I know this is going to get a lot of people upset, but;
When I was in Strategic Air Command, one of the guys on my flight couldn't make it into work on time because his wife was in labor.
He called his Squad Leader and let him know. Squad leader told him to come in as soon as it was feasible.
The next day, the Sgt. shows up for work passing out cigars. Guard-mount ensues.
After Guard-mount, the new father is taken into a room with the Squad Leader who then issues a Letter of Reprimand (LOR) to the Sgt. .
While it was recognized that he was a new father and that was a great thing, the Sgt. had failed to arrive for duty on time. It was explained that he and his wife should have made arrangements for this contingency.
Not showing up for duty isn't an option unless you are physically incapacitated.
This officer brought a personal weapon to work. Against orders and in violation of the law. He accepted these risks when he did so.
If Allen West is correct about what's happening, I doubt there's going to be "charges" and a Courts Martial. There will almost certainly be a LOR placed in this officers folder. That will in effect end his career.
He will have the option of demanding a CM instead of accepting the LOR but if he loses, he will end up as a Felon and at the least, a "Less than Honorable Discharge".
This isn't Obama. This is the Military. I doubt Obama will give two ****s about this officer, but the Commander of the Naval Recruiting Command will have to. Rules and Regulations must be followed and officers are expected to set the example for the people under their command. If you don't enforce the rules, regs and laws, your organizational discipline begins to falter.
Bulls***. Blindly following illogical, unconstitutional regulations is not commendable but stupid. If every commander chose to blindly follow "the rules" that you seem to worship then we would all be in deep sh**. Any commander worth his salt would not only come out in defense of this soldier but put his OWN job on the line to defend him…"something like - If you prosecute him I quit, and i encourage all other brave soldiers to do the same." This soldier saved lives while defending them against a terrorist assho**.
He showed tremendous bravery under fire. To punish him for a bull****, probably unconstitutional regulation in this situation is not good leadership and is bad for the morale of the brotherhood.
Every good leader exercises judgement about when to - and when not to - to enforce discipline and when to look the other way. Your logic about "the rules" sounds chillingly like the Nazi's excuses in the Nuremberg trials. In combat, every day, soldiers break bulls*** rules all the time when their lives are on the line….and good commanders look the other way.
My son is thinking about joining the military….I pray that if he does that he never serves under an officer like you.
If you want to hurt the "organizational discipline" of the U.S. armed forces then you lead the charge and prosecute this soldier. If you want to earn a few "hooah's" then you, as a military leader, refuse to prosecute him and tell any civilian assh**** like Obama that they can pound sand.