Sullivan should stand by Army officer who spoke his mind

I served in the U.S. Army from mid-1966 to mid-1968 and I have written Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan to let him know that I find the Marine Corps. putting Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller in the brig for his two Facebook comments about the way the U.S. handled its withdrawal from Afghanistan to be unacceptable and sanctimonious.

I would hope that Sen. Sullivan, as a member of the military and representing a state with a large active and veteran military population, would feel the same way.

I understand the conflict of disobeying a direct order, especially in the time of war and on the battlefield. But, as the senator knows, Lt. Col. Scheller was not on the battlefield and was not part of the decisions that were made. His comments spoke the truth as he sees it.

Those comments only publicly embarrassed those high-ranking commanders who were in charge at the time — and deservingly so. It smells like their feelings got hurt. The whole withdrawal from Afghanistan was a public, political, monetary and humanitarian disaster. For those who have a contrary point of view, they are entitled.

But you do not put a person in jail just because they disagree with you! What a country are we living in?

I would hope that Sen. Sullivan would have the courage to understand the situation Lt. Col. Scheller is in as if he were him, and do everything humanly possible to help a fellow brother in his time of need. Please, he needs his brothers in arms to stand by him to prevent the military from railroading him and making him an example, which is military standard operating procedure.

Bruce E. Harding