Army Calls ‘Birther’ Doc’s Bluff

[unhappycamper]

Army Calls ‘Birther’ Doc’s Bluff
April 09, 2010
Military.com|by Bryant Jordan

It's guts ball time for an Army surgeon who has vowed not to deploy to Afghanistan with his unit unless President Obama provides evidence that he's a "natural born" citizen of the United States.

In response to previously published statements by Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin, the Army presented an official letter of counseling that directs him to report to Fort Campbell, Ky., on April 12 to begin deployment preparations with his unit. In spite of the letter, Lakin has not yet yielded, although he ultimately might. When contacted by Military.com, he would not say whether he would report for duty as ordered. Instead, he referred inquiries to Margaret Hemenway, a spokeswoman for the Patriotic American Foundation, a group raising money to defend Lakin should he be prosecuted.

"Unless there is a breakthrough, unless there is a willingness to give (Lakin) the documentation he requests to show that the commander-in-chief is legally in the job … he won't be able to follow those orders" to report, said Hemenway. Lakin's refusal to deploy, Hemenway said, is in keeping with a vow not to obey any order he is given until he is satisfied that Obama was born in the United States.

Lakin is not the first servicemember to use the so-called "birther" argument to fight deployment orders. Last July, the Army yanked Afghanistan deployment orders for Maj. Stefan Cook when he challenged President Obama's legitimacy in court. Army Capt. Connie Rhodes, another doctor, went to federal court to stop her Iraq deployment for the same reason. Her case was tossed out in September.

The Patriotic American Foundation has established a Web site dedicated to Lakin's cause called Safeguard Our Constitution. The site has posted the letter of counseling, redacting the name of Lakin's commander at Headquarters Company, Medical Brigade, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington. Lakin, in a previously published statement, said he is the chief of primary care at the Pentagon's Tricare health clinic, and that he has been selected for promotion to colonel.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/army-calls-birther-docs-bluff.html



unhappycamper comment: Well there, Terrence my boy, I hope you enjoy making small rocks out of large rocks. Oh, and sorry about that promotion......

[babylonsister]

1. I do wonder what his real problem is; is he afraid to go? I can't

imagine he's delusional enough to think this has any merit, especially considering the outcome of Capt. Rhodes' suit.

[Name removed]

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[struggle4progress]

71. Trying to discern the reasoning of wackos is a pointless exercise, that can only

damage your brain. He's sadly gone off his rockers. And the rightwing establishment, true to form, will heartlessly nod and smile to encourage him, and they'll use him to promote anger and controversy until he is no longer useful -- at which point they will drop him cold and push forward their next patsy

[Lasher]

2. I wonder how often it is that people get the military to fund their medical education

and then renege on their obligation? I wish I would have known 40 years ago that obeying orders was optional.

[kevinbgoode]

6. When they used to discharge gay soldiers

they would also try to stick them with their education bills. Seems to me like this clown should be forced to pay back the people of the United States for all of his free bennies, too. And then be forced to undergo a mental health examine to determine whether he is competent to perform medical operations.

[Lasher]

10. I agree he should pay his education bills.

But I think he deserves more punishment than that. Otherwise he would be in effect paying back an interest free student loan. There needs to be a deterrent.

[pinboy3niner]

14. LOL Following orders optional

I went to this guy's site and left a msg about how military service is apolitical and how he shames and dishonors his uniform by using it to make a political statement.

It won't have any effect, but at least I'm one more proud veteran who is on the record.

The need for mental health exam may,indeed, be indicated --for him AND his lawyer.

[Name removed]

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[kevinbgoode]

3. That clown needs his medical license pulled as well. . .

any surgeon with his level of delusion shouldn't be allowed to operate on anyone.

You can bet that any organization masquerading as a "Patriotic American Foundation" is nothing more than another wingnut parallel universe collection of fascist wannabes. These are likely the same people who screamed that anyone who dared utter one criticism of GOP rule was committing TREASON, which we should have figured was little more than a projection of the Right's own hatred for America.

