Letter to the editor: Speak up for courageous Marine

What are we seeing in this great country? Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, a decorated Marine officer with a sterling record of service, is being held in military jail, facing a hearing on potential charges related to disobeying orders. Why?

Scheller had the audacity, the courage, to publicly call out senior military leadership in Afghanistan. He questioned the loss of U.S. service members in this cut-and-run debacle. Scheller’s crime? He called for accountability, especially the inexplicable disregard for fundamental combat zone protocols at the Kabul airport.

Basic “combat zone” standards and deployment protocols do exist; they are commonsense operational procedures. Military leaders pursuing combat zone missions understand these responsibilities:

1. Select defendable site/location (not a mid-city airport).

2. Establish an armed perimeter of defense positions around this site/location (never accomplished).

3. Create protective physical cover and concealment for personnel and equipment (never accomplished).

4. Disperse personnel and equipment, thus avoiding a one-strike destruction of the military operation (never accomplished).

5. Establish control of all entry/exit points, as well as all vehicle routes/gates to control movement of personnel and equipment (never accomplished).

6. Establish mission and unit operational SOP without delay (never accomplished).

Why were these commonsense protocols disregarded? Thirteen U.S. service members were killed; 15 others were seriously injured in a chaotic evacuation effort.

Scheller is absolutely correct, and he risked his career by speaking up.

But it’s not a done deal. We the people must speak up, step up. Contact your senators and representatives and express your outrage. Demand accountability.

Rod Gerhart

Donegal