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Urging the United States Congress to investigate the involuntary discharge of SFC Charles Martland from the United States Army and urging that he be retained in the military.
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WHEREAS, In September 2011, SFC Charles Martland, was serving in Afghanistan’s war-torn Kunduz province. He was a member of a U.S. Army Special Forces, A-Team (commonly referred to as Green Berets) that was tasked with establishing a new local police force with the support of local Afghan tribal leaders; and
WHEREAS, SFC Martland and his Team Commander, CPT Dan Quinn, were approached by a local mother and her child who was limping. She told them that the local Afghan police commander, Abdual Rahman, who was trained and supported by their team, had kept the 12-year-old boy as a sex slave. Abdual Rahman kidnapped the boy and kept him tied to a post in his house where he was brutally raped by Rahman for over ten days; and
WHEREAS, The boy’s mother desperately sought the release of her son. Abdual Rahman beat her for complaining to the authorities; and
WHEREAS, CPT Quinn and SFC Martland questioned Abdual Rahman about the matter and he responded by laughing and saying it was not an important matter. CPT Quinn picked up Abdual Rahman and body-slammed him to the ground; SFC Martland followed up with a kick; and
WHEREAS, CPT Quinn was immediately relieved of his command. He has since left the military. SFC Martland was placed under the Army’s Qualitative Management Program, a process that can be triggered by derogatory information on their record, which aids in weeding out less desirable soldiers, leaving a black mark on their record; and
WHEREAS, As a result, SFC Martland, an 11-year, combat decorated Special Forces NCO, was to be discharged from the Army by November 1st. Martland appealed the decision but the U.S. Army Human Resources Command told Martland that his case “did not meet the criteria” for the appeal; and
WHEREAS, As CPT Quinn stated in an interview with the NY Times, “The reason we were here is because we heard the terrible things the Taliban were doing to people, how they were taking away human rights. But we were putting people into power who would do things that were worse than the Taliban did — that was something village elders voiced to me”; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-California) has asked the Secretary of Defense to intervene on Martland’s behalf; and
WHEREAS, American soldiers have been instructed not to intervene — in some cases, not even when their Afghan allies have abused boys on military bases, according to interviews and court records; and
WHEREAS, The NY Times reports that the policy of instructing soldiers to ignore child sexual abuse by their Afghan allies is coming under new scrutiny, particularly as it emerges that service members like Captain Quinn have faced discipline, even career ruin, for disobeying it; and
WHEREAS, This case has become a national concern. American citizens should voice their opinion to provide guidance to our government and our military. Our democracy depends on the citizen soldier and they pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America. We are not protected by mercenaries but by American citizens who bring American values and the light of democracy with them wherever they go; and
WHEREAS, The United States holds as its highest ideals freedom, democracy, and self-determination. As the birthplace of this nation, Philadelphia steps forward to provide moral leadership on this issue; and
WHEREAS, The Special Forces Association “serves as the voice for the special forces Community, perpetuates Special Forces traditions and brotherhood, advances the public image of Special Forces, and promotes the general welfare of the Special Forces Community”; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby urge the United States Congress to investigate the involuntary discharge of SFC Charles Martland from the United States Army and that he be retained in the military.
RESOLVED FURTHER, That Engrossed copies of this resolution be presented to the Special Forces Association, National Headquarters; Special Forces Association, Chapter 64; Special Forces Association, Chapter 26; and Special Forces Association, Chapter 19, evidencing the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body.
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