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The U.S. Army has reversed an earlier decision to discharge Green Beret Sgt. Charles Martland and has restored his position as a highly decorated military service member.
In support of Sgt. Martland, AFA and Family Research Council collected and delivered 130,000 petition signatures to the Senate Armed Services Committee. The AFA petition urged members of Congress to demand the Pentagon clear Sgt. Martland's record on the matter concerning his moral duty to protect a young Afghan boy from sexual abuse.
While serving in Afghanistan, Sgt. Martland learned a 12 year-old Afghan boy had been chained to a bed and repeatedly abused by an Afghan police commander…all occurring on a United States military base. The commander was being trained under Sgt. Martland's mentorship.
Sgt. Martland confronted the Afghan rapist, who admitted to his sexually abusive actions but simply laughed off the concerns. Like any red-blooded American would (and should) do, Sgt. Martland would not stand by and allow the child to be hurt any longer.
A physical altercation broke out between Sgt. Martland and the Afghan commander. Sgt. Martland admits he confronted the Afghan police commander and physically threw him off the base because he was fed up with the commander's brutal sexual abuse of a village boy.
We believe those who signed the AFA petition strongly influenced decision makers that Sgt. Martland, or any service member, should always protect children against abuse, regardless of where they are.
Thank you for standing with those who protect the most vulnerable among us. Together, and with God’s help, we are making a difference!
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