Green Beret To Be Discharged For Standing Up To Afghan Boy's Rapist

Ben Graham | September 24, 2015
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Sergeant First Class Charles Martland, member of the Green Beret, stepped up to help a young boy who was being sexually assaulted by an Afghan police commander. Martland was tasked with mentoring the police commander, named Abdul Rahman, when he discovered the commander’s sexual abuse of a village boy and the beating of his mother.

Martland and fellow Green Beret Daniel Quinn were approached by the boy and his mother who accused Rahman of “brutally” raping the boy, who had the ligature marks to prove that he had been tied up. 

When confronted, Rahman confessed to the crimes and laughed it off. He said that it wasn’t a big deal and continued laughing. It was then that the Green Berets had heard enough and shoved Rahman to the ground.

“It was the only way to get [our] point across,” said Quinn. "As a man, as a father of a young boy myself at the time, I felt obliged to step in to prevent further repeat occurrences,"

Martland is likely to be discharged and his attempt to appeal the Army’s initial decision has been declined. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) has taken up Martland’s cause and has called on Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to intervene, and continues to do so after the denial of Martland’s appeal.

“It's sad to think that a child rapist is put above one of our elite military operators,” said Rep. Hunter. “Sergeant Martland was left with no other choice but to intervene in a bad situation. The Army should stand up for what's right and should not side with a corrupt Afghan police officer.”

 

 

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