Submitted by Robert Jernigan, Feb 6, 2007 20:37

I feel the deep desire to voice my opinion to your organization and to Mr. Whatada. First, thank you for your service in our military. However, my position is that you should serve time in prison for dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming an officer. Moreover, I will explain why.

First, as a soldier, you above all the celebrity endorsers you have attracted, should understand a since of duty and honor. Nothing I have read about your story exemplifies you as a duty bound or honorable soldier. I am sorry to be so blunt, and so outspoken, but you have treaded on a nerve with me after an 8-year Army career where I did every sorry job and went to every horrendous place the Army asked me to go.

Second, as an apparently intelligent college graduate, I would expect that you logically weighed the options, pros and cons, and consequences of enlisting in the US Army. During this thoughtful time, it must have occurred to you that by signing that contract, the Army may ask you to do something that you did not want to do. Further, before enlistment, and during your college years, you must have spoken to other people that either served or were serving in the military. In light of their personal opinions of the military, how did you not conclude that the military might not be the place for you.

Today's society, unfortunately, does not hold as a value that people must be accountable for their decisions and be prepared to suffer any and all consequences that may be encountered as a result of those decisions. Further, society has formed a new opinion that life is fair. Someone along the line has decided, and then spread the idea that life is fair, and the repercussions of this belief are desecrating society, as we know it. Life is not fair, it is not now, nor will it ever be, and we must be responsible for your actions. As a soldier, however, once you enlisted, you agreed to go by the government's rules, regulations and requirements. I am formally requesting that you as an intelligent man and soldier be responsible for your own well thought out decisions, and in addition, realize that your life, and especially as a soldier is not fair or perfect.

Third, although I commend you for volunteering for Afghanistan, in lieu of going to Iraq and I applaud you for standing up for what you believe in, when your request was denied, you should have shown some sack and did what you had to do. I understand you do not personally agree with this particular war in Iraq, and I am not necessarily a proponent of it, however, if you would like to decide the fate for the entire military, please run for public office. Do not desecrate the memories of the soldiers who have gone, fought and died for your ability to openly oppose the establishment in this country. You had from birth until June, 2003, three months after the beginning of open military hostilities in Iraq and 2 months after the topple of the Saddam statue, to decide if going to war for your country was something you would be able to do. You should have been well aware that there was going to be a war in Iraq, you chose to enlist anyway. You decided you would and could go to war in Iraq at that point in time.

Finally, and most importantly to me, my mother and father raised me to believe that, as a man, if you agreed to do a job, do it 100 percent. If that job paid 1 dollar, or 1 million dollars, do it 100 percent. If you do not plan to do it fully, do not agree to do the job. I have kept that position in my life, and have never had a job where I was not rapidly promoted and regularly commended. You agreed to, and signed a lengthy contract regarding your job as a soldier. You had the full knowledge at the time of enlistment we were a country at war. You understood what a soldier does, where they go, and the hardships they endure.

As you can see, your actions fly in the face of many things that I believe as a man, and as a prior service soldier, your actions not only infuriate me, but also are blatantly offensive to me. In addition, I do not think you have thought, just as you did when you enlisted, about the full consequences of your actions. You will be a felon, with a dishonorable discharge from the military, and an ex-con. Please take a moment to consider the ramifications of these stigmas on your career choices after prison.

Best wishes in your endeavors.

Robert M. Jernigan Jr.

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