KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Iraq war veteran could lose his honorable discharge status after being photographed wearing fatigues at an anti-war protest.
Marine Cpl. Adam Kokesh and other veterans marked the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq in March by wearing their uniforms – with military insignia removed – and roaming the nation’s capital on a mock patrol.
After Kokesh was identified in The Washington Post, an officer sent him a letter saying he might have violated a rule prohibiting troops from wearing uniforms without authorization. Kokesh, 25, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, responded with an obscenity.
Now, a military panel is scheduled to meet with Kokesh on Monday to decide whether his discharge status should be changed from “honorable” to “other than honorable.” Kokesh is not on active duty but remains a part of the Individual Ready Reserve.
“This is clearly a case of selective prosecution and intimidation of veterans who speak out against the war,” Kokesh said. “To suggest that while as a veteran you don’t have freedom of speech is absurd.”
He said he believes there is no way for Iraq to achieve the rule of law with a foreign military imposing martial law.
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