A Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier who admitted he beat up an Afghan man over a child’s rape could be discharged from the Army.
The Tacoma News Tribune reports that Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland, 33, said he assaulted an Afghan police commander – who he was supposed to be mentoring -- because he was fed up with the commander's brutal sexual abuse of a village boy. The commander had confessed to raping the boy.
The incident happened in 2011.
Martland’s case is being championed by a California congressman and several veteran Green Berets who contend he shouldn’t be punished further.
His allies say he “stood up to a child rapist.”
Martland, 33, was awarded two Bronze Star medals, including one for valor, during his time at JBLM. He will likely be discharged in November.