Sgt Jenkins plea-bargains to 30 days/dishonorable discharge.

While most folks are watching US domestic television to figure out what's going on in Ohio (amongst other places), our favorite defector loses his "alleged" status.

Jenkins given 30 days in jail, dishonorable discharge
Wednesday, November 3, 2004 at 17:50 JST
CAMP ZAMA — U.S. Army Sgt Charles Jenkins on Wednesday was given a 30-day confinement and dishonorable discharge from the military for deserting to North Korea in 1965 while serving in South Korea, the U.S. Army said. A court-martial held at the Army's Camp Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture found Jenkins, 64, guilty of desertion and aiding the enemy.

U.S. Army Col Denise Vowell dismissed charges of encouraging disloyalty and soliciting other personnel to desert, but found Jenkins guilty of aiding the enemy by teaching North Koreans English.

Source: Japan Today

I've seen guys get 45 days making little rocks out of big ones for missing a weeks' work, let alone 39 years. I'm not losing sleep over this sentence. Sure, technically they could shoot him, but I say let him do his 30 days and visit Mom & Dad for Christmas back home.

I am not a lawyer. Submitted for your coffee break conversation:
UCMJ Article 86 - Absence without leave (Link pops new window)

(6) Inability to return. The status of absence without leave is not changed by an inability to return through sickness, lack of transportation facilities, or other disabilities. But the fact that all or part of a period of unauthorized absence was in a sense en-forced or involuntary is a factor in extenuation and should be given due weight when considering the initial disposition of the offense. When, however, a person on authorized leave, without fault, is unable to return at the expiration thereof, that person has not committed the offense of absence without leave.

I think he qualifies as Unable to Return. Was he a dumbass who thought he'd get transferred to the Russians and traded across some dark bridge at midnight ala Gary Powers? Probably. Powers was returned in '62 after less than two years in the bowels of Soviet Russia. Three years later, Jenkins walked across.

...and under the "Maximum Punishment" section:

(2) Absence from unit, organization, or other place of duty.
   (c) For more than 30 days. Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 1 year.
...and...
(4) From guard or watch with intent to abandon. Bad-conduct discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months.

If you think Jenkins was a dirtbag for leaving a post while on duty, or if you think he's just a shell of the man he used to be and just needs to get on with his life, you have to admit that giving him the Dishonorable and 30 days in the klink (sources tell me it'll probably be at Yokosuka) is adequate.

This blog is no longer updated.

Since I own the domain name for a couple more years, and the hosting was paid-in-advance, it's still here. But I've moved on to Hawaii, and no longer have the need to publish all the sorts of neat stuff that made up the contents of this website.

If you've linked to me, you are invited to unlink, as your readers will no longer be presented with new content. Thanks, Steve

Logos not available:
Dell Certified Storage Network Professional
Snort Certified Professional


	Home			sdcarroll*gmail

This blog is no longer updated.

Since I own the domain name for a couple more years, and the hosting was paid-in-advance, it's still here. But I've moved on to Hawaii, and no longer have the need to publish all the sorts of neat stuff that made up the contents of this website.

If you've linked to me, you are invited to unlink, as your readers will no longer be presented with new content. Thanks, Steve

Logos not available: Dell Certified Storage Network Professional Snort Certified Professional

Logos not available:
Dell Certified Storage Network Professional
Snort Certified Professional