The Marines have picked an interesting route in the case of anti-war activist Adam Kokesh:
A military panel recommended that an Iraq war veteran who wore his uniform during an anti-war protest should lose his honorable discharge status, brushing away his claims that he was exercising his right to free speech.
Marine Cpl. Adam Kokesh, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, argued that he did nothing wrong by participating in the March protest in Washington, D.C., because he removed his name tag and military emblems from his uniform.
After a daylong hearing Monday, a three-person Marine board recommended he receive a general discharge under honorable conditions, one step below an honorable discharge. It would let Kokesh keep all of his benefits.
“What that means is he is not dishonorable, and he’s only kind of honorable, so in effect, the board picked the safe route,” said Kokesh’s attorney, Mike Lebowitz.
“This is a nonpunitive discharge,” said Col. Patrick McCarthy, chief of staff for the mobilization command. “The most stringent discharge that could have been received is other than honorable, and the board chose to raise that up to a general discharge.”
I am going to take a different approach on this then people on both side of the argument have taken. This is a rule and law, so fine, punish him for it. I just expect to see the same punishment be handed down to any former Marine who may show up at a pro-war gathering in uniform. If that is not the case then the Marines are guilty of practicing politics.