Really...these people who live their lives in delusional fantasies, manufactured fears, and constant fearmongering are just getting tiresome. And this gay American is clearly aware that these same cabal of wingnuts who claim to care so much about the Constitution have no trouble trying to amend it to TAKE AWAY my rights, claiming that any court which dared not read "except the gays" into the original document is "legislating from the bench."

Maybe we need a group of people to start claiming about wasting OUR tax dollars on legal cases that are clearly manufactured in the fictionalized 'reality" of wingnut minds. We shouldn't have to get our pockets picked every time another clown is stupid enough to believe the lines of radio entertainers.

[old mark]

4. He's a coward - hiding behind the birther bullshit. The military used to put people in prison

for "missing a troop movement" if they decided not to go to a combat assignment with their unit-a much more serious charge than AWOL. I don't know if they even have military prisons any more, but they used to have TERRIBLE reputations.

mark

ADDED: I find that The United States Disiplinary Barracks is used for officer-convicts...At Leavenworth, KS.

Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Disciplinary_Barracks

The doctor should hope he gets a lot of donations for his defense fund....he may need it all.

[thunder rising]

5. "vow not to obey any order he is given until he is satisfied"? Example time

[JCMach1]

7. Throw him in the Brig!

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[sarge43]

53. Discovery is pre-trial procedure

Larkin is charged under the UCMJ, Arts 87 and 88, missed movement (failure to deploy) and contempt to officials. All the Army has to do is prove is he refused deployment and he expressed contempt. He's dug his own grave with his mouth on both of these. The Army does not have to prove President Obama's right to be CinC or his right to appoint officials within the chain; the Electoral College and the US Congress have already done this.

[Brother Buzz]

76. It would be cruel and unusual punishment to toss an Army officer in a brig

Cruel and unusual punishment for the Navy boys, that is.

Fittingly, he belongs in a stockade, that is, after he is convicted and before he is delivered to a military prison if he keeps marching in his current direction.

[joeybee12]

8. What scares me is that two of these birther traitors are DOCTORS!

WTF!!!???

[Name removed]

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[ManiacJoe]

73. Just because they graduated from medical school

does not imply any knowledge of laws. They are not lawyers. Book smarts does not imply street smarts.

[howard112211]

9. What I don't get is:

It is likely he is simply fed up with the war. Why doesn't he do something useful and refuse to go on moral grounds? If you are going to jail anyway, might as well do something useful. :shrug:

[verdalaven]

15. Maybe he supported the war

until it was his turn to go.....

[Name removed]

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[Bitwit1234]

11. If he doesn't deploy where he is being sent

then his papers could be amended to say FORT LEAVENWORTH.

[Vinca]

12. I would like to see this guy's birth certificate.

I imagine he would produce the same thing Obama produced which is standard issue from state records.

[Name removed]

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[tango-tee]

13. I suggest that his sorry ass is demoted to Private, he's put on permanent KP

and his licence as MD is yanked. It would be interesting to know if the military paid for his medical education?

Love your "unhappycamper" comment. As former active duty personnel I'd only like to add that after he makes big rocks into little rocks, he can pound little rocks into gravel, and finally grind gravel into sand for all I care.

End of discussion. I am so unspeakably tired of these bloviating gasbags.

[Name removed]

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[ManiacJoe]

74. The army does not do KP any more.

This is one of the places that the contractors come in.
:evilgrin:

[Stevenmarc]

18. Does the Army really need someone who buys into stupid holding a knife over a soldier

[BlackSunshine84]

25. The military must not agree with you

or Lt. Col. Lakin would not be Lt. Col. Lakin.

[HughMoran]

26. Apparently the Army does buy into 'stupid'

[jberryhill]

69. You raise an interesting issue...

Already, there is a tone of the logical extension - all soldiers following "Obama's orders" are really traitors - as a basis for concern.

