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USFK Court Martial Result for September 2014

| November 3, 2014

Below are the USFK Court Martial and ROK Criminal Prosecution Results for September 2014 that were posted on the USFK website.  Of interest in September was that a Captain refused to take the breathalyzer test and was convicted of this crime.  He received a 5,000,000 won fine which is steeper than the usual 3,000,000 won fine DUI convictions usually receive.  However, he doesn’t get a DUI conviction on his record.  Is that worth 2,000,000 won?  Probably if refusing the breathalyzer doesn’t get him kicked out of the Army. Then 1-38 FA had three soldiers get convicted of obstruction to include one soldier for also performing an indecent act and had to register as a sex offender.  I wonder what that soldier did to the KNPs to get that punishment?

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Trial Results September 2014

Results of Army Courts-Martial for September 2014

On 3 September 2014, at a General Court Martial, SSG Vaughn K. Totten, 94th Military Police Battalion, 501st Sustainment Brigade, was convicted of one specification of failure to obey a lawful general regulation (Article 92, UCMJ).  He was sentenced to reduction to E-5.

On 4 September 2014, at a Special Courts-Martial, PV2 Kendrick Rhodes, 304th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 1st Signal Brigade was found guilty of one specification of larceny of property of less than $500 in value (Article 121, UCMJ), and of three specifications of writing checks with insufficient funds (Article 123a, UCMJ).  The Soldier was sentenced to reduction to E-1, forfeiture of $450 per month for two months, and to perform hard labor without confinement for two months.

On 7 September 2014, at a General Court Martial, PFC Hakim A. Blackwell, 304th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 1st Signal Brigade was found guilty of three specifications of assault consummated by a battery (Article 128, UCMJ).  He was sentenced to reduction to E-1, to be confined for 4 months, and a Bad Conduct Discharge.

On 17 September 2014, at a Special Court Martial, PFC Kameron M. Coleman, 23d CBRNE Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division, was found guilty of two specifications of sexual assault (Article 120, UCMJ).  He was sentenced to reduction to E-1, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, confinement for 12 months, and a Bad Conduct Discharge.

Results of ROK Criminal Prosecutions for September 2014

In Seoul Central District Court on 3 September 2014, CPT Windel P. Pegott, HSC, HHB, 8th Army, was convicted of Refused to Take the Breath Test in violation of the Road Traffic Act.  His adjudged sentence was a 5,000,000 Won fine.

In Suwon District Court on 12 September 2014, SSgt Joseph D. Lansangan, 51st AMXS, Osan Air Base, was convicted of DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,000,000 Won fine.

In Bucheon Branch of the Incheon District Court on 16 September 2014, SPC Dong Hwan Kim, HHB, 2-1st ADA, USAG Daegu (Carroll), was convicted of DUI.  His adjudged sentence was suspended imposition of a sentence.

In Suwon District Court on 17 September 2014, SPC Nicholas P. Myers, B Btry, 1/38th FA, USAG Casey, was convicted of Indecent Act by Compulsion and Obstruction of Performance of Official Duties.  His adjudged sentence was imprisonment for 10 months, suspended for 2 years.  He was also ordered to register as a sex offender.

In Suwon District Court on 17 September 2014, PFC Alex S. Wilkerson, B Btry, 1/38th FA, USAG Casey, was convicted of Obstruction of Performance of Official Duties.  His adjudged sentence was imprisonment for 6 months, suspended for 1 year.

In Suwon District Court on 17 September 2014, PFC Marcus M. Cobb, B Btry, 1/38th FA, USAG Casey, was convicted of Obstruction of Performance of Official Duties.  His adjudged sentence was imprisonment for 6 months, suspended for 1 year.

In Daegu District Court on 19 September 2014, PVT Andreas P. Tyson, HHB, 2-1st ADA, USAG Daegu (Carroll), was convicted of violations of the Act on the Control of Narcotics, etc. (Psychotropic Drug).  His adjudged sentence was imprisonment for 2 years and 6 months, suspended for 3 years and a civil assessment in the amount of 613,980 Won.

In Daegu District Court on 19 September 2014, PVT Sean D. Metcalfe, HHD, 168th MMB, USAG Daegu, was convicted of violations of the Act on the Control of Narcotics, etc. (Psychotropic Drug).  His adjudged sentence was imprisonment for 2 years and 6 months, suspended for 3 years and a civil assessment in the amount of 613,980 Won.

