The U.S. Army has reversed its decision to discharge Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland for body slamming and kicking an Afghan police commander who allegely repeatedly raped a local boy. Photo by Congressman Duncan Hunter's office
WASHINGTON, April 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army decided Thursday evening not to kick out a decorated Green Beret after he body slammed an Afghan police commander accused of repeatedly raping a boy.
Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland, was disciplined for intervening in the alleged rape of a boy in northern Afghanistan in 2011, according to a "memorandum of reprimand" obtained by Fox News last summer. The army did not give details on either the reprimand nor Thursday's reversal, except to say that Martland's status was changed so that he could remain in the army.
CNN reported last year that while Martland was deployed to Kunduz Province, Afghanistan, he and Capt. Daniel Quinn were told by an Afghan boy about how he had been repeatedly raped by a local police commander over the course of two weeks while tied a pole. The boy told them his mother was beaten by the police commander's brother when she tried to stop the assaults.
"After the child rapist laughed it off and referenced that it was only a boy, Captain Quinn picked him up and threw him," Martland said in a statement. Martland then body slammed him "multiple times," kicked him in the ribs, and put his boot on the man's neck.
"[The man] was never knocked out, and he ran away from our camp," Martland wrote. Both soldiers said they stepped in because local authorities had done nothing.
"I am real thankful for being able to continue to serve," Martland told Fox News. "I appreciate everything Congressman Duncan Hunter and his Chief of Staff, Joe Kasper did for me."
Congressman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., has taken up Martland's cause and asked him to write about his version of the incident, despite being under a gag order from the Army.