Once these loons have exhausted what they see as "peaceful means", they will be every bit as much of an internal threat as Major Hasan.

[fasttense]

22. Of course idiots like Lakin had NO problem with the supreme court selecting

the President of the United States. There is nothing in the Constitution that allows the supremes to select our president. Yet, that never seems to bother idiots like Lakin. They pick and choose what they want to believe and then wonder why normal people think of them as crazy.

[Name removed]

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[dgibby]

45. Prove it. n/t

[Maine-ah]

58. oooh, I made it in b/f the delivery :)

Currently, Title 8 of the U.S. Code fills in the gaps left by the Constitution. Section 1401 defines the following as people who are "citizens of the United States at birth:"

Anyone born inside the United States *
Any Indian or Eskimo born in the United States, provided being a citizen of the U.S. does not impair the person's status as a citizen of the tribe
Any one born outside the United States, both of whose parents are citizens of the U.S., as long as one parent has lived in the U.S.
Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year and the other parent is a U.S. national
Any one born in a U.S. possession, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year
Any one found in the U.S. under the age of five, whose parentage cannot be determined, as long as proof of non-citizenship is not provided by age 21
Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is an alien and as long as the other parent is a citizen of the U.S. who lived in the U.S. for at least five years (with military and diplomatic service included in this time)
A final, historical condition: a person born before 5/24/1934 of an alien father and a U.S. citizen mother who has lived in the U.S.

http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_citi.html

[jberryhill]

30. But you are missing the importan distinction here

So-called "President" Obama is.... you know.... Different, like, um.... you know.

[Catshrink]

35. Yeah...

he's just so uppity, if you know what I mean ;)

[proud2BlibKansan]

37. And articulate!

[Catshrink]

39. And clean!

[jberryhill]

41. Well, he's not "really" black, so it's not a race thing.

[proud2BlibKansan]

43. Oh I forgot

:rofl:

[Historic NY]

27. The group representing him is a hoot....all wrapped up.

http://patrioticamerica.org/portal.html

[Name removed]

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[jberryhill]

31. Mods - Can we keep him? In the DUngeon, maybe?

The dungeon pickings have been getting lean, and we need fresh meat.

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. What kind of meat?

I'm thinking sausage.

[muffin1]

34. Wow...it's up to 16 now.

He's on a roll. :D

[Catshrink]

36. Sausage & mushroom

[proud2BlibKansan]

38. Can we use the rotten sausage we were going to throw out?

I'd hate to waste the good stuff on this clown.

[Catshrink]

40. Probably wouldn't know the difference.

And since he's probably supportive of deregulation, he can't complain that it's bad. Karma's a bitch, baby.

[Ohio Joe]

75. heh, too funny - nt

[fascisthunter]

33. please keep this thread up... the right wing's talking points are being eviscerated

I would like all possible lurkers to see this.

[tabatha]

42. Some of the comments by the eviscerators are priceless.

I cannot get over the "Commander and Chief" by the troll.

[pipi_k]

49. That's always the red flag for me...

usually what the RW kooks call the President because they don't know the proper term.

:silly:

[higg8702]

54. Don't you mean deleted?

[edbermac]

60. You've been deleted.

Buh-bye :popcorn:

[fascisthunter]

63. no not at all... I want the right wing sickness, disorder and ignorance on display for all

unfortunately, I'm not a mod so I had no say in this.

[jberryhill]

66. Well, there's plenty over in Freeperville

It's the mental health equivalent of the pictures on Canadian cigarette packs.

[fascisthunter]

67. lol... holy crap that was funny

[Historic NY]

72. sheesh I go away all day & all the fun happens....birthers are like deathers...

dumb as stumps.

[unhappycamper]

44. The pizza has been delivered.

Buh bye.

