Case dropped against U.S. soldier initially accused of cowardice

[southernleftylady]

(CNN) -- The U.S. Army Thursday dropped its case against a soldier who was initially accused of cowardice after he suffered a panic attack when he saw the bloody corpse of an Iraqi on his second day in the war zone.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/07/15/ar...rges/index.html
"I think they owe me an apology," he said from Colorado Springs, Colorado. "They made my life hell for nine months."
OK please help me understand this.... theycan "charge" you with cowardice? Really? and if they charge you with this whats your punishment can be THE DEATH PENILTY???

[alexwcovington]

1. Death

Military Justice is harsh. And usually much swifter.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Yeah

the idea being that if you are a coward and run, they can shoot you, thus scaring your fellow soldiers so that they stay and fight-a very old concept, one used during the Civil War.

[DarkPhenyx]

3. The full charge is "Cowardice in the Face of the Enemy"...

...I believe.