Captain reassigned after column published

[CommunityEditor]

An officer who wrote an opinion column supporting gays openly serving in the military was reassigned after his piece ran in Marine Corps Times, the officer said.

Capt. Josh Gibbs, formerly a quality-control officer for 8th Marine Corps District in Fort Worth, Texas, wrote an opinion piece for Marine Corps Times’ “Back Talk” section, blasting long-standing military policy of expelling homosexuals. The piece ran in the April 23 issue.

A common military perception, he wrote in the column, is that homosexuals cannot control their urges and could not perform their jobs alongside heterosexuals. “Proponents of this argument make it seem as if gay service members will immediately try to strike up romantic relationships with every man or woman within arm’s reach,” he wrote. “This assertion is an insult to the professionalism of the U.S. military and an affront to our Constitution.”

Gibbs has contributed columns to Marine Corps Times since 2005 and has written about a range of issues from gas prices to the Army relaxing boot camp standards.

Fallout from the April 23 column was swift, he said. According to Gibbs, he was notified April 30 that he was relieved of duty due to “loss of confidence” in his ability. His commanding officer shared the news only after Gibbs began asking questions after a posting for his position was prematurely listed on a Corps Web site, Gibbs said during a May 17 telephone interview.

Gibbs will be reassigned to 3rd Marines Logistics group on Okinawa, Japan, he said. His commanders told him, “It is a mark against me, but not one I can’t recover from,” Gibbs said.

But he said he doesn’t necessarily want to recover from it. “Honestly, my military career will be coming to an end shortly,” by choice, the nine-year Corps veteran said.

“I was told, we don’t comment on policy, that’s not our job. That’s what I want to do — I want to be somewhere where I can make change happen,” he said.

This experience has also pushed him in a new direction, he said. “I’m standing up for what I think is right. I’m obviously not in the right place. If I want to make a change, I need to be someplace else.”


Full article: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news..._gibbs_070518/
His opinion: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/comm..._gibbs_070423/


Did the Corps act appropriately? What message does it send? Do you agree with what happened? Does it change your perception of the issue or the Corps?


Note: This board is for discussion on Josh Gibb's opinion article, the Corps actions regarding the article and related topics.

[William Wilson]

Nice to see the Marine Corps take a stand for free speech. Quite the confidence booster. I seem to recall that they have their people recite some (apparently meaningless) words before they enter service: "I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic ..."

Some jarhead officer needs to read the first amendment to that Constitution.

[Drake_vampiel_d]

free speech is somthing that the Military as a whole gives up when we sign up. After signing the dotted line didn't they show you the fine print where it says you are now obligated to defend the Constitution but you lose all rights and privliges. I do think that the USMC did the right thing nothing personal against Capt. Gibbs But he should have known that touching on a subject that is as controversial as "gays" in the military was a bad idea adspecially when he goes against the status Quo which is that Gays should NOT be allowed to serve openly (which I agree with). Mr. Wilson your comment about some "jarhead" officer needing to read the Constitution is rude and uncalled for I'm sure that the Marine officers who made the call to request the Good Capt's resignations knew what they were doing just like you know that inflamitory comments disrespecting the military are showing of your character.

[William Wilson]

I stand by every word I wrote. There is no conceivable justification for the retalation against Capt. Gibbs for what he wrote. Those who punished him violated their oaths as Marines, and their obligation to the country they claim to defend.

[Drake_vampiel_d]

are you in the military? do you understand that in the military we are not allowed to insult publicly the rules that we are held to? we can say that we don't like some of the articles and laws that we are held to but to publicly do so in a paper is almost treasonous.

[FINKD]

Originally Posted by Drake_vampiel_d

free speech is somthing that the Military as a whole gives up when we sign up. After signing the dotted line didn't they show you the fine print where it says you are now obligated to defend the Constitution but you lose all rights and privliges. I do think that the USMC did the right thing nothing personal against Capt. Gibbs But he should have known that touching on a subject that is as controversial as "gays" in the military was a bad idea adspecially when he goes against the status Quo which is that Gays should NOT be allowed to serve openly (which I agree with). Mr. Wilson your comment about some "jarhead" officer needing to read the Constitution is rude and uncalled for I'm sure that the Marine officers who made the call to request the Good Capt's resignations knew what they were doing just like you know that inflamitory comments disrespecting the military are showing of your character.

Please provide a source showing where military members gives up their Constitutional right to free speech.

[Drake_vampiel_d]

it is not a written rule finkd just as many rules are unwritten so I would be unable to give you written proof of any sort.

[FINKD]

Originally Posted by Drake_vampiel_d

it is not a written rule finkd just as many rules are unwritten so I would be unable to give you written proof of any sort.

So if there is no written rule nor anything in Marine regulations or anything in the UCMJ, what did he do that was wrong? Remember, the UCMJ has the catchall article that covers everything that's not specified in the UCMJ. Unwritten rules are unenforceable.

Did you read the Captain's letter? I see nothing disrespectful in it towards superiors, towards the service, or to the country. He's made the same arguments I've made but said it better.

[Drake_vampiel_d]

let me look into the UCMJ and MCM for specifics about speaking publicly about things like this, I have always called it an unwritten rule because I assumed that no one in the military would do it because like this Capt. you could get in trouble. No I have't read it yet but as his superiors "we don’t comment on policy, that’s not our job." and it's true it's not a soldiers job to complain about policies if he wants them changed right to his congressman and express his feelings. maybe today I will get time to read his article and look that info up for research.

[Drake_vampiel_d]

60. Article 134—General article
a. Text.
“Though not specifically mentioned in this chapter, all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good
order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of by a general, special, or summary court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offense, and shall be punished at the discretion of that court.”
(1) In general. Article 134 makes punishable acts in three categories of offenses not specifically covered in any other article of the code. These are referred to as “clauses 1, 2, and 3” of Article 134. Clause 1 offenses involve disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces.

I do believe this covers makeing statements against poicy publicly