[HughMoran]

47. Darn, I guess we played to roughly with our little pet

[Oilwellian]

50. ROFL

I have two cats and live in the country. You can't imagine the things I've seen when they play with their little pets. Pure, instinctual viciousness. :D

[HughMoran]

51. They're cute and fluffy little savages

:D

[proud2BlibKansan]

48. Good work, UHC!!

Mission accomplished. :patriot:

[sarge43]

55. Damn. I was hoping we could play with him some more. n/t

[Subdivisions]

61. For those of us in the central time zone (and points west) and who decided to catch

a couple extra Zs this morning, please tell us what we missed. I hate missing playtime.

[jberryhill]

64. Birther woke up and found himself on the wrong site. /nt

[jmowreader]

52. This is what is REALLY going to fuck up these people

And I don't know why the Army hasn't pulled it out. Maybe they think this is just too stupid to respond to.

Operation Enduring Freedom commenced on October 7, 2001. Operation Iraqi Freedom commenced on March 20, 2003.

When a war is started, the military is given permission to send a certain number of people into the fray. (We call it "delegation of authority.") They might say, "the Army can send three divisions plus troops sufficient to support them, the Navy can send one carrier battle group plus sailors sufficient to support it, the Marines can send a division, and the Air Force can send a bomber wing, three fighter wings, an A-10 attack wing and airmen sufficient for operations." Until the president, whoever he may be, rescinds the order, it stands.

In short, the birthers have no case because they were ordered into battle under authority granted the military by George Walker Bush, whose place of birth is definitely Connecticut.

[jberryhill]

68. Actually, there's a theory that GWB was really born in Canada...

...and smuggled in.

Have YOU ever seen his birth certificate?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6122275


"...they claim he was born in my home state, Connecticut, but it seems rather suspect. After all, my parents and all my family don't recall that event. And I don't think Dubya ever produced it for the public when he was running for president. I certainly don't recall him doing so, and my memory is excellent so he apparently didn't. He could have been born in Nigeria or some place like that, because you know how lax immigration was back then. he could have been born in Nigeria, but his parents (whoever they are, because he doesn't look like his father or mother)could have brought him to Canada and then drove him over the border. There are other very plausible options, but this is the one that makes the most sense to me."

[jmowreader]

70. I can't see why you're spreading such hateful nonsense

Everyone KNOWS GWB was born on the planet Jupiter and smuggled in with a carload of meteorites.

[WilliamPitt]

56. (F A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A C E

PALM)

[Name removed]

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[Gold Metal Flake]

59. Back so soon?

[jberryhill]

65. He's a hungry hungry hippo....

But not much of a rock 'em sock 'em robot.

[mulsh]

62. I hope to read the military has enforced this part of the letter,

"In the letter of counseling, Lakin is told that his deployment orders "are presumed to be valid and lawful orders issued by competent military authority" and he is warned there will be consequences to disobeying them.

"Failure to follow your reassignment and/or deployment orders may result in adverse action, including court-martial," the letter reads. "Should you fail to report to Fort Campbell in accordance with your orders and deploy, your actions may constitute a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. These violations may include being absent without leave -- AWOL -- missing movement, willfully disobeying a lawful order and contempt toward officials."

Conviction of any of the charges at a court-martial could result in a dishonorable discharge, the letter states, as well as loss of all pay and allowances, and imprisonment.

It's also possible that the officer with 18 years of service could be let go with either a general but honorable discharge or a discharge under "other than honorable" conditions, according to the letter. Additionally, Lakin could lose his military retirement and veterans' benefits, and the letter advised him to seek legal counsel "before embarking on a course of conduct which you may quickly regret."

discharge him for "other than honorable" conditions and take away his military retirement.

[onager]

77. What a shame, only 2 years from retirement...

/sarcasm, in case it's needed.

Someone upthread said he should be "busted to Private." AFAIK, the military never does that to officers, only enlisted personnel. The LAST thing the military wants is disgruntled former officers mixing with the lower ranks.

Officers just resign their commission from Congress and leave. In this case, maybe with a side trip to Leavenworth.

