N.C. Man Kicked Out of Military Over Contraband Rifle

[saigon68]

N.C. Man Kicked Out of Military Over Contraband Rifle
By The Associated Press


http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/news/032205_APlocal_nationalguard.html

(03/22/05 - FORT BRAGG) — A North Carolina National Guard soldier who tried to bring home a contraband AK-47 assault rifle has been kicked out of the military, a Fort Bragg spokesman said.

Sgt. Craig A. Marks II was charged with conspiracy to steal the rifle and with the violation of a broad general order that bars troops from various activities that include brining home souvenir weapons, Maj. Richard Patterson said Monday.

Marks, a member of the Fayetteville-based 1st Battalion of the 252nd Armor Regiment, served a 10-month tour in Iraq with the N.C. Guard's 30th Heavy Separate Brigade. "I can't talk about that right now," he said Monday.

Because of privacy regulations, Patterson said he couldn't say whether Marks received an honorable or dishonorable discharge.

[merwin]

1. That was kind of dumb of him.

I'm pretty sure it was a dishonorable discharge... The current administration will take any chance to not pay benefits

[adwon]

2. Interesting

I didn't even know they bothered to enforce this. Hell, more than a few items at the Special Ops museum in downtown Fayetteville were 'anonymously' donated by veterans who had picked them up in one place or another.

[malmapus]

3. Yeah, I still remember the things brought back from Desert Storm

Times have changed

[adwon]

4. Yeah

It seems like they've changed in just the last couple years. Last time I was at the museum, there were a few things from Afghanistan.

[BR_Parkway]

5. So, the CinC has Saddam's gun, but this guy, who actually risked his life

can't have a souvenir? Well, the silver lining is that he won't have to worry about going back over there, at least he survived.

[NYC]

16. More hypocrisy.

Bush is a hypocrite.

[izzie]

6. How did Bush get Saddam's gun?

Well?

[Toots]

8. Rules don't apply to the Cabal...

They make the rules not follow them....

[solinvictus]

18. Commander W Bush Jr. personally smoked 'em out of his hole..

weren't you payin' attention?? ;)

[ET Awful]

7. Well, that's one way to keep from getting redeployed

And he didn't have to go to Canada like Mejilla (sp?).

It's a piece of information worth spreading around to those like Mejilla don't you think?

[atreides1]

9. So let me get this straight

This is the same US Army that has failed to meet it's Fiscal 2005 recruiting quotas so far, and has just raised the age limit to 39 for the Reserves, will not allow openly gay men and women to remain in the service.

And they just kicked out an NCO with combat experience, just because he tried to bring back a souvenir.


Things that make you go WTF are they thinking.

[saigon68]

11. The Very same army

It's just like X-Box only you die


LOL


They are out of Control-- Krazy Kimmitt will soon be in charge


Oh yes and Sorry Sanchez has finally put away that RIDICULOUS UNDERSIZED SHOULDER HOLSTER and large horse Pistol he used to wear to Press Conferences in the GREEN ZONE. The only action that pistol ever got was to be hung up on the bed post of some brothel in Asia.

[neuvocat]

17. WTF are they thinking? "I'M STEALING ME SOME GUNS!!!"

"I'll get kicked out and go home to mah-mah!!! Yeah!!!"

[GregW]

10. Funny how we're calling a Class-III automatic weapon a 'souvenir'

Folks ... souvenirs are those snow globes you picked up at the gift shop next to the Golden Gate bridge. Souvenirs are the beer stein you brought home from Munich. Souvenirs are the Mickey Mouse ears you have from your last trip to Disneyland.

Souvenirs are NOT a banned, automatic weapon. Get a grip - he deserved to be tossed for this illegal act.

[Redstone]

14. About time somebody said that.

Watch out for flames from the Gun Nuts, though--there are a lot of people around who think that anyone should be able to have any kind of firearm they want.

I'll stand by you with an extinguisher.

Redstone

[malmapus]

15. No flame, not a gun nut either but...

I don't blame him for bringing something back.

I know it was an AK, but thats kinda like the GI's in WWII grabbing a Luger. Besides, the weapon might of meant something to him. I know of a few who have dropped using the M-16 for the AK just for the fact that it is slightly better in that envionment (well heck, in about any environment lol and I'm speaking from personal experience).

[Johnyawl]

21. He did NOT deserve to be tossed...

...fined, yes; reduced in rank, yes; but thrown out? Not even in peace time, and ceretainly not in time of war when the military needs every experianced NCO they can get.

Throwing him out was an over reaction.

The military wasn't that stupid in 1968. Hell, they were SENDING people to Vietnam for breaking the rules.

[leftofthedial]

12. Fool!

Doesn't he know those are all reserved for little bushturd's appointees and Halliburton employees?

[bobthedrummer]

13. I had a cousin that served 2 tours in Vietnam in the USMC (1966-68)

He once shared viewing his scalps and ear necklace with me.
Soldiers always take something home.

[VegasWolf]

19. Hey, the guy just wanted a gun that actually worked rather than the one

the army gave him.

[Blue_Tires]

20. i'm curious how he 'sneaks' something that big home

was it in pieces? why was bringing it home so important to him that he would risk a discharge?