(dis)Honorable Discharge

This story reminds me of that saying, “what is good for the goose is good for the gander”. It also reminds me that it is only a saying and not the way things sometimes work out in our military society as a part and courts of justice as a whole.

The gander in this story is former Navy Chief Edward E. Scott who served his country for 25 years. Edward also got busted for trying to entice two 12 year old girls to have sex with him. Ole’ Ed just so happened to be talking to undercover cops and not minors and he got taken to court. This should have cooked his goose but he was made into a chicken dinner instead. His punishment: 9 months in prison and three years of sexual deviancy treatment and registration as a sex offender; demotion to the rank of chief petty officer and an honorable discharge and retirement with full military benefits.

Wait…back up….the nine months of prision and the deviancy training…yes….I get that. Demotion in rank…check…that is normal SOP. But hold on here……an honorable discharge and full retirement benefits? What is this world coming to?

Some talking heads have noted that this was due to his 25 years of service to Country and possible national security information he has knowledge of. Bull shit.

As a spouse of a field grade Army officer I do not want my child or any child for that matter, to sit in the waiting room of a medical clinic (where retirees can also be treated) or stand in line at the commissary (another retirement benefit) with a registered sex offender that has no business receiving tax dollars that fund his retirement. I don’t want a person like this to have access to military installations where he can easily watch children on playgrounds, at schools, or after school centers. I don’t want the gate guards saluting this man as he drives onto posts and bases.

The decision in this case is a slap in the face to all of us who serve honorably and bleed for this country. It is a miscarriage of justice that could pose a threat to our military children that are already going through enough in this climate of war.

It also does not speak well for any other soldiers who recieved different punishment for the same crime. If Ed were a specialist or a private I garuntee you he would have DIS before honorable in his discharge paperwork. WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE SHOULD BE GOOD FOR THE GANDER…even if the gander are wearing a few more bars, stars, or stripes!