The US Marine who posted videos on social media ripping the military for the Biden administration’s botched pullout from Afghanistan has been issued a letter of reprimand and ordered to forfeit $5,000 worth of pay over one month.
Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller pleaded guilty at his court-martial hearing Thursday to six misdemeanor-level charges — including willfully disobeying a superior officer — and the judge for Scheller’s court-martial, Col. Glen Hines, ordered his punishment Friday.
Scheller now awaits a ruling on whether he’ll be honorably discharged from the Marines or given a general discharge under honorable conditions, said his lawyer Tim Parlatore.
“We’re very happy with the results,” Parlatore told The Associated Press. “The judge was very well reasoned as he considered all the evidence. I think he gave a very intelligent sentence and reasoning for his sentence.”
Scheller was charged with multiple offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, for posting videos on Facebook and LinkedIn in August slamming military leadership after the ISIS-K suicide bombing at Kabul airport left 13 US service members dead.
The day after posting the video, Scheller was relieved of his command at the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion at Camp Geiger — a facility within Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
He was later charged and sent to a military prison after the clip went viral and he continued to speak out in a series of social media posts.
Among the other charges, he was hit with was dereliction in the performance of duties and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.
With Post wires