Mathew L. Golsteyn
Matthew Golsteyn | |
---|---|
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 2002–2015 |
Rank | Major |
Awards | Silver Star (revoked in 2015) National Defense Service Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal Army Service Ribbon NATO Medal for ISAF Special Forces Tab (revoked in 2014) |
Major Mathew L. Golsteyn is a
Early life
Golsteyn grew up in
Military career
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/President_Trump_in_Florida_%2849193831736%29.jpg/220px-President_Trump_in_Florida_%2849193831736%29.jpg)
Golsteyn graduated from the
Killing alleged of Afghan bomb-maker
In 2010 Golsteyn was part of
In November 2016, Golsteyn was a guest on a Fox News show. Asked by host Bret Baier if he had killed a suspected bomb-maker, Golsteyn responded "yes". Golsteyn's admission led to the Army reopening the case.[9]
Presidential pardon
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Pardon_of_Mathew_Golsteyn.png/220px-Pardon_of_Mathew_Golsteyn.png)
Golsteyn made national news when U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would review Golsteyn's case.[14]
On November 15, 2019, President Donald Trump signed a pardon for Golsteyn; it resulted in the dropping of all charges.[15]
The following month, Lieutenant General Francis Beaudette, the commander of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, denied a request by Golsteyn to have his Special Forces Tab reinstated.[16] The service then convened an administrative panel, the Board for Correction of Military Records, to determine whether it should reinstate the Special Forces Tab and a Distinguished Service Cross, and expunge a letter of reprimand Golsteyn received.[16] The Board ruled against Golsteyn in all requested actions. On Golsteyn's medal revocation, it noted that "The Department of Defense has directed that awards such as the DSC and [Silver Star] should be revoked if subsequently determined facts would have prevented the original approval or presentation of the award," and also noted that this appeared in Army Regulations. The Board determined relief was not warranted because Golsteyn's pardon was "a sign of forgiveness" and "does not indicate innocence."[17] Similarly, the Board noted that Golsteyn's Special Forces Tab was revoked pursuant to Army regulations, as the USASOC Commander determined that his actions were "inconsistent with the integrity, professionalism, and conduct of a Special Forces Soldier." They found that the revocation was not impacted by Golsteyn's pardon, noting that the Department of Justice advised Golsteyn that the pardon "does not equate to a finding of innocence." They found that the CID investigation contained ample evidence of "an unjustified killing" as well as "conspir[ing] . . . . to hide and destroy evidence of his misconduct," which was admitted both "to the CIA and to the media." The Board also noted that Golsteyn had been administratively eliminated (fired) from the Army as a result.[18] Finally, the Board declined to remove the reprimand from Golsteyn's personnel file, ruling that the reprimand "addresses and condemns behavior beyond conduct proscribed by [Golsteyn's UCMJ charges]," and the reprimand was not "in any way untrue or unjust." Further, it noted that the Department of Justice advised Golsteyn that the pardon would not expunge all records relating to the offense.[19]
See also
- List of people pardoned or granted clemency by the president of the United States
- Clint Lorance, former US Army first lieutenant convicted of second-degree murder for two 2012 battlefield killings in Afghanistan; sentenced to 20 years imprisonment; incarcerated at Fort Leavenworth; pardoned and released after six years.
References
- ^
Thomas Gibbons-Neff (2018-12-14). "Army Charges Special Forces Soldier in 2010 Killing of Afghan". Washington, DC. p. A9. Archivedfrom the original on 2018-12-17.
The accusations against the soldier, Maj. Mathew L. Golsteyn, are the latest chapter in a winding story that began after he told the Central Intelligence Agency — during a job interview in 2011 — that he had killed a suspected Afghan bomb maker a year earlier, during the battle for the city of Marja in Afghanistan's volatile Helmand Province.
- ^
Helene Cooper, Michael Tackett and Taimoor Shah (2018-12-16). "Twist in Green Beret's Extraordinary Story: Trump's Intervention After Murder Charges". Washington, DC. p. A1. Archivedfrom the original on 2018-12-17.
With that tweet, Mr. Trump made another extraordinary intervention into the American judicial system. A president who just last week threatened to stop a Justice Department effort to extradite a Chinese tech executive and who spends most days vilifying the special counsel had now stepped into a complicated legal and ethical case that goes to the heart of the fraught politics of the military's rules of engagement.
- ^ a b
"Trump 'to review' Mathew Golsteyn Afghan murder case". BBC News. 2018-12-16. Archived from the original on 2018-12-16. Retrieved 2018-12-17.
It is unclear what the president meant when he posted the tweet. However, as Commander in Chief of the US armed forces, any intervention by Mr Trump could count as unlawful command influence, and might mean the case against Maj Golsteyn is thrown out.
- ^ South, Todd (2018-12-18). "Trump said he'll review the case against an Army Green Beret charged with murder. This is what could happen". Army Times. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
- ^ "Lost Alumni - Trinity Prep". www.trinityprep.org. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
- ^ "Apopka at Lake Brantley". Orlando Sentinel. 2021-07-31 [1997-09-04]. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
Sante Fe at Trinity Prep… behind quarterback Matt Golsteyn… Jerry Golsteyn played in the NFL, son Matt is a three-year starter…
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Lamothe, Dan (February 4, 2015). "Army revokes Silver Star award for Green Beret officer, citing investigation". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
- ^ Lamothe, Dan (February 6, 2015). "CIA job interview leads to criminal investigation of Green Beret". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
- ^ from the original on 2018-12-19. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
- ^ Information Paper, SAMR-MP, 29 Sep 2014
- ^ Dwight Mears, “Medals ‘Ridiculously Given’?: The Authority to Award, Revoke, and Reinstate Military Decorations in Three Case Studies Involving Executive Clemency,” Military Law Review 229 (2021): 404
- ^ Mathew Golsteyn, No. AR20200000309, Army Bd. for Corr. of Mil. Records, 7 (June 26, 2020).
- ^ Ibid.
- ^ Geoffrey S. Corn; Rachel E. VanLandingham (Dec 21, 2018). "Let military justice system decide if Major Matthew Golsteyn is a victim or murderer". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on December 21, 2018. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
- ^ Melissa Leon, Lucas Tomlinson (November 15, 2019). "Trump grants clemency to 2 Army officers accused of war crimes, restores rank to Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher". Fox News. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
- ^ a b "Army general denies request by officer pardoned by Trump to have his Special Forces tab reinstated | The Spokesman-Review".
- ^ Mathew Golsteyn, No. AR20200000309, Army Bd. for Corr. of Mil. Records, 11 (June 26, 2020).
- ^ Ibid., 12.
- ^ Ibid., 12-13.