Stop injustice against citizen soldiers.

Good Morning,

I am Sergeant First Class Velez a Washington Army National Guard Soldier, and a father of five children without an advocate.

I am a two-time combat deployed soldier, a Veteran of the Marine Corps, and have spent 23 years consecutively wearing a uniform.

Yesterday I was informed I was being removed from active duty without chance at a retirement. No courts-martial, no board, no investigation, No Article 15s. No chance to defend myself. Even my request to face my accuser was denied.

Six months ago as the result of some command friction and some lingering medical issues, I nearly took my own life. The soldiers of this chain of command nearly handed me the gun. A caring doctor and a Command Sergeant Major from outside of my chain of command got me the help I needed. My residual medical issues from Iraq are being treated, and I now have a plan to get back into life.

More than a million dollars in pay and retirement benefits are being stripped from me without giving me a fighting chance. Although I am well aware that the administrative loophole used to push me out for misconduct is regulatory, there is no requirement for proof, no military rules of evidence.

I spent 5 thousand dollars, I didn't have, to get an attorney to try to represent myself. His hands were tied. He was not afforded an opportunity to help due to the administrative nature of this case. Every request for relief was scoffed or denied.

I likely should have been enrolled in a program to help me. Prior to these recent accusations, I had a meritorious service record. Now, all of that service and my family's chance at success are being discarded. No partial retirement, no rehabilitative efforts, just walking papers without even a "Thank you for your service."  They are not even granting me an honorable discharge.  This has a direct effect on my future benefits and employability.

I have served this nation for 23 years, 16 of those years have been on active duty. I have come to the aid of Washington State for fires, floods, and when the nation called, I spent two years of my life in Iraq.

My career is being dissolved and my service to this state and nation forgotten without any trial, without any rules of evidence. One commander and a few statements, against a spotless and honorable 23 year service record.

I plead with you to step in an ensure the rules established by both the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Washington Code of Military Justice are adhered to. I risk stiffer punishment under those provisions, but I am not guilty of what I am being accused of. An administrative loop hole, one without a hearing, is ending my career.

If I had committed acts so egregious, I would have and should have been adjudicated through the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) action. The current administrative process used to dismiss me required no burden of proof and I was not afforded an administrative board to defend myself. I requested to speak with the Adjutant General to plead my case. That was also denied.

The basis of the complaints against me were severely exaggerated and the claims of past rehabilitative efforts are fictitious. Check my orders, ask them to produce counseling or NCOERs (performance evaluations) that support any of these claims.

I am being unfairly treated. But bigger than that, a citizen soldier has no recourse to protect himself and is not given active duty JAG representation. I serve Active Duty, but I am denied the separation board process an active duty soldier receives.

On top of losing my active duty retirement, my personal pride, and my earned
Veteran's benefits, I am losing my job. -Please- Allow me a chance to
redeem myself and my career. I have risked all for this nation, I ask for a
stay of execution.

I ask that you push the Washington Military Department and the Governor of the state to do the right thing.  Allegations should be proven or adjudicated before leadership is allowed to just dissolve the careers of soldiers so close to retirement.

Anything you can do is crucial. My future is in your hands.

Respectfully,
Sergeant First Class Velez
Washington Army National Guard
United States Marine
Combat Veteran