A Cincinnati marine who publicly criticized commanders is now in a military prison and could face charges.Lt. Cnl. Stuart Scheller posted videos blasting military leaders for the pull-out in Afghanistan. He was arrested this week after violating a gag order.”We’re fighting a battle here, just like our son, and we are asking America to help us fight,” said Stu Scheller, LTC Scheller’s father. Stu and Cathy Scheller said their son has been silenced, but they won’t be.”When they arrested him Monday morning, he got about a two-minute phone call and it was, ‘I’ve been arrested. Call my attorney… Tell everyone.’ When you tell mom to tell everyone, mom tells everyone,” Cathy Scheller said. “We decided they can’t take our voice away. They can’t take the voice of the American people away. Right is right, wrong is wrong, and we know what our son did. He broke command, and that was wrong.”Scheller publicly slammed military leadership for its response in Afghanistan after 13 U.S. troops were killed. Despite a gag order that followed, he continued to criticize commanders.”He saw the incompetency, and he had to speak out. I think he believed other military officers would stand with him, but because of those invisible chains of pension, family stability, retirement, they wouldn’t do so,” Cathy Scheller said.”We are in the middle of history. We have one man, our son, who is standing against the military generals, the pentagon and the machine,” Stu Scheller said. The Scheller’s said throwing their son into the brig and putting him in isolation has crossed a line.”They want to destroy him. They want to make him look bad. They want to make him look emotionally unstable. They are embarrassed, and they don’t want his voice heard,” Stu Scheller said. LTC Scheller served 17 years in the infantry. His parents say he is smart, strategic and has a stellar record.”He has risked his life on the battlefield for the men and women who followed him and he is risking his livelihood for the men and women that have served,” Cathy Scheller said. “We have had 17 years. Lots of deployments. We are forged in steel, and if they think we are going to back down, we have had experience. This is another deployment and we are there for the long haul.” On Thursday, more than 20 members of Congress signed a letter to the Marine Corps asking Scheller be removed from pretrial confinement.The Pipe Hitter Foundation has launched a campaign in support of Scheller and his family.The Scheller’s said they aren’t sure what happens next, but they are preparing for a marathon, not a sprint.LTC Scheller is a graduate of Anderson High School and the University of Cincinnati.
CINCINNATI —
A Cincinnati marine who publicly criticized commanders is now in a military prison and could face charges.
Lt. Cnl. Stuart Scheller posted videos blasting military leaders for the pull-out in Afghanistan. He was arrested this week after violating a gag order.
“We’re fighting a battle here, just like our son, and we are asking America to help us fight,” said Stu Scheller, LTC Scheller’s father.
Stu and Cathy Scheller said their son has been silenced, but they won’t be.
“When they arrested him Monday morning, he got about a two-minute phone call and it was, ‘I’ve been arrested. Call my attorney… Tell everyone.’ When you tell mom to tell everyone, mom tells everyone,” Cathy Scheller said. “We decided they can’t take our voice away. They can’t take the voice of the American people away. Right is right, wrong is wrong, and we know what our son did. He broke command, and that was wrong.”
Scheller publicly slammed military leadership for its response in Afghanistan after 13 U.S. troops were killed. Despite a gag order that followed, he continued to criticize commanders.
“He saw the incompetency, and he had to speak out. I think he believed other military officers would stand with him, but because of those invisible chains of pension, family stability, retirement, they wouldn’t do so,” Cathy Scheller said.
“We are in the middle of history. We have one man, our son, who is standing against the military generals, the pentagon and the machine,” Stu Scheller said.
The Scheller’s said throwing their son into the brig and putting him in isolation has crossed a line.
“They want to destroy him. They want to make him look bad. They want to make him look emotionally unstable. They are embarrassed, and they don’t want his voice heard,” Stu Scheller said.
LTC Scheller served 17 years in the infantry. His parents say he is smart, strategic and has a stellar record.
“He has risked his life on the battlefield for the men and women who followed him and he is risking his livelihood for the men and women that have served,” Cathy Scheller said. “We have had 17 years. Lots of deployments. We are forged in steel, and if they think we are going to back down, we have had experience. This is another deployment and we are there for the long haul.”
On Thursday, more than 20 members of Congress signed a letter to the Marine Corps asking Scheller be removed from pretrial confinement.
The Pipe Hitter Foundation has launched a campaign in support of Scheller and his family.
The Scheller’s said they aren’t sure what happens next, but they are preparing for a marathon, not a sprint.
LTC Scheller is a graduate of Anderson High School and the University of Cincinnati.