In Uijeongbu District Court on 23 September 2014, SSG Jari A. Yarrell, EUSA NCO Academy, USAG Red Cloud, was convicted of the crimes including Infliction of Bodily Injury, Unlawful Use of an Automobile and DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 5,000,000 Won fine.

In Uijeongbu District Court on 29 September 2014, PVT Joon Suk Yoon, HHC, 2/9th Infantry, USAG Casey, withdrew his prior request for formal trial and accepted the summary order of 11 April 2014 finding him guilty of larceny and sentencing him to a 2,000,000 Won fine.

 

Tweet of the Day: Colleges Need Military Sexual Assault Training

| November 3, 2014

Picture of the Day: ROK Army Winter Preparations

| November 3, 2014

Preparation for winter

Soldiers of a front-line Army unit cover the windows of their barracks with vinyl in Cheolwon, Gangwon Province, on Oct. 23, 2014, in preparation for the cold winter. (Yonhap)

Last Continuously Serving Draftee Retires from 2ID

| November 2, 2014

Here is an interesting retirement out of 2ID:

CAMP RED CLOUD, South Korea– As the cold wind blows on a crisp and calm morning in South Korea, a voice echoes, Get Ready! Get Set! Begin!

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Ralph E. Rigby executes the commands as he prepares for his final Army
Physical Fitness Test, a test which he has devotedly taken for the last 42 years.

Rigby, a native of Auburn, New York, began his military service when he was drafted, in 1972,
during the Vietnam era. Today, he is known as the last continuously serving draftee on active duty in the U.S. Army.

Where it all began
As a young boy, Rigby always had a love for vehicles. He would walk around carrying any tool he thought could assist someone who was having car issues. Rigby had just started his own mechanic shop when he received a draft notice.

At the young age of 19, joining the Army was far from his life plans. He was clueless as to what
would be in store for him. His first response to the notice was, “I don’t have to put up with this! I can just move to Canada like everyone else, and avoid all of this.” he said jokingly.

On the other hand, his mom, Dorothy Rigby, wasn’t going to allow this to happen. Her exact words to him were, “No Way! You are not a quitter,” she said. “We do not quit in this family.”
She was scared that her son had to serve, but her daily prayers reassured her that he would come back home safely. With his mother’s advice, Rigby set out on his military journey. “I took my mother’s words and kept on going,” said Rigby. “After all, being drafted was the closest I have come to winning the lottery.”

Throughout the years
Upon processing through his local Military Entry Processing Station, he was assigned to Fort Dix, New Jersey, for basic training. After training, he attended the United States Army Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, as a power generation equipment repairman. Although he was drafted during the Vietnam era, he did not end up deploying there. Instead, his first assignment was to Kwachon, South Korea.

Rigby recalled a message the president of the United States at the time, President Richard M. Nixon, ordered to all draftees. It read, “All draftees would be out of the Army and be home by Thanksgiving,” said Rigby. In his mind, he had other plans. Instead, he signed a waiver electing to remain on active service. He enjoyed his first assignment so much that he decided to extend his tour. After being promoted to sergeant first class, with less than 10 years in service, Rigby joined the ranks of the Warrant Officer Corps.

Throughout his military career, Rigby has served in numerous positions to include Power Generator Equipment Repairman, Platoon Sergeant, Engineer Equipment Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance Technician and Ground Support Maintenance Technician. Rigby, who now serves as the senior ordnance logistics officer in the 2nd Infantry Division, on Camp Red Cloud, South Korea, is responsible for making sure the division’s equipment is fully functional, as well as ensuring all vehicles assigned to the division are ready to “Fight Tonight”.

“I love what I do,” said Rigby. “Knowing that I am able to work with all the brigades while still getting the opportunity to mentor officers and junior enlisted Soldiers.”
Rigby believes he has made a positive impact on the lives of the Soldiers who have worked for him. He has a lot to offer, and he ensures he uses his vast knowledge and extensive experience when helping Soldiers. (Army.mil)

You can read more at the link, but what I find more amazing than him being a draftee is that he served 42 years in the Army. Talk about a well deserved retirement.

ROK Drop Open Thread – November 2, 2014

| November 2, 2014

Please leave anything you want to discuss in the comments section.

Open Thread

IG Inspection Finds Numerous Safety Violation in USFK Housing

| November 2, 2014

Apparently a number of on-post housing for US servicemembers in Korea are not up to standard:

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An Inspector General’s report has cited hundreds of potentially dangerous housing code violations, ranging from missing sprinkler systems to exposed copper wiring, in U.S. military housing in South Korea, although only 11 were considered serious.

