Officer guilty of sending arms from Iraq

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AP) — A military judge Thursday found an Air Force officer guilty of illegally shipping a small arsenal of automatic weapons and hundreds of other war souvenirs home from Iraq.


Maj. Gregory McMillion stood at rigid attention with his two military lawyers as Col. Ronald Gregory read his verdict in the judge-only court-martial. The proceedings then moved into the penalty phase with the prosecution presenting four character witnesses before court recessed for the day. Defense character witnesses will testify Friday.

The 44-year-old McMillion faces anything from no penalty to a prison term of eight years.

Prosecutors said McMillion is a gun and military paraphernalia enthusiast who tried to use his deployment to stock his personal collection.

<snip>

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/national/index.ssf?/base/national-44/1116548097134970.xml&storylist=national

[jayctravis]

1. We need those guns back! Someone else has to use that!

So...he's charged for stealing guns, used by the military, which is paid for by the US taxpayers, one of which he ostensibly is. Stupid though. He should lose ranks but not have to spend time in jail.

I almost accidentally committed a felony by not returning library books to my college until after I gotten back from summer break. They said they'd got notice that it was equal to stealing from the government. The Librarian said I'd had another couple of weeks before they actually had done something about it as required by the state. I would expect punishment for this, but hold up registration for the next semester or something!

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

2. Did you read what he took?

"McMillion's booty included about 30 automatic rifles, six rocket-propelled grenade launchers and dozens of magazines, scopes and sights. There also were several dummy land mines and grenades, 1,183 Iraqi army berets, more than 600 pairs of socks and eight full uniforms. Other items included a statue looted from an Iraqi museum."

I've seen people do time for stealing a jar of mustard. But hey, this guy's an officer and a gentleman, right?

[jayctravis]

3. No I certainly did not!

You're right. He didn't take his own stuff. He took everyone else's stuff!

There's always one in every situation. My dad reported that a coworker's daughter asked him, "Do they make anything besides pens and pencils at your factory?"

Yes, these are firearms. Yes, he should get jail time like any other person stealing weapons.

Mah bad!

[NYC]

4. 600 pairs of socks?

That's too weird.

The theft of the statue from the museum merits jail time.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Officer convicted in war trophy case

Posted on Fri, May. 20, 2005

AIR FORCE

Officer convicted in war trophy case

BY BILL KACZOR
Associated Press

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE -- A military judge Thursday found an Air Force officer guilty of illegally shipping a small arsenal of automatic weapons and hundreds of other war souvenirs home from Iraq.

Maj. Gregory McMillion stood at rigid attention with his two military lawyers as Col. Ronald Gregory read his verdict in the judge-only court-martial.

The proceedings then moved into the penalty phase with the prosecution presenting four character witnesses before court recessed for the day.

Defense character witnesses will testify Friday.

The 44-year-old McMillion faces anything from no penalty to loss of rank, pay and benefits, a discharge and a maximum prison term of eight years.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/11691256.htm
(Free registration is required)



EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Officials have preferred
charges against Maj. Gregory McMillion after an
investigation found evidence he allegedly shipped
contraband items here from an Operation Iraqi Freedom
deployment. The suspected contraband includes knives
and bayonets. Major McMillion is assigned to the base's
728th Air Control Squadron. (Courtesy photo)

http://www.af.mil/news/story_print.asp?storyID=123008259

[pinniped]

6. Damm, was he going to open a museum?

?

[Sabriel]

9. A Sock 'n Beret Museum?

I guess I'll put that one on my summer must-see list.

[Vickers]

7. Doesn't that cowardly jackass in the Oval Office have 1 of Saddam's guns?

And doesn't Rummy have some of the WTC wreckage in his office?

Those guys are no better.

[LynnTheDem]

8. Well DAMN! I thought it was about BUSH!

And his Saddam Hussein pistol war trophy.

Duhhh me! Imagine thinking "Commander in Chief" bush would be held to the same laws as all other Americans except bush-buddies) are held to!

:spank:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

11. Thanks for the update!

[jmowreader]

10. You could start your own army with all that stuff!

When I pulled this up, I figured it would be two or three bayonets. They're busting guys for that now--no war trophies allowed. Why, if we let guys take things home from this war, about fifty years in the future some little kid is going to find a bayonet in the attic, ask grandpa what he did in the war, and hear ALL about George Bush--a history that had been conveniently left out of the history books.

Noooooooo...Major McMillion (ironic name if you like that kind of thing) stole enough Iraqi military hardware to open his own battalion. He had to have used a conex or something to ship all of that back--you are NOT going to put that many weapons in the mail!

Yeah, this guy needs to go to jail.

[TX-RAT]

12. He's way over the edge

Bringing back a souvenir is one thing, but enough weapons, to support a platoon is, just over the edge.

My father gave me an old Luger Pistol, complete with 2 mags and a shoulder holster, he brought back from Germany.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

13. I've got a frame full of Japanese occupation money and a

stainless steel armband from the deck of the Arizona from WWII...

That's before greed became a positive character trait for Americans.