Thanks to public pressure generated by
conservative groups, the military has reversed its decision to
court-martial a decorated Green Beret who came to the rescue of a boy
being sexual abused in Afghanistan.
In 2011, Sergeant First Class Charles
Martland learned from the 12-year-old Afghan boy’s mother that an Afghan
police commander had chained her son to a bed in order to repeatedly
abuse him. This all occurred on a U.S. military installation.
Martland confronted the rapist, who
admitted to his sexually abusive actions and laughed off Martland’s
concerns. The Green Beret then reacted by physically throwing the Afghan
off the base.
But instead of being commended for his action, Martland
was criticized by his superiors and would likely have been kicked out of
the military.