RE: Captain Buck Verdict

Dear Mr. Eberhart:

As the author of the only book in America to expose the “Feres Doctrine” and its bona fide chilling effects regarding “equal protection” of servicemembers’ human/constitutional rights, I am providing VERPA’s opinion with respect to Captain Buck’s courts martial verdict.

On May 21, 2001, I attended the courts martial prosecution phase in the case of: United States v. Captain Buck, on behalf of our organization. If you recall, your newspaper published a front page article about VERPA on January 29, 2000. You noted that our primary goal was to educate the public of the "Feres Doctrine,” the underlying body of law that allows injustice to go unchecked as evident in Captain Buck’s case.

As you are probably aware, the doctrine for the past half century has allowed human/constitutional rights abuses of American citizens serving our nation to go brushed under the carpet. From atomic testing in the 1950 to the present Captain Buck courts martial, to include all human/constitutional rights abuses in between, this body of law continues to allow abuses within the military legal and medical systems to go unchecked. When will it end?

I must say, “The King Can Do No Wrong” mentality was clearly evident by the ruling of Judge Allred. Or, more specifically “Lieutenant Colonel” Allred. I make this specific point with the knowledge that justice in the armed forces is administered by the “rule of rank” and not the “rule of law.” The sorry reality in what should have been a “precedent setting case” to clean up the military's legal and justice systems, simply was in the end, another “kangaroo court.” Not only was this proceeding a betrayal of an American patriot and his family, an exemplary military officer, (according to the testimony of his commander), it was a betrayal of the “public's trust", although most will never even realize it.

Although, thirteen so called military members might see Captain Buck as a criminal, in the eye's of the veterans' movement in America, he is a hero! Captain Buck's refusal to accept the Clinton Executive Officer to receive the anthrax inoculation was a noble and honorable act! In the long run, Captain Buck might save the lives of many Americans. As George Washington stated in 1775, "When We assumed the Solider, We did not lay aside the Citizen." I believe this quote goes to the heart of the argument that Captain Buck was denied due process of law to defend himself at this trial.

Overall, the Clinton Executive Order that brought about this dark chapter in our military's history did nothing good for our nation! Nothing! As a matter of fact, for a puppet military judge in search of more power and a twelve panel military circus with no backbone to do the right thing, simply to protect their own self-interests is a crime against the American People!

The damage that has been done in this case will not be forgotten anytime soon. As a matter of fact, the veterans’ reform movement wherein our organization along with many others have endorsed is alive and well in this nation. We are a silent force right now and for good reason. However, we intend to right the wrongs directly contributed to all victims of the “Feres Doctrine” as without question was the case with regard to Captain Buck. In our opinion, knowing “military decisions” that result in human/constitutional rights abuses cannot be challenged in the federal judiciary is the reason why the Buck jury and judge hung this patriot out to dry!

There is no question in our minds that Captain Buck's guilty verdict was politically motivated. Simply stated, just as the criminal who instituted the anthrax order, Bill Clinton, can pardon known criminals by a stroke of a pen, so will we in time! Justice in American has no statutes of limitations when the issues are as serious as they are with the anthrax injustice.

It is simply a shame that the American public does not see or simply does not care about what truly took place in this courts martial proceeding. However, if your paper would make will truly be doing a great public service with your publication.

For the American public to simply ignore the injustices being placed against servicemembers and our loved ones within the military's legal and medical systems is an outrage. Hence, we at VERPA respectfully request the Stars & Stripes investigate the status of the proposed reviving of the draft that was discussed a couple years ago by several lawmakers in Congress, in addition to exposing the “Feres Doctrine”.” Specifically, the doctrine's grant of “sovereign/offical immunity” to government officials whose corrupted “military decisions,” destroy honorable men and women in the armed forces.

In summary, the injustice that took place in Captain Buck’s case to cover-up the unlawfulness of the Clinton Executive Order had nothing to do with “maintaining good order and discipline” in the armed forces. Frankly speaking, the judge and members of the Captain Bucks’ courts martial did more damage to our national security than Saddam Hussein could have ever dreamed of!

Very truly yours,

Jeffrey A. Trueman Founder, VERPA

Contents
Official Documents
Congressional Testimony
Position Papers
Troop Experiences
News Articles
Government Contact Information
Opinion
Informative WWW Sites
Benefit versus Risk

Last revised: May 2001