot, underscoring the deep reluctance of some higher-ups at the Pentagon to involve the military in security arrangements that day.

In an internal draft memo obtained by The Washington Post, the Army said the U.S. military shouldn’t be needed to help police with traffic and crowd management, as city officials had requested, unless more than 100,000 demonstrators were expected.

The draft memo also said the request should be denied because a federal agency hadn’t been identified to run the preparations and on-the-day operations; the resources of other federal agencies hadn’t been exhausted; and law enforcement was “far better suited” for the task. Continue reading.

Army now reviewing Pentagon investigation into Michael Flynn’s dealings with Russia and other foreign entities

The Pentagon’s internal watchdog has finished a long-delayed investigation into Michael Flynn and has sent its findings to the Army for a final review that could possibly bring financial penalties against the military retirement benefits afforded to the retired Army three-star general.

It is unclear when the Defense Department may announce its decision in the matter. The Washington Post first reported the report’s referral to the Army.

Former President Donald Trump pardoned Flynn, his first national security adviser, last November, an action that wiped away the guilty plea Flynn had made in 2017 — and then attempted to withdraw in 2020 — for lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia during the 2016 presidential transition. Continue reading.

Army assessment of migrant caravans undermines Trump’s rhetoric

Soldiers install protective wire at a bridge between the United States and Mexico on Friday in Hidalgo, Tex. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Military planners anticipate that only a small percentage of Central American migrants traveling in the caravans President Trump characterizes as “an invasion” will reach the U.S. border, even as a force of more than 7,000 active-duty troops mobilizes to prevent them from entering the United States.

According to military planning documents, about 20 percent of the roughly 7,000 migrants traveling through Mexico are likely to complete the journey. The unclassified report was obtained and published by Newsweek on Thursday. If the military’s assessment is accurate, it would mean the United States is positioning five soldiers on the border for every one caravan member expected to arrive there.

“Based on historic trends, it is assessed that only a small percentage of the migrants will likely reach the border,” the report says. It was prepared by U.S. Army North, a component of U.S. Northern Command, which oversees the mission dubbed Operation Faithful Patriot.

View the complete November 2 article by Nick Miroff and Missy Ryan on the Washington Post website here.

Retired Army colonel: ‘Draft dodger’ Trump is ‘playing with our troops’

Retired Army Lt. Col. Ralph Peters is not impressed with Trump’s plan to use our troops as part of a political stunt at the border.

Lt. Col. Ralph Peters Credit: Screengrab

With midterms fast approaching, Trump has resorted to increasingly desperate measures in a last ditch effort to rile up GOP voters and convince people he’s not really as incompetent as he is.

While he may think he sounds tough when he barks orders to send thousands of U.S. troops to the border, not everyone is impressed with Trump’s bluster.

During an appearance on CNN’s “AC 360” Thursday night, retired Army Lt. Col. Ralph Peters didn’t mince words when describing his thoughts about Trump’s plans to exploit the military for political gain.

View the complete November 2 article by Caroline Orr on the ShareBlue.com website here.