Army denies medals, Special Forces insignia to soldier Trump pardoned for alleged murder

[demmiblue]

Source: USA Today

WASHINGTON – The Army has rejected an appeal to return medals for valor to retired Maj. Mathew Golsteyn, a Special Forces soldier former President Donald Trump pardoned for alleged murder in Afghanistan. It was one of three high-profile cases in which Trump interceded on behalf of troops accused of war crimes.

The decision regarding Golsteyn, reached last June, was not announced by the Army in Trump's final months as president but is revealed in documents released to USA TODAY. The Army also denied Golsteyn's request to restore his Special Forces tab, marking his service as a member of an elite unit, and the letter of reprimand placed in his personnel file.

A Green Beret, Golsteyn was charged with killing a suspected bomb maker who had been ordered released after questioning in Afghanistan in 2010. Golsteyn admitted during an interview to join the CIA that he had killed the man. That launched an Army investigation that culminated in the murder charge, but Trump's pardon canceled his court martial.

Golsteyn had appealed to the board in December 2019 to restore his Distinguished Service Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor for valor in combat. Initially, Golsteyn had been awarded a Silver Star for heroism, but it had been upgraded after a review.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/17/army-denies-medals-soldier-trump-pardoned-alleged-afghan-murder/4730488001/

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I remember this story, and I was outraged at tRump's actions.

I am very pleased to see the actions the Army took.

What Golsteyn had done was an abomination. What tRump did was a complete and total miscarriage of justice.

[captain queeg]

2. Now they ought to square accounts that SEAL that rump pardoned.

[MyOwnPeace]

20. Oh yeah!!!!!

What an F'ing slap-in-the-face to the people that are proud members of the SEALS unit.

Of course, that same dick-head was SO arrogant about it all - it only makes it MORE necessary to slam that M-Fer down!!!!

[Biophilic]

3. Good for them. Justice needs to win sometimes.

And while this isn't complete justice, since trump pardoned the SOB, at least some of what he's "owed" for his actions is happening.

[PirateRo]

4. How does this work?

Do they show up at his house and take back his medals?

[paleotn]

8. You can buy medals online. That's not what matters...

Without the military saying you deserved it for x, y or z, it's meaningless. And if he says he was awarded the DSC, without also saying he was stripped of his medals and SF tab, he's a goddamn liar.

[Grins]

10. And maybe subject to Stolen Valor laws...

[paleotn]

12. Bingo!

[Paladin]

5. Outstanding move! (nt)

[Lord Ludd]

19. In military parlance, that would be

Out-fucking-standing

[Paladin]

23. As it ought to be, when a war criminal is denied an award. (nt)

[iluvtennis]

6. Excellent news. nt

[Traildogbob]

7. Strip the Trident

He disgustingly wore it. Show respect to the ones wearing it in honor, and keep it an honorable symbol for active seals, retired seals and seals that have their lives under it.

[jmowreader]

9. That's a different felon

SEAL Eddie Gallagher, described by his own teammates as "freaking evil" and willing to "kill anything that moved," was court-martialed for desecration of a corpse by posing with, and holding a "bizarre reenlistment ceremony over," the body of a wounded ISIS fighter he had killed with a hunting knife. Strangely enough, the killing was a worse crime but they acquitted him for that.

[Traildogbob]

14. Thank you

For clarification. I hope he gets the proper accountability for his war criminal actions. War makes people evil. Evil people going into a combat zone is a disaster. I do not want to pretend I know what was, prior to war, in his mind or if the horror amplified his evil. There still needs to be accountability or we are equal to that which we call the enemy. As a Vietnam era soldier, we never got a pass on our actions in combat. Maybe, try, to get him help, he is messed up, because of what we seem to accept now, as patriotic. Our Frankensteins.

[Grins]

11. I assume he was also given a dishonorable discharge...?

That would block him from any pension or Veterans benefits, and follow him on every job application for the rest of his life?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

22. "Dishonorable Discharge" is only for enlisted personnel. Officers can get "dismissals" ...

... from a court-martial conviction for a serious offense. Different name, same consequences.

But this individual was not court-martialed; Trump nixed that. His career, however, is cooked. Without the court-martial, he will probably still qualify for V.A. benefits, etc.

[keithbvadu2]

13. The Trump legacy... war crimes are ok when done by America.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142652984

In the long run, Trump will be gone and it will be: 'America condones war crimes'.

Whenever America brings up enemy war crimes, they will have a ready-made response.

The Trump legacy... war crimes are ok when done by America.

Donald has given them a strong propaganda tool.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

15. Good

[ZonkerHarris]

16. accepting a pardon is also an admission of guilt. Since he's guilty he has dishonored the Army

and gets nothing.
A pardon just keeps you out of prison. Everything else stands.

[Evolve Dammit]

17. Can he still be prosecuted? Or is he totally free of ever being charged with his crimes? Scum.

[BigOleDummy]

18. As a veteran

I applaud the clear thinking and yes, honor, that prevailed in this terrible miscarriage of Justice. That p.o.s. dishonored me and everyone else who has worn the uniform by his actions and trump just rubbed shit into our faces with HIS dishonorable actions by trying to exonerate him. Much of my faith has been restored in our Officer Corps.

[MyOwnPeace]

21. Glad to hear that from a 'vet'........

I wonder what so many are thinking when they see some 'veteran' military people being charged with taking part in the Jan. 6 insurrection. What were they thinking - where did they lose their minds?