AWOL Soldier appears at court martial

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A soldier has appeared at a military court for refusing to go back to Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Joe Glenton from the Royal Logistic Corps believes the UK's mission in the country will fail. Having joined the Army in 2004, he went AWOL in 2007 before handing himself in after two years and six days.

Lance Corporal Glenton, from York, says the Nimrod crash in 2006 was a key event which left him disillusioned with the war during his first tour of Afghanistan.

Last week he handed a letter to Gordon Brown and said: "It is my primary concern that the courage and tenacity of my fellow soldiers has become a tool of American foreign policy."

The 27-year-old is facing a court martial for desertion and will appear at Bulford Military Court Centre, in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

[Guest Close Capt]

We've been discussing this a length at work where we are all ex-regular servicemen and some of us are now reservists. The consensus is that this NCO signed on the dotted line. However much he, and on occasions we may have disagreed with or questioned what we were being asked to do, we nonetheless signed the line as having accepted our terms and conditions of service, and that is/was our part of the contract we have/had with our country. End of.

This isn't the first time in history that this has happened, and doubtless will this be the last. However, unlike his predecessors from previous campaigns this individual had the option to exercise his right to apply for Discharge by Purchase, but instead, and perhaps for reasons we may never understand, he chose the option of desertion. My feeling, and one that is also shared by my colleagues, is that his letter to the PM is little more than an attempt to mitigate the circumstances that will be brought up at his Court Martial. I guess we will just have to wait and see, but like many of you I will be watching the outcome of this trial with much interest.

Capt

[Guest Close Frenchie]

Capt,
I agree with your summary. Listening to this soldier during the brief interviews on national media, he seems intelligent and articulate. It seems that he may well believe - or has come to believe - his defense.
It will of course be of no avail as the court martial progresses. The officers of the court martial will look at the wider issue and will never set precedences. The armed forces can never, and will never, open up general and operational orders to debate, and rightly so. The alternative doesn't bear thinking abaout.

[Guest Close Tommo5050]

6 months, soldier on, posted under armed escort to Op Herrick, mine clearing for the outstanding time left on his tour that he deserted from.

[Guest Close Jimmy Mac]

There may well be a lot of truth in what he says, but that in no way justifies his actions. Desertion is a serious offence that rightly needs to be dealt with. He may not agree with the war in Afghanistan, but by doing what he did he only succeeded in leaving his colleagues to cover for him while he swans off. There's been many things we've been asked/ordered to do that we didn't particularly like or agree with, but such is a Soldier's lot. He seems to have forgotten the oath he took upon enlisting where he PROMISED these words ...
I SWEAR BY ALMIGHTY GOD THAT I WILL BE FAITHFUL AND BEAR TRUE ALLEGIANCE TO HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II, HER HEIRS AND SUCCESSORS AND THAT I WILL, AS IN DUTY BOUND, HONESTLY AND FAITHFULLY DEFEND HER MAJESTY, HER HEIRS AND SUCCESSORS, IN PERSON CROWN AND DIGNITY AGAINST ALL ENEMIES AND WILL OBSERVE AND OBEY ALL ORDERS OF HER MAJESTY, HER HEIRS AND SUCCESSORS AND OF THE GENERALS AND OFFICERS SET OVER ME.

He isn't the first one to have broken his oath, and he probably won't be the last. Like many I, too, will be watching the outcome of this particular case. It could be interesting in that they (MoD) could try to use it as a warning to others should they commit the same offence, yet it could go the other way and not be as we might expect. Given the time that he was AWOL could very well affect the outcome and you might find that there's not a lot they can do to him as far as punishment ... the worst he might get is a spell in Colchester then a further few months with his Regiment to finish out his time, then he'll be gone. We'll see, but whatever happens he'll have lost any/all respect he may have had, and that's not something that can be bought.

[Guest Close NAAFI_Q]

What this doesn't say, but what it means to me, for what that's worth, is that this guy has not just deserted, but he has let his mates down, big time. He can go and boil his head, scream and shout, hold his hand to his heart or on a stack of bibles, but by deserting whilst under operational orders was a crime punishable by a firing squad until about 1935.
The do gooders flock to guys like this, and doubtless some fringe organisation like 'troops out', or even 'mosques for us' will bankroll his defense, creaming off the air time on TV not given to those who are being killed for doing their duty, but personally, I wouldn't pee in his 'at.

[Guest Close Tommo5050]

He's calculated his time away on his little trip quite well, I've just been speaking to an ex Army Officer who has informed me that owing to being absent for over two years (Two years and six days to be precise) it is unlikely the Army will put him in the Nick, he will more likely to be discharged and after Court Martial and that will be that. Beggars belief.