Most of the violations were related to inadequate upkeep of housing facilities, according to the Oct. 28 report, which found that “housing visits and inspections were not being conducted in accordance with established instructions and procedures.”

Twelve percent of the occupied buildings at 13 U.S. Forces Korea military installations — ranging from family housing to barracks and dormitories for unaccompanied servicemembers — were reviewed during the IG’s March 10 to April 24 inspections. The checks found 646 deficiencies in 277 units, mechanical rooms and common areas.

The 11 “critical” deficiencies included an out-of-service fire alarm system at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, which left the occupants of one building with no means of fire detection. Furnaces in two other buildings at the Seoul base were leaking heating oil onto an electric blower motor, posing a fire hazard.  [Stars & Stripes]

You can read more at the link, but I have lived in quonset huts and crackhouses in Korea before so what servicemembers have to day is much better than just a decade ago.  With that said the real concern I have is how come the fire departments are not doing regular inspections of these facilities to ensure they are safe?  If they are then why did they not catch these issues beforehand?  Why did it take an IG inspection to find these deficiencies?

Tweet of the Day: ROK Coast Guard & Emergency Authorities to Be Disbanded

| November 2, 2014

Picture of the Day: Too Bad She Doesn’t Have A Pole

| November 2, 2014

Experimental arts festival

Citizens and tourists watch a dance performance during the Jeju International Experimental Arts Festival in Seogwipo, Jeju Province, on Oct. 26, 2014. (Yonhap)

This is another one of those pictures begging for a caption. Anyone want to take a shot at it?

Commercial Space Tourism Spacecraft Explodes During Test Flight

| November 1, 2014

It has been a rough week for commercial space companies:

MOJAVE, Calif. — A winged spaceship designed to take tourists on excursions beyond Earth’s atmosphere exploded during a test flight Friday over the Mojave Desert, killing a pilot in the second fiery setback for commercial space travel in less than a week.
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo blew apart after being released from a carrier aircraft at high altitude, according to Ken Brown, a photographer who witnessed the explosion.
One pilot was found dead inside the spacecraft, which fell from the sky about 120 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. Another pilot parachuted out and was flown by helicopter to a hospital, Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood. Their names were not released.
The crash area is in the desert north of Mojave Air and Space Port, where the test flight originated. (Associated Press)

You can read more at the link, but this will probably set back commercial space tourism by at least a decade. As we have seen in the development of any space program it is hard to do with many failures. It will be interesting to see if Virgin Galactic can keep getting investment money to support their company after this.

USFK Court Martial Results for August 2014

| November 1, 2014

Below are the USFK court martial and ROK criminal prosection results for August 2014 that were posted on the USFK website.  The court martial results have a number of sex offender cases with a couple of people actually found not guilty of the crimes.  Then in the ROK criminal prosecution there is a major that was convicted of an indecent at and has to take sex offender classes and register as a sex offender.  He looks like a candidate now for officer cuts, but I wonder if the sex offender label in Korea follows him to the US as well?  That would be worse punishment than being discharged from the Army in my opinion.

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Trial Results August 2014

Results of Army Courts-Martial for August 2014

On 1 August 2014, at a Summary Court-Martial, SPC Kristopher Hester (1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division) was found not guilty of two specifications of Article 120, Abusive Sexual Contact, and found guilty of Article 128, Simple Assault.  He was sentenced to reduction to the grade of Private (E-1) and forfeiture of $1021.

On 4 August 2014, at a Special Court-Martial, SFC Vincent Irvin (1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division) was found guilty of one specification of Article 128, Assault Consummated by Battery.  SFC Irvin was sentenced to reduction to E-4, forfeiture of $1000.00 pay per month for 4 months, and to be confined for four months.

On 8 August 2014, PV2 Devin L. Goetsch (19th Personnel Company, 501st Special Troop Battalion) was convicted at a Special Court-Martial of one specification of failure to obey a lawful general order (Article 92, UCMJ); and two specifications of wrongful possession of controlled substance ( Article 112).  He was sentenced to reduction to Private (E-1); forfeiture of $800.00 pay for five months; to be confinement for five months; and to receive a Bad Conduct Discharge.

On 11 August 2014, at a Summary Court-Martial, a Specialist from 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division was found not guilty of one specification of Article 120, Abusive Sexual Contact.

