Month: December 2014

USFK Court Martial Results for November 2014

| December 9, 2014

Here are the November 2014 court martial results that were posted on the USFK website.

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Results of Courts-Martial for November 2014

On 7 November 2014, at a General Court-Martial, SSG Randal C. Rucker, 65th Medical Brigade, was convicted of one specification of maltreatment of a subordinate (UCMJ, Article 93), four specifications of abusive sexual contact (Article 120), and one specification of assault consummated by a battery (Article 128).  He was sentenced to be reduced to E-1, to be confined for 12 months, and to be discharged with a Dishonorable Discharge.

On 11 November 2014, at a Special Court-Martial PFC Brandon L. Hall, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 2d Infantry Division, was found guilty of one specification of aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon (UCMJ Article 128) and one specification of assault consummated by battery (Article 128).  He was sentenced to reduction to E-1, six months confinement, and to be discharged with a Bad Conduct Discharge.

On 13 November 2014, at a General Court-Martial, SFC Gregory McClain, 210th Field Artillery Brigade was found guilty of one specification of failure to obey a general regulation (UCMJ, Article 92).  He was sentenced to reduction to the grade of Sergeant (E-5) and three months confinement.

On 19 November 2014, at a General Court-Martial, SGT Duane R. James, 65th Medical Brigade, was convicted of one specification of adultery (UCMJ, Article 134).  He was sentenced to a Bad-Conduct Discharge.

On 20 November 2014, at a General Court-Martial, CPT John G. Birdsong, 65th Medical Brigade, was found guilty of one specification of sexual assault (UCMJ, Article 120) and one specification of failing to obey a lawful general regulation (UCMJ, Article 92).  He was sentenced to confinement for 24 months and to be dismissed from the service.

On 24 November 2014, at a Summary Court-Martial, SFC Christopher L. Martinez, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, was found guilty of one specification of abusive sexual contact (UCMJ, Article 120) and one specification of failure to obey a lawful general order (Article 92).  He was sentenced to reduction to E-6 and forfeiture of two-thirds pay for one month.

Results of ROK Criminal Prosecutions for November 2014

In Seoul Central District Court on 7 November 2014, Airman Willie S. Ford, Jr., 51st CPTS, Osan Air Base, was convicted of Obstruction of Performance of Official Duties and Infliction of Bodily Injury.  His adjudged sentence was imprisonment for 6 months, suspended for 2 years.

In Suwon District Court on 20 November 2014, MSgt Reginald G. Burks, 51st AMXS, Osan Air Base, was convicted of DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,000,000 Won fine.

In Suwon District Court on 20 November 2014, MSgt David R. Sands, 607th SPTS/CSS, Osan Air Base, was convicted of DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,500,000 Won fine.

In Suwon District Court on 20 November 2014, SSgt David J. Torrey, 303d IS/DOA, Osan Air Base, was convicted of DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 2,000,000 Won fine.

In Seoul Central District Court on 21 November 2014, SSG Alan D. McNicholas, HHC, 2/9th Infantry, USAG Casey, was convicted of Assault.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,000,000 Won fine.

In Seoul Central District Court on 21 November 2014, SGT Crisoforo T. Trujillo, HHC,  2-2 Assault, USAG Yongsan, was convicted of Larceny and DUI.  His adjudged sentence was imprisonment for 6 months, suspended for 2 years.

In Suwon District Court on 26 November 2014, PFC Nico A. Pierce, 4-58th AOB, USAG Humphreys, was convicted of DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 1,500,000 Won fine.

In Suwon District Court on 26 November 2014, SFC Nathaniel J. Goza, A Co, 719th MI BN, USAG Humphreys, was convicted of DUI.  His adjudged sentence was a 4,000,000 Won fine.

In Seoul Central District Court on 4 February 2014, SGT Walter L. Thomas, B Btry, 1/15th FA, USAG Casey, was convicted of Infliction of Bodily Injury, Assault and Destruction of Property.  His adjudged sentence was a 2,000,000 Won fine.  The Soldier demanded a formal trial but withdrew the request on 24 November 2014.

First Korean War Memorial Unveiled In London

| December 9, 2014

I am a bit surprised that London did not have a memorial of any kind in it in recognition of the United Kingdom’s valiant soldiers who fought in the Korean War until now:

The first public memorial in London to British soldiers who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War was unveiled in a ceremony Wednesday along the banks of the River Thames.