[Guest Close Jimmy Mac]

That's what I was meaning Tommo ... I didn't want to go into Army Orders/Regulations, etc, so that's why I said Given the time that he was AWOL could very well affect the outcome and you might find that there's not a lot they can do to him as far as punishment
The problem for me isn't so much about what he says now ... it's about the fact that for the past two years he's been ignoring the plight of his colleagues who he ran out on. This guy could have handed himself in at any time during the last two years, but he knows the score ... he's done his homework and this was a planned, deliberate act. He could have continued to avoid being caught, but he knows he doesn't have to any more, so why should he. If it were down to me I'd send him back and make him finish out his last year in the Army in the place he ran away from, then when he's finally booted out I'd make a rule that would prevent him from working and earning a wage ever again ... we often hear of the young people of today being referred to as 'losers', but not all young people are losers ... if you want to see the real definition of a LOSER, look no further tha this man, former Lance Corporal Glenton, from York. What really sickens me is that he'll probably get a medal for having been there and, if that's not bad enough, he might even take part in a Parade or Service wearing such medals ...... so if anyone ever comes across this guy at a Parade and/or wearing medals, particularly one for Service in Afghanistan, please please be sure to give him a kick in the knackers from me :x :x

[Guest Close Frenchie]

so if anyone ever comes across this guy at a Parade and/or wearing medals, particularly one for Service in Afghanistan, please please be sure to give him a kick in the knackers from me :x :x

Is that an order sir?? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[Guest Close Tommo5050]

Waste of effort Jimmy, the guy obviously has no balls.

A bucket of custard over the head might be more appropriate, but then again, would you want to have the criminal record for doing it. The best way to deal with this person would be for every serviceman to turn their backs to him, just like he did to his muckers.

[weemac Golden Greeter/Association Standard Bearer Find all posts View Profile Close weemac]

there was a right ding dong on the radio the other day between tim collins and the stop the war coallition over this very person.
Th ecoallition woman was praising this guys "bravery" for speaking out and encouraged others to do the same, when tim collins pointed out that "encouragement" to disobey orders was in fact a jailable offence and that she may indeed have crossed the line during her interview.

[Guest Close BigStevie]

This reminds me of a story from Spike Milligan's war memoirs:

One of his mate's "would announce "I'm off sand-ratting" (sand-rat - seaside working girl) and would disappear for a month, then turn up back at the barracks. Put on CO's, 28 days in nick, then he would go off and do it again.
The CO asked him, "Why do you do this, man?"
"I'm scared of being shot, sir".

He was sent to a military pscychiatrist.
"Why do you keep deserting?"
"It's the uniform, Germans shoot at it on sight"
The doctor reported, "there is nothing wrong with this man. He has a wholesome fear of being killed by Germans".

Eventually he was 'posted sideways'. Where did he end up? Woolwich Arsenal."

['Adolf Hitler - my part in his Downfall' by Spike Milligan]

At the end of the day, joining the Armed Forces is about allowing them to tell you what to do, i.e. obeying orders. You don't normally join the Army to protest about what they tell you to do, or the political legitimacy of the order.
His actions as they stand will not save a single life, or change the government's position. All he will ever get is a bloody good kicking from any soldier who recognises him.
All a bit bloody pointless then, really.

[Guest Close NAAFI_Q]

The problem for me isn't so much about what he says now ... it's about the fact that for the past two years he's been ignoring the plight of his colleagues who he ran out on. This guy could have handed himself in at any time during the last two years, but he knows the score

Well said, that man with the A1 avatar.

[Guest Close Jimmy Mac]

Aye Q, we've got to keep the flag flying mate
And Tommo, you're probably right about him having no balls, but I think a good kick in the under-carriage would be a sure way of finding out ... don't you
WeeMac, I didn't hear that, but Tim Collins is a friend of mine and was my son's CO, and anyone who's looking for a bit of a ding-dong couldn't go to a better man ... he'll be happy to oblige (it's in our blood)

I agree that turning your back on him would probably be the best course of action and reckon he'd soon get the message. It's fair for people to say someone's 'brave' for having the courage to say what they think, but this wasn't bravery ... this was cowardice. It's both acceptible and understandable for individuals to be scared, in fact I'd much rather have someone with me who has a healthy fear for what's going on, but leaving your mates under these circumstances can not be called 'brave' and can't be justified. If he'd completed his tour THEN spoken to someone about how he feels then I would have some respect for him, but he has lost all respect and I don't really think he cares about that ... if he did he wouldn't/couldn't have done what he did. I'm just wondering if any of his Regimental colleagues were either wounded or killed during their tour and, if so, how does he feel about that every time he closes his eyes.

Don't be surprised if he writes a book about it

[Guest Close Helter]

http://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/...desertion_char

The way I see it is he did his first tour and on realising he was going back for a second tour he **** his breeks and suddenly turned in to a conscientious objector as an excuse to hide the fact that he a yellow streak running down his back, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being frightened of the situation you are serving in, I have felt it myself on the streets of N.I and that was a good thing, it kept you alert, and being alert kept you and your mucker's safe, to jump on the "war is wrong" band waggon is a total disgrace. Just a pity he didn't decide to desert on his first tour whilst serving there, a bullet in his back for desertion would have been a most fitting end for him. I'm just waiting for the do gooders to produce medical evidence saying how deeply affected he was by the war, if they do I hope the military have found his kecks heavily soiled to prove he was nothing more than a chicken livered cowardly moron, who thought joining up was a good career choice as the money was decent, like a few others they want the money but don't want to have to fight to earn it. Kick him out he is a liability, you need people around you who you can trust and rely upon when the **** hits the fan, and he quite frankly he doesn't fit the bill.



As stated earlier in this thread this guy seems * intelligent and articulate " what bugs me is why didn't he just buy himself out, but who would be interested in buying his story then ? answer is no one, this way he gets full media coverage of his court case, his story then sold to the highest bidder, as also stated a book maybe later to be turned into a movie, he sounds calculated, just hope they see through his game plan.