On 26 August 2014, PFC Kenneth A. Elmore (595th Maintenance Company, 498th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion) was convicted at a General Court-Martial of one specification of failure to obey a lawful order (Article 92, UCMJ); and one specification of Sexual Assault (Article 120).  He was sentenced to reduction to Private (E-1), confinement for 14 months; and to receive a Bad Conduct Discharge.

Results of ROK Criminal Prosecutions for August 2014

In Daegu District Court on 8 August 2014, SPC Matthew D. Wright, 188th MP Company, USAG Daegu, was convicted of Assault with a dangerous Instrument and Hit and Run.  He was acquitted of the charges of DUI and Infliction of Bodily Injury.  His adjudged sentence was imprisonment for 1-1/2 years, suspended for 2 years.

In Uijeongbu District Court on 13 August 2014, SGT George Watts, 55th MP Company, USAG Casey, was convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Instrument, Assault and Infliction of Bodily Injury.  His adjudged sentence was imprisonment for 1-1/2 years, suspended for 3 years.

In Uijeongbu District Court on 13 August 2014, SPC Donnell T. Francis, E Btry, 2-1st ADA, USAG Daegu (Carroll), was convicted of Infliction of Bodily Injury.  His adjudged sentence was imprisonment for 6 months, suspended for 1 year.

In Uijeongbu District Court on 19 August 2014, SGT Ricky W. Hoerlein, D Co, 4/7th Cavalry, USAG Casey, was convicted of traffic law violations including DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 3,000,000 Won fine.

In Suwon District Court on 19 August 2014, PVT Terrance T. Tolbert, D Co, 3-2 GSAB, USAG Humphreys, was convicted of Assault.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,000,000 Won fine.

In Seoul Central District Court on 20 August 2014, MAJ Mario R. Mesa, HHB, 8th Army (I&S Co), was convicted of Indecent Act by Compulsion.  His adjudged sentence was imprisonment for 8 months, suspended for 2 years.  He was also ordered to enroll in a sexual crimes prevention class for 40 hours and register as a sex offender with the local authority.

In Seoul Central District Court on 20 August 2014, SSG Marcus C. Polarchy, HHB, 8th Army (HSC), USAG Yongsan, was convicted of Infliction of Bodily Injury.  His adjudged sentence was a 3,000,000 Won fine.

In Seoul Central District Court on 20 August 2014, Airman Federico F. Garza, 51st Munitions Squadron, Osan Air Base, was convicted of Larceny.  His adjudged sentence was a 2,000,000 Won fine.

In Uijeongbu District Court on 20 August 2014, SFC Timothy M. Caruana, HHC, 1/72d Armor, USAG Casey, was convicted of traffic law violations.  His adjudged sentence was a 2,000,000 Won fine.

In Daegu District Court on 20 August 2014, PFC Zachary T. Hamilton, C Btry, 2-1st ADA, USAG Daegu (Carroll), was convicted of traffic law violations.  His adjudged sentence was a 500,000 Won fine.

In Daegu District Court on 20 August 2014, MSG Wilbert Cassidy, Jr., HHC, 501st S-Brigade, USAG Daegu (Carroll), was convicted of traffic law violations.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,000,000 Won fine.

In Daegu District Court on 21 August 2014, CPT Bernard Harper, HHD, 6th Ordnance Battalion, USAG Daegu, was convicted of traffic law violations.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,000,000 Won fine.

In Suwon District Court on 25 June 2014, SFC Jeremy L. Johnson, D Co, 2-2 Assault, USAG Yongsan, was convicted of DUI and Hit and Run.  The Soldier requested a formal trial, but on 25 August 2014, he withdrew the request.  His adjudged sentence was a 7,000,000 Won fine.

In Uijeongbu District Court on 27 August 2014, SPC Joshua G. Wade, 629th MCAS, USAG Casey, was convicted of Damage of Property and Infliction of Bodily Injury.  His adjudged sentence was a 3,000,000 Won fine.

In Daegu District Court on 27 August 2014, SGT Michael A. David, HHD, 25th Transportation Battalion, USAG Daegu, was convicted of DUI and Infliction of Bodily Injury through Dangerous Driving.  His adjudged sentence was a 5,000,000 Won fine.

In Daejeon District Court on 28 August 2014, SrA Juan C. Azenon-Baries, 51st LRS, Osan Air Base, was found not guilty of Quasi-Robbery, but guilty of Larceny.  His adjudged sentence was a 2,000,000 Won fine.