The memorial incorporates a bronze statue of a British soldier by award-winning Scottish sculptor Philip Jackson that stands in front of an inscribed Portland stone obelisk on a base of Welsh slate.

The 5.8 by 3.1 meter (19 by 10 feet) memorial is just outside the headquarters of the U.K. Ministry of Defence. It is the last such monument to be erected in the capital of one of the 16 countries that allied with South Korea during the war. Over 300 members of the British Korean Veterans Association (BKVA) attended the unveiling ceremony in Victoria Embankment Gardens in central London.

The ceremony was also attended by 200 British and Korean officials, including the Duke of Gloucester and Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se. The memorial is a gift from the Korean government to express thanks to the 81,000 British soldiers who served in the Korean War, which includes 1,106 troops killed and 1,060 who were prisoners of war.

Queen Elizabeth II sent a congratulatory message that was read by the Duke of Gloucester. “The memorial is a fitting tribute to the veterans of that fierce conflict,” she said in the message, “and will ensure that they, and their fallen comrades, are never forgotten.”

“The Korean War was the first UN action against aggression,” reads an inscription on the obelisk. “Although exhausted and impoverished after the Second World War, Britain responded immediately by providing strong naval, army and air forces and became the second largest contributor after the United States. A distant obligation honorably discharged.”  [Joong Ang Ilbo]

You can read more at the link.

US Congressman Supports Korea’s Claims to Dokdo

| December 8, 2014

Representative Royce is pretty much just stating reality and hopefully one day the Japanese will accept this reality:

The chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee said “Dokdo” is the right name to refer to South Korea’s easternmost islets, rejecting Japan’s long-running claims that the East Sea islets are its own.

“It’s another one of those issues where we have to understand history and what abuses occurred because it is relevant to our understanding today,” Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency earlier this week. “The proper name is Dokdo island.”

Japan’s claims to Dokdo have long been a key thorn in relations between Seoul and Tokyo, along with other issues stemming from Tokyo’s 1910-45 colonial rule, such as Japan’s enslavement of Korean women as sex slaves for its troops.

South Korea has rejected Japan’s claims over Dokdo as nonsense because the country regained independence from colonial rule and reclaimed sovereignty over its territory, including Dokdo and many other islands around the Korean Peninsula.

Seoul has been keeping a small police detachment on Dokdo since 1954.

It is considered unusual for the U.S. House Foreign Affairs committee chief to openly reject Japan’s claims to the islets. The U.S. government has not taken any side on the issue, leaving the matter to Seoul and Tokyo to sort out.

Royce, who has been reelected the committee’s chairman for the incoming Congress, is considered one of the “pro-Korean” U.S. lawmakers. He has led a series of legislation and resolutions on issues related to South and North Korea.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link, but Representative Royce has also been pushing the Japanese to accept the human rights abuses that happened in regards to the comfort women as well.

ROK Army NCO Investigated for Raping Subordinate

| December 7, 2014

Maybe this is just a translation error, but does anyone know how does the ROK Army have 18-year old Staff Sergeants?

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A South Korean Army sergeant was arrested Thursday on charges of repeated sexual assaults of an 18-year-old solider, local media reported.

The 26-year-old sergeant first class, identified only as Kim, is accused of having raped his junior colleague, a staff sergeant who is also male, several times since March this year.  [Korea Observer]

You can read more at the link.

Gangnam to Redevelop Seoul’s Last Shantytown

| December 7, 2014

I wonder if the local government will send in thugs to chase people out of this shantytown like they have done in the past in other neighborhoods in Seoul to get them redeveloped?:

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) and Gangnam District Office have agreed to resume a long-stalled project to develop a shanty town in the most affluent district in Seoul, officials said Friday.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and Shin Yeon-hee, head of the district office, will hold a joint press conference next week to announce details of the agreement, an SMG official said.

The SMG and the district office have long been at odds over how to develop Guryong Village, considered the last remaining urban slum in Seoul, and how to compensate the residents.

“The SMG has decided to accept the district office’s demands regarding how to develop the area,” the SMG official said.

The SMG’s change of stance was prompted by a fire in the village on Nov. 10 that left one person dead and destroyed the homes of 136 people. It was the eleventh fire in the village since 2009.

“We understood the urgency for the government to take swift action, since political gridlock means nothing when people die and lose their homes,” the official said.  [Korea Times]

You can read more at the link.