It was a very complicated situation. he was in a building and I shot him through a window because I thought he was an insurgent. I confessed this to my team commander but he said that I better keep my mouth shut if I want to stay out of jail. Now I feel unexplainable guilt because he left behind a wife and two kids. I can barely sleep. But on the other hand I don't want to go to jail either because I am married with kids too. What should I do?
2007-02-07 19:22:15 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
FYI that's my little brother's account I enlisted in July 2003 and was deployed to Iraq in December 2005.
2007-02-07 19:43:57 · update #1
I deliberately used the word fragging in order to draw more attention to my question. Please answer it if you can and don't try to accuse my with being a liar. Thanks.
2007-02-07 19:54:16 · update #2
I am using my brothers account so that it would be impossible for the authorities to find my identity.
2007-02-07 20:01:45 · update #3
Even though I'm skeptical on why you aren't able to open your own Y!A account instead of your brother's, I'll respond to your predicament. First, if you are still in the military you should speak to a chaplain or to your team commander's commanding officer. This case will definitely go to a court martial--most likely summary, with a board of officers as a jury. Your CO will be brought up first on Article 134, UCMJ violations, which is a general article for non-judicial punishment but which can be extended to a formal hearing such as a trial. You won't be held liable for the "accident". You told your CO. He advised against you being forthright about the shooting. He will be charged with obstruction of justice, altering documents, among other things. I also suggest you write a letter to the victim's family members and explain to them what happened. You will not go to the brig. I can see what you have a sense of overwhelming guilt. I don't think I could live your situation down either. If I were you, I would also contact your Congressman and/or US Senator so that their offices can act as a liasion between you and the victim's family, and also tell them your version of what happened. You may find some influential support through them.
2007-02-07 19:34:43 · answer #1 · answered by gone 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think I'm in the best position to advise you, but I'll try my best.
1. Get a lawyer and find out what punishment you'll face. Or at least post a question on lawguru.com. Maybe a confession will not send you to jail. You should at least find out where you stand.
2. I'm not sure what you do. I doubt this will comfort you, but remember you didn't intend to do it. You should sit down and just write everything you feel down. It will help you think about.
3. This will bother you for along time, if you don't do something. I'm not going to suggest something because I don't know and not really any expert. But I'd recommend that you send a letter to the family of the soldier. I think you should confess to them. Tell them what happened and tell them all that you feel. Ask if you could meet with them to formally apologize. Talk to them. Try to do anything you can to comfort them. Embrace them. This will help you much better than any type of punishment. If they think you should confess to the military, do it.
4. See a psychologist. Many veterans suffer for the rest of their lives after fighting in war. I cannot imagine what you're going through. It's okay to seek help. There are professionals that can help you resolve your problems.
Doing nothing is easy but I'm afraid that doing nothing will harm you and the family of the soldier.
All this being said don't put too much faith in my advice. Talk to whoever you can and get as many opinions as you can. I wish you well.
Killing yourself will end you're suffering, but will not end the suffering of the next solider. You're a brave, courageous man to serve in Iraq, no matter what happened. You were placed in a horrible circumstance. Keep it to together and try to do what you can from preventing this situation in the future.
2007-02-07 19:58:37 · answer #2 · answered by Jake B 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
convinced and No.. It relies upon who the soldier is. some infantrymen are extremely variety and wonderful in the route of people. There are some who're finished of hatred, they have self assurance that each and each sinlge man or woman is a terrorist. they have been comments of rockets fires in Afghan weddings from US infantrymen. it ought to educate that those should be purely infantrymen experimenting because it absolutely ought to not were a mistake. US have technologies that ought to actual understand people and places. they could see from far differents by skill of satellites and seeing a good number of youthful ones does not make the position a terrorist warm spot. the warriors also get remote from the killing, that shows that they are killing for interesting because they could be reasoned why they did it in the journey that they did it via accidently. they'd finished it some cases in Iraq. some did in Afghanistan.
2016-12-03 21:33:40 · answer #3 · answered by hertling 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm here in Iraq, and I know the stresses of what it's like out here. NOBODY who hasn't been here knows what we go through on a daily basis. I am a medic and this is my second tour. I have seen and done alot. You will never find the peace that you are seeking if you do not do the right thing and come forward. Honest mistakes are not punishable by jail or UCMJ, covering them up is.
2007-02-07 19:32:45 · answer #4 · answered by vammeejdeploy 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Friendly fire has claimed millions of people over the past few thousand years. Until they get universal IFF systems and fire safety systems it will continue to happen. Since the woogies are using 7.62 mm and the US uses 5.56 mm, the wounds should have shown death by a US weapon.
2007-02-08 13:10:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You my friend, are a liar. You fragged your comrade, but than you say you shot him, there is s difference. Get off your mommies computer and go back to school
2007-02-07 19:50:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You are full of sh*t
You asked this question:
My best friend was killed in iraq?
Should I enlist? I was against this war but now I feel it is a personal matter.
2 weeks ago
Basic Training last 13 weeks (10 in the Army)
Who do you think you're fooling, jackazz?
2007-02-07 19:33:11 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Confessing your guilt to your friends family may make you feel better, but it only makes them feel worse. Keep it to yourself and let the family believe he died a hero. For your own guilt you need to put yourself into something which is positive for others, but don't try to help your friends family anymore than usual. If you do you'll end up confessing or worse....taking his place.
2007-02-07 19:31:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
You are lying as others have already mentioned.
Fragging is the deliberate killing of a superior and not an accident by the way.
2007-02-07 19:38:43 · answer #9 · answered by abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I just checked your previous questions as well and you are a lying piece of scum!
Yeah right... why would you use your little brothers account and not your own. Sorry, but you have no credibility.
2007-02-07 19:32:04 · answer #10 · answered by Aunt Bee 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