WAR: U.S. Army Reservists Escape Court-Martial, page 1

The U.S. Army has issued a statement that the members of the National Guard unit who refused orders to go on a dangerous mission will not be court maritaled. Instead they will recive demotions and other administrative pusnishment such as extra duty. The unit made headlines when iut refused a resupply mission citing broken rquipment and lack of protection.

[url=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=1&u=/ap/20041206/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_us_unit_investigation]story.news.yahoo.com[/ url]
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. military said Monday it will not court-martial any of the 23 Army reservists who refused a mission transporting fuel along a dangerous road in Iraq, instead planning less severe punishments such as extra duties or reduction in rank.

The announcement came as a U.S. soldier appeared in military court in a separate case to face a murder charge for the death of an Iraqi man in an impoverished Shiite Muslim quarter of Baghdad, scene of clashes between U.S. troops and insurgents this year.

The reservists from the 343rd Quartermaster Company are being disciplined for failing to follow orders under Article 15, which means no court proceedings will be held and the identities of the soldiers involved will not be released, Lt. Col. Steve Boylan said.

The soldiers failed to report on Oct. 13 for a mission to transport supplies from Tallil air base near Nasiriyah to Taji north of Baghdad. They said they balked because the vehicles were in poor condition and did not have armor. They also said complaints to their commander went unheeded.

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The Army no doubt did this to avaoid bad publicity surrounding the event. The soilders refused to go because they were not equipped nor protected properly. Im glad they will not be court martiald regardless of the Army�s reasons. Its pretty clear that this is a group that will not reenlist when thier terms of service comes up. So far, 18 of the soilders have been punihed and more will follow.