News
2007-08-15
Soldier who faces
expulsion allegedly targeted for being gay
Gay rumors could
end soldier's career
A military police
officer assigned to the U.S. Ar
A military police
officer assigned to the U.S. Army’s Old Guard unit
faces dismissal from service after he was targeted by
investigators for possibly being gay, says his
legal counsel, the Servicemembers Legal Defense
Network.
Christopher Mastromarino, who served in Korea before being
recommended for duty with the prestigious Old
Guard—a unit that performs ceremonial duties
for the president and guards the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier—has undergone three investigations that
his legal advocates believe were prompted when his
command learned other soldiers thought he was gay.
Emily B. Hecht, the SLDN attorney assigned to
Mastromarino’s case, said the investigations
that resulted in criminal assault charges amounted
to“an
antigay fishing expedition” into
Mastromarino’s personal life. Mastromarino may
be discharged later this week if his command elects to
follow through on the three court-martial convictions.
“Rumor, hearsay, and homophobia have jeopardized the
career of a soldier with an otherwise sterling service
record,” said SLDN’s
Hecht. “There is strong evidence to suggest the
charges against Mastromarino have been trumped up and
exaggerated in order to drum out a member of the Old
Guard who the command believes is gay.”
Hecht noted that one of the assault charges stemmed from an
incident in which the alleged victim, another soldier
in Mastromarino’s unit, acknowledged there
would have been no presumption of assault had the
incident occurred with any other service member.
Army investigators brought Mastromarino to court-martial in
May over that assault allegation. During the course of
the investigation, SLDN says military investigators
specifically questioned other male troops in the Old
Guard about their interactions with Mastromarino and learned
that many of his fellow soldiers believe Mastromarino
is gay. Mastromarino, who was ultimately
convicted at court martial, now faces expulsion from
the Army and a conviction that would prevent him from
continuing his law enforcement career in the civilian
community.
Mastromarino enlisted in the Army in 2003 and joined the Old
Guard unit in October 2005. Shortly thereafter, he
said, other soldiers began to spread rumors about his
sexuality. “People started calling me
‘fag' and ‘queer',” he said in a
recent interview with reporter Julie Weisberg of
PageOneQ.com. “And I've had people write
things on the bathroom wall about me like, ‘Mastro is
a faggot.’” Mastromarino has declined to
say whether he is gay based on the
military’s “don’t ask, don’t
tell” policy.
In January sexual harassment charges were brought against
Mastromarino but were later dropped due to lack of
evidence. Those charges were followed by another
investigation, which eventually led to the assault
charges for which he was convicted at court-martial. A new
command with the Old Guard will now decide whether to
approve the court-martial conviction or to allow
Mastromarino to continue his service through spring
2008, when his term of enlistment will end. If his
conviction stands, Mastromarino will be dismissed from
military service. (The Advocate)
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