GI Jailed as AWOL after loss of son.

[hippywife]

This letter has been received from Michael T. McPhearson, Executive Director of Veteran's for Peace, regarding his own son. I know DUer's will do what they can to help out in the one small way he is asking.


Hello Everyone,

I wanted to update people on the status of my son SPC Shaun Manuel. For those who know nothing about him I will go through a quick explanation. My son joined the Army in late December 2003. His Military Occupation Specialty is supply 92A (Automated Logistical Specialist). He served a tour in Iraq with the 101st Airborne, September 2005 to September 2006. He participated in convoys to transport supplies. He also participated in sweeps. All in all Shaun returned from his Iraq experience intact but facing a few emotional challenges. I am not an expert, but I think he has a slight case of PTSD, anger management. Events concerning his second son Jeremiah exacerbate these challenges.

Jeremiah was born June 2006 while Shaun was still in Iraq . In November Jeremiah was diagnosed with Muscular Spinal Atrophy, a genetic disease. He died January 3, 2007. Since that time my son’s motivation has suffered. It appears his command has not been very supportive. His brigade is scheduled return to Iraq in July. Shaun does not think his head is in the right place to do another tour. I think he told his command sometime last month that he wanted to get out of the military. I am not clear on all the details, but I do know he missed a number of work days and formations. When he returned he was arrested for being AWOL. He has been in jail since April 27.

We hope to have him out soon. He is set to face a summary court martial where he can receive 30 days jail time, hopefully time served. He will probably be chaptered out with a less than honorable discharge. His unit is currently in the field training for the deployment and will not be back to Fort Campbell until the 17th. I have visited him in jail. He seems in fair spirits considering his situation. Of course this has put tremendous stress on his wife Lanisha. She seems to be holding up well and his oldest son Justin acting his age of two. I admire Lanisha’s strength to handle this crisis.

If possible please write my son a few words of encouragement. I think a number of letters will help sustain him through this ordeal. It would also subtly inform the jail and his command that there are people aware of this situation and watching. Fort Campbell does not have a jail so he is the Christian County , Hopkinsville , KY jail.

SPC Shaun Manuel
C/O Christian County Jail
410 West 7th Street
Hopkinsville, KY 42240

I would like to thank several people for helping with legal support, Marti and Luke Hiken of Military Law Task Force, Elizabeth Stinson of the Peace and Justice Center of Sonoma County CA, and David Gespass in Birmingham AL.

Thank you everyone for all your support and I will keep you informed as things change. Please circulate as you think best.

Michael T. McPhearson

Veterans For Peace

Executive Director

[Joey Liberal]

1. Sorry, I don't believe this letter

I was stationed at Ft. Campbell and they do indeed have a stockade. Something just doesnt seem right with this story.

[hippywife]

2. The letter came directly to

a very close friend of mine who is working with VFP to raise funds for their organization.

[Joey Liberal]

3. If I'm wrong, then I'm sorry, but.........

I just think it's either a hoax or we aren't being told the whole story.

[hippywife]

4. I trust the source implicitly.

She received the info first hand. Verify it anyway you need to or don't bother. He's only asking for letters of support, not money.

[Joey Liberal]

5. If this is true, I will lend my support

I was an NCO at Ft. Campbell, Ky. I know the 101st can be a cold blooded outfit. Heck, this guy may have been in my old unit for all I know. But if he's in a jail off post, its for something other than AWOL. But, I'm from the pre-Bush era Army. If this is true, the Army really has gone to shit.

[hippywife]

6. I tend to be very skeptical these days myself.

So I can understand. And I truly wouldn't have posted this if I didn't trust where it came from and that my source received it directly.

Thanx for any support you can lend to uplift his spirits during this very difficult time.

[Joey Liberal]

7. This is what raised a red flag for me

"When he returned he was arrested for being AWOL. He has been in jail since April 27."
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Perhaps I have been out of the Army for far too long, but I don't think a commander or first sergeant (or any NCO or officer for that matter) on Ft. Campbell would call the Hopkinsville police department to arrest an AWOL soldier that has returned to the unit.

I'm not denying that the poor guy lost his son. I'm not even denying that the Army probably mishandled that tragedy.

I'm just saying that there is no way the Hopkinsville Police Department would come on to Ft. Campbell to arrest and jail a soldier for being AWOL.

[hippywife]

8. It doesn't say the police arrested him.

When he returned he was arrested for being AWOL."

I take that to mean he was arrested when he returned to base.

[Joey Liberal]

9. I'm afraid it does

It clearly states that he was arrested when he returns and his address is listed as the jail in Hopkinsville.
=======
Don't get me wrong, Hippywife. I don't like to see any soldiers mistreated and I certainly know how the Army can be cold blooded in these situations. But there has got to be more to this story.

[hippywife]

10. He doesn't live in Hopkinsville.

He lives in TN. He is posted in Hopkinsville. The letter also gave his wife's name and address to send letters of support to, as well, but I didn't want to post that here due to lurking right-wingers and the grief they can sometimes inflict on people.

I know you don't know me from Adam (or Eve.) All I can do is ask you to trust me that this information came directly from Mike McPhearson to my friend first hand. I don't post much here because I've spent most of the past several years actually out on the street organizing against this war.

You may do as you wish but I stand by this information as received first hand directly from Michael McPhearson to a dear friend who has been involved in raising funds for VFP.

I can offer you no more assurance than my word.

[Joey Liberal]

11. I don't doubt you at all

Your word is gold as far as I'm concerned. Please run the letter AND my comments past any Army veterans, (especially NCO's and officers) and see what they say. If I'm way off base on this, I will apologize to you. You have my word on that.

[hippywife]

12. This is the most I can give you in the way of

some small bit of independent verification at the moment.

From March of this year:
http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0316-30.htm

So what motivates me? Why have I decided to move forward with this tactic? I am motivated by the death of tens of thousands—perhaps hundreds of thousands—of people in this war. I am most motivated by the life of my only son, who is a soldier in the 101st Airborne who has already participated in one tour in Iraq.

I am also motivated by the January 3 death of Jeremiah, my 7-month-old grandson, of a genetic disease. I am motivated by the fact that when I peer through the pain of his death in search of reasons and people to blame, I can only find the reality and cycle of life. It is natural for people to die from disease, and for the most part, not any one person is to blame. But where I must accept the reality of life, Gold Star parents must face the reality of war, a human activity caused by human actions. Where I can find no one to hold responsible for my anger and pain, an Iraqi can hold my nation, my son and me responsible for their pain. This is the sense of urgency I hope my small act of civil disobedience will help convey.

I have to go to bed now. I hope that helps assuage some of your misgivings. Goodnight! :hi:

[Joey Liberal]

13. Thanks Hippywife

Please keep me posted on this, okay?
JL