I was in the Marines, which had a couple of special officer categories - Limited Duty Officers and temporary officers. These were very senior enlisted people or Warrant Officers who temporarily held commissioned officer rank for specific duties. When they were no longer needed in the job, they reverted to their former rank. But these guys were senior enough that they wouldn't be likely to cause any trouble.

[sarge43]

83. If he's convicted, he losses the retirement option and many of his vet bennies.

He'll be discharged which means all military obligations are canceled. Military retirees are in really inactive reserve status. If convicted, he'll probably get a general and the door in his hindquarters.

What's truly pernicious about this stunt is he was going to the sandbox as a healer, not a combatant - to save lives, not take them. He spat on his medical oath as well as his military. He should have his medical license pulled, too.

[Old Troop]

78. The Supreme Court reconized Obama's legitimacy

when they swore him in. No soldier has the right to refuse to serve because of his opinion. I think he is either a coward or someone who intends to try for political office.

[mrfocus]

79. What the hell do birthers have to say about the two announcements published

in local Hawaiian newspapers about Obama's birth? Brilliant planning ahead of the parents who knew their son would one day run for President?
http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/obamabirth.php

[Lord Magus]

80. They have nothing to say.

Birthers have two responses to all proof of Obama's citizenship: ignore it or denounce it as a forgery. In the case of the newspaper birth announcements they go with the former.

[jberryhill]

84. Do you really want to know?

They have a couple of answers for that.

1. It is irrelevant - Obama is not an NBC because they believe it requires two citizen parents, based on a translation of a Swiss work on international law which conflicts with relevant US case law.

2. Based on a misreading of a 1982 Hawaiian statute, they believe the Dunhams reported an alleged home birth to the Health Department, so naturally when the newspapers listed the births from that week's Health Depatment records, Obama's so-called "birth" was included in the list.

Once someone is fixated on bullshit, they will be endlessly creative about it.

[Lord Magus]

81. Why hasn't he been court martialed yet?

Insubordination and once this deployment order goes unobeyed, desertion.

[sarge43]

82. Courts martial take awhile to set up.

SJA wants all the ducks in formation and in best dress. CMs are automatically appealed to the appellate court level, so an air tight case, no blow back. Morale of story: If you're a guest of honor at a CM, you're screwed, blewed and tattooed.

[Hokie]

85. Lakin is scheduled to report today

He is scheduled to report today with his outfit at Fort Campbell, KY for prep to deploy with his outfit. Now we will see if he was all hot air or LTC Lakin is really that stupid.

By the way, Lakin addressed Obama as "President Obama" in his letter. That would seem to be a tacit admission that he recognizes President Obama as the Commander-in-Chief. This will be a short court martial.

[Hokie]

86. Any news on Lakin today?

[msanthrope]

87. He's a no-show according to military.com---

'Birther' Doc a No-Show at Campbell
April 12, 2010
Military.com|by Bryant Jordan
An Army flight surgeon apparently is sticking to his vow not to deploy until he is satisfied that President Barack Obama is a "natural born" citizen.

Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin did not report for duty at Fort Campbell, Ky. as ordered today, and a spokesman for the post said it's not likely he will.

"The last report I got as of Friday is that he is not going to report to Fort Campbell," spokesman Maj. Patrick Seiber said. "That's from our division surgeon."

Lakin's failure to report essentially dares the Army to bring charges against him for being an unauthorized absence.

SNIP

Phil Cave, a retired Navy judge advocate general who now practices military law as a civilian, believes birther groups are hoping that a court-martial of a servicemember will permit them to use discovery to uncover documents to help their case. He told Military.com last week that no military, appellate or federal court will give defense attorneys that right of discovery.

more at link

http://www.military.com/news/article/birther-doc-a-no-show-at-campbell.html

[donco6]

88. And they say Gays are the problem with unit cohesion.

I wonder how many want to fight next to this knucklehead, never knowing when he's going to call it quits?

[frogmarch]

89. What it boils down to

is racism. Birthers are racists, every single effing one of them.