What do you think of President Trump's recent pardon of former Navy Sailor Kristian Saucier?

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 19:16:01 -0400

Response by SN Greg Wright made Mar 11 at 2018 7:50 PM

SN Greg Wright — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 19:50:40 -0400

Aimed squarely at Hillary.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Mar 11 at 2018 8:11 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 20:11:06 -0400

I can't respond with certainty but I know just enough to suspect that the sailor is correct, that President Obama used him as a deflection from the scandal threatening Hillary and his legacy

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Mar 11 at 2018 8:25 PM

SSG Warren Swan — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 20:25:38 -0400

It was wrong. The Sailor had mitigating circumstances that aggravated his situation beyond "simple ignorance". Lie to the FBI and destroy evidence changes a lot. Add in he wasn't a "boot" but a PO!, and he's a leader who should be hemmed up. Any comparisons between him and politicians are crazy. When was the last time anyone compared the UCMJ punishments a PVT would get to the UCMJ a GEN would get for committing the same offense? Same UCMJ completely different application of justice. Had the comparison been used like in the article where Obama pardoned a four star, that would be a lot different than saying HRC wasn't convicted, so neither should he. HRC and Trump deserve each other. Two people who cannot let the other go, and any chance they get, have to run their gums on the other.
https://www.stripes.com/news/us/trump-pardons-sailor-convicted-of-photographing-sub-s-nuclear-propulsion-system-1.515957

Trump pardons sailor convicted of photographing sub’s nuclear propulsion system

Kristian Saucier was a machinist's mate aboard the USS Alexandria from September 2007 to March 2012. He used the camera on his cellphone to take pictures of technical components of the sub’s nuclear propulsion system while it was docked at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton, Conn.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Mar 11 at 2018 8:29 PM

Capt Tom Brown — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 20:29:42 -0400

I am good with it and feel he got too much to begin with. Sometimes common sense needs to prevail over rules, regs, orders. It should send a message to all the uniformed services to handle similar cases in the future.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 11 at 2018 8:32 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 20:32:50 -0400

Pardons are an Executive Power. Its his privilege to use them as he sees fit. He doesn't have to give cause, let alone good good cause.

Response by SCPO Morris Ramsey made Mar 11 at 2018 8:37 PM

SCPO Morris Ramsey — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 20:37:24 -0400

COL Private RallyPoint Member I think it was the right thing. But he is the President and does not need my consent or approval.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Mar 11 at 2018 8:51 PM

SPC Erich Guenther — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 20:51:12 -0400

It was the right thing to do. He was fully punished for the photographs and all the pardon did was remove him from the probationary part after his sentence was over and clean his record. He still has to disclose this whole incident again if ever he applies for a Security Clearance so I don't see any risk to the country.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2018 9:06 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 21:06:21 -0400

I don’t think he should have been pardoned. He should have served his sentence and that was that. He was submariner who broke the rules. Another bad example of leadership by the POTUS.

Response by SPC Mike Lake made Mar 11 at 2018 9:10 PM

SPC Mike Lake — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 21:10:42 -0400

I think it was the right thing to do there was no intent he was a scape goat imo...

Response by 1SG Clifford Barnes made Mar 11 at 2018 9:47 PM

1SG Clifford Barnes — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 21:47:59 -0400

Agree

Response by LTC Jeff Shearer made Mar 11 at 2018 10:19 PM

LTC Jeff Shearer — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 