GI jailed as AWOL after loss of son.

[hippywife]

This letter has been received from Michael T. McPhearson, Executive Director of Veteran's for Peace, regarding his own son. I know DUer's will do what they can to help out in the one small way he is asking.


Hello Everyone,

I wanted to update people on the status of my son SPC Shaun Manuel. For those who know nothing about him I will go through a quick explanation. My son joined the Army in late December 2003. His Military Occupation Specialty is supply 92A (Automated Logistical Specialist). He served a tour in Iraq with the 101st Airborne, September 2005 to September 2006. He participated in convoys to transport supplies. He also participated in sweeps. All in all Shaun returned from his Iraq experience intact but facing a few emotional challenges. I am not an expert, but I think he has a slight case of PTSD, anger management. Events concerning his second son Jeremiah exacerbate these challenges.

Jeremiah was born June 2006 while Shaun was still in Iraq . In November Jeremiah was diagnosed with Muscular Spinal Atrophy, a genetic disease. He died January 3, 2007. Since that time my son’s motivation has suffered. It appears his command has not been very supportive. His brigade is scheduled return to Iraq in July. Shaun does not think his head is in the right place to do another tour. I think he told his command sometime last month that he wanted to get out of the military. I am not clear on all the details, but I do know he missed a number of work days and formations. When he returned he was arrested for being AWOL. He has been in jail since April 27.

We hope to have him out soon. He is set to face a summary court martial where he can receive 30 days jail time, hopefully time served. He will probably be chaptered out with a less than honorable discharge. His unit is currently in the field training for the deployment and will not be back to Fort Campbell until the 17th. I have visited him in jail. He seems in fair spirits considering his situation. Of course this has put tremendous stress on his wife Lanisha. She seems to be holding up well and his oldest son Justin acting his age of two. I admire Lanisha’s strength to handle this crisis.

If possible please write my son a few words of encouragement. I think a number of letters will help sustain him through this ordeal. It would also subtly inform the jail and his command that there are people aware of this situation and watching. Fort Campbell does not have a jail so he is the Christian County , Hopkinsville , KY jail.

SPC Shaun Manuel
C/O Christian County Jail
410 West 7th Street
Hopkinsville, KY 42240

I would like to thank several people for helping with legal support, Marti and Luke Hiken of Military Law Task Force, Elizabeth Stinson of the Peace and Justice Center of Sonoma County CA, and David Gespass in Birmingham AL.

Thank you everyone for all your support and I will keep you informed as things change. Please circulate as you think best.

Michael T. McPhearson

Veterans For Peace

Executive Director

[Monkeyman]

1. Done Passing out now to all vets

[hippywife]

11. Thank you! n/t

[lazer47]

14. Monkeyman can you find out if he has

a civilian attorney, and has he applied for a compassionate reassignment??

[hippywife]

15. From the letter:

I would like to thank several people for helping with legal support, Marti and Luke Hiken of Military Law Task Force, Elizabeth Stinson of the Peace and Justice Center of Sonoma County CA, and David Gespass in Birmingham AL.

Thanx! :hi:

[lazer47]

18. I stand corrected,,,,,,Thanks

[flyarm]

2. i feel so bad for him losing his son..but my feeling has been all along..

if my son was in the military and he had the choice of going to jail awol..i=or going to iraq and dying..i would rather my son alive in jail!!

he will eventually get out of jail..alive!

what are his odds of coming home from Iraq alive..i don't know..but i would rather my son in jail with 100% chan ce of getting out alive!

i know that may be twarted but that is how i feel!

fly

[hippywife]

4. I feel the same way but

I still think writing small notes of support is a small thing we can all do to keep his spirits up during this ordeal. It's going to be easier than redeployment but it ain't going to be a walk in the park by any means.

[flyarm]

8. oh absolutely!!! i will write!! eom

[hippywife]

9. Thank you so much! n/t

[Clark2008]

3. I'm at home expecting my own bundle of joy.

I'll write him tomorrow.

Bookmarking.

[hippywife]

5. Thank you and

many good thoughts and wishes for your own expected occassion. :hi:

[hippywife]

6. Kicking past the Falwell fallout! n/t

[5X]

7. K and R for peace and justice. n/t

[hippywife]

13. ...

:loveya:

[Solly Mack]

10. k/r

[hippywife]

12. Thanx, Solly!

Much appreciated! :hi:

[barbtries]

16. i have written to shaun

and will mail tomorrow. as a bereaved parent i am well aware that a few days bereavement leave is utterly inadequate to the task of recovering from the worst thing that could ever happen. the bastards running this goddam war barely rate the label of human. they are incredibly insensitive. for this poor young man, who has already been there and done that for gawdsake, to be jailed at this moment in his life. it is maddening.

peace out.

[hippywife]

17. Thank you, dear.

And my condolences for your loss. Having no children of my own, I can only imagine the depth of your pain. For a time, I helped out a woman locally whose daughter was murdered. She started a day care center for families of murdered children, even sold her home to help finance it. Sadly she lost the center when her husband passed away unexpectedly last year.

[hippywife]

19. Thanx to all for

the K&R's and the letters that will be sent to Shaun. Here is an article by Michael McPhearson from March of this year which in small part talks about his son and the death of his grandson:

http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0316-30.htm

So what motivates me? Why have I decided to move forward with this tactic? I am motivated by the death of tens of thousands—perhaps hundreds of thousands—of people in this war. I am most motivated by the life of my only son, who is a soldier in the 101st Airborne who has already participated in one tour in Iraq.

I am also motivated by the January 3 death of Jeremiah, my 7-month-old grandson, of a genetic disease. I am motivated by the fact that when I peer through the pain of his death in search of reasons and people to blame, I can only find the reality and cycle of life. It is natural for people to die from disease, and for the most part, not any one person is to blame. But where I must accept the reality of life, Gold Star parents must face the reality of war, a human activity caused by human actions. Where I can find no one to hold responsible for my anger and pain, an Iraqi can hold my nation, my son and me responsible for their pain. This is the sense of urgency I hope my small act of civil disobedience will help convey.

I need to go to bed now but I hope folks will continue to keep this thread alive as they read it by continuing to kick and rec it. Thanx to you all!

[Cha]

20. I hope this soldier finds

a peaceful resolution to his unfortunate plight.

How great to have a father who is helping you and an Executive Director for Veterans For Peace, Michael T. McPhearson!

Not everybody is made to go over to Iraq and kill or be killed cause the bushits told lies with the corporatemediawhores pounding the drum of death.

[hippywife]

25. Thanx!

:hug:

[swag]

21. k&r

[hippywife]

23. ...

:hug:

[GenDem]

22. Thank you for posting this, hippywife.

Bookmarked, and put on my to do list.

[hippywife]

24. Okay...

I'm really trying to go to bed! But wanted to say :hug:

[Sydnie]

26. Kick and rec n/t

[5X]

27. Kick. n/t

[hippywife]

28. Kicking for the morning crew!

Good morning, all! Hope you have a great day whatever you set out to do today. :hi:

[Nikki Stone1]

29. ::

::