After posting a video condemning the situation in Afghanistan, a Marine Corps lieutenant colonel was relieved of command. In response, the veterans community is rallying behind him.
Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller posted a video last week following the suicide bombings that killed 11 Marines, one Army Green Beret and one Navy corpsman, along with several Afghani citizens, Just the News reports.
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In the video, Scheller, who wore his service uniform, challenged his chain of command and demanded accountability from senior leaders on the situation in Afghanistan.
“I want to say this very strongly,” Scheller said in the video. “I have been fighting for 17 years. I am willing to throw it all away to say to my senior leaders: I demand accountability.”
He called on Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David H. Berger, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley.
“I’m not saying we need to be in Afghanistan forever, but I am saying, did any of you throw your rank on the table and say, ‘Hey, it’s a bad idea to evacuate Bagram Airfield, a strategic airbase, before we evacuate everyone?'” Scheller asked “Did anyone do that? And when you didn’t think to do that, did anyone raise their hand and say, ‘we completely messed this up?'”
After the video went viral, Scheller posted an update on his personal Facebook page.
“To all my friends across the social networks,” he wrote. “I have been relieved for cause based on a lack of trust and confidence as of 14:30 today. My chain of command is doing exactly what I would do if I were in their shoes.”
“America is still the light shining in a fog of chaos. When my Marine Corps career comes to an end, I look forward to a new beginning. My life’s purpose is to make America the most lethal and effective foreign diplomacy instrument. While my days of hand to hand violence may be ending, I see a new light on the horizon,” he continued.
Following his firing, supporters organized a campaign for his reinstatement.
Anthony Slate, whose social media identifies him as retired from Marine Force Recon, asked people to take action.
“Here’s the public affairs office for the United States Marine Corps,” Slate wrote on LinkedIn. “I suggest we the people contact the Marine Corps and let them know how we feel on the matter!!!!!”
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“My chain of command is doing exactly what I would do if I were in their shoes.”
If that is true, then you are accepting their point of view and their decisions. You were right to call them out and I support you in that, but if you were in their shoes, then I would think that you would handle it differently.
I do hope that you will be reinstated.
The current chain of command will never reinstate this heroic Marine, they’re afraid of his truth.
I hope he decides to run for office either in the house or senate because I would/ will be honored to vote for him!
HECK, all those active duty troops who came out in his defense, i wouldn’t be shocked to see THEM BEING punished…
We all took an OATH to defend the CONSTITUION! The leadership in this country has not done their job and are tying the hands of the military leaders. Semper Fi. I stand with my brother. Hold everyone of them accountable
Preferably at the tip of a bayonette..
This Marine has courage and has maintained his honor as a leader, a Marine and an American. He speaks truth to power and the power needs to hear it. He should be reinstated immediately if he wants to be. Problem is, for the time being at least, he will still be under the command of clumsy incompetents who are more interested in their political lives then the lives their allies and their troops.
I do not believe America has any military leadership currently, and what little they do have is not worth having.
This marine needs to be reinstated. It is awful that his incompetent, biased, weak, controlled generals fired him for speaking the truth about the catastrophy Biden created with his incompetency in withdrawing the people from Afghanistan. Biden and those Military Brass all need to be out – Of course, if they dare to speak the truth, this happens, they get fired – shows how powerful the democrats party is today – you speak out about them or anyone who disagrees with them is doing and – you are out instead of the people who should be. This Marine is a Hero – He is a true American and NOT the weak cowards that relieve him of his command. I hope he has a lot of people coming forward to support him.
As a veteran, one of the first things you learn is using your chain of command for ANYTHING. I agree with everything this Marine said and he knew what would happen once he went public with his statement. This is not a democrat or republican thing, it’s a military thing, break with the chain of command and your butt is done, call out superior officers in a public forum, and your butt is done quicker. Free speech does not apply in the military, speak your mind, get jacked up, period.
Scheller knew that. But his sense of honor is higher than anything. THIS is the guy who should be president!
I understand the military protocol, however it is obvious that he EXPECTED that a complaint sent through the chain of command would never have seen the light of day. Likely it would not have made it past his immediate superior and would still have negatively affected his career.
Seeing what we have for our highest ranking ‘military leaders’ today reminds me of something I heard or read many years ago, that the military’s solution for ranking ‘screw ups’ they couldn’t remove was to promote them into a different job.
Exactly Z_man. HE KNEW he would get punished but SPOKE HIS MIND anyway.
That shows TRUE courage.
Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, a real man and then there is Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, who need a safe space, with their wokeness and white supremacy garbage. Hey Lloyd Austin and Mark Milley, I will give you Barbie Dolls for Christmas, so you can play with them in your safe space.
GI Joe would be too scary and “toxic masculine” for US generals so Barbie is the better choice. Try to find her pregnant friend Midge and dress her in a camo maternity uniform because that’s what Milley and Co. see as the face of the US military that they’re re-making into a laughing stock for our enemies.
I support this man, but he knew there was only going to be one possible end to this, and I support him for his courage. But in our system, Civilians are always in charge of the military, and of course the Democrats are not smart enough to know how grave this responsibility is, so they have likely cost the service of the best men we could hope to have. It once again underlines the phrase, “Elections have consequences.” Sadly, the price for this one will cost us dearly for 3 and a half more years. Either we b***h and moan, or we start a recall of BOTH 10% Joe and 1% Camel. Otherwise, this man will begin a new career soon, and that is the way it should be.
We don’t change the system because we didn’t get what we wanted. The same goes for the electoral college, that’s the system and it is the best in the world! How about we teach responsibility again, starting with the VOTE!
I hope he decides to run for office, house or senate because I would be honored to vote for this hero, a hero in his honorable service and a hero for speaking out against a very broken chain of command.
I’d be honored too.. HE CAN Run against that traitor, Romney!
As was pointed out the chain of command is important and should be followed, in this case the chain of command IS the problem and they unnecissarily risked lives and property by poor planning and execution of an assignment. Lt. Col. Scheller has garnered the support of many military figures who were real leaders and did their jobs right!
WHEN the chain of command is what is the problem, YOU BY RIGHTS SHOULD go around it, to air your grievances..
He was removed from his position as Battalion Commander for the social media/opinions rendered which is not allowed while in uniform or title as it infers he speaks for USMC . It’s a judgement issue he made knowing the consequences. “Lost confidence in his ability to command..” is the usual terms used. Not at all an infrequent event in the military for any variety of reasons. Fact: He voluntarily resigned his commission, his choice. He was not “fired” by USMC, just removed from command of a battalion and would be moved to another posting doing other things. At 17 yrs he has a lot to share for the betterment of the CCorps and those behind him. At 17 yrs good service he qualifies for “sanctuary” and is allowed to stay on active duty until 20 yrs where he retires at Lt.Col with full pension/benefits/honors. He apparently chose to forgo that & not take sanctuary but quit. His choice..the USMC did not “fire” him. A loss for him and his family, the Marine Corps and our country.
Perhaps not “fired”, but sure as hell relegated to a position of little or no influence or responsibility. Chain of command has always had an influence , and, seldom been of much use. One has to remember that the bottleneck is always at the top of the bottle.. Even going to the “neutral and unbiased” Inspector General can have consequences… Surprised that the Marine veterans haven’t started a “go fund me” for him….. Never heard of “sanctuary” service protection, and 10 to 1 they would have gotten rid of him for “failure to advance in grade”. Failing everything else they would have gotten him on a catchall article in the UCMJ called “Conduct unbecoming an officer and a Marine”.
who ever suggested leaving bagram airfield is a pure military genius-not-
leave a fortified position which you were controlling for a public position which got you controlled
really intelligent–not
and wind up letting the enemy dictate a time table to you-absolutely indefensible
EVERYONE of the officers in charge, who MADE that call, need to visit leavenworth, for at least 20 years!
He will never be reinstated – he is no “woke” nor does he belong to Burn, Loot, Maim or antifa or a “yes sir” person. It will have to be up to us “We, the people” to make sure that our military does not go so far south (beyond Mexico – lol) that on nonbinary personnel will be allowed to enlist or become officers.
I don’t what branch of the service this guy was in. He said and did the right thing. I know no one wants to risk their career if they have several years in, but sometimes it requires risk to put a stop to incompetent stupid leadership that needlessly risk lives for nothing. Come on, men in the other branches! I want to also see Army, Navy, and Air Force people do the same thing. This stupid nonsense needs to be stopped!
IF they lack the courage, to do the right thing, THEN THE SHOULDN’T BE in the military!