US sergeant discharged for criticising Obama on Facebook
A Sergeant in the US marines is to be discharged by the Pentagon after posting criticism of President Obama on Facebook.
On March 1 Gary Stein wrote on a Marines Facebook page: “Screw Obama and I will not follow all orders from him.”
Stein also created an Armed Forces Tea Party page in which he superimposed an image of Obama onto a ‘Jackass’ movie poster.
The Pentagon, which has a zero tolerance social media policy and expressly rescinds the right to free speech for any soldier on active duty, took immediate action to discharge the marine.
Reacting to his other-than-honourable discharge, Stein told AP: “I love the Marine Corps, I love my job. I wish it wouldn't have gone this way. I'm having a hard time seeing how 15 words on Facebook could have ruined my nine-year career.”
Tom Umberg, a former Army colonel and military prosecutor, said: "The Marine Corps gave him the opportunity to think about his actions, yet the sergeant continued to undermine the chain of command. I think his purpose was to leave the Marine Corps in a dramatic fashion in order to begin a career in talk radio or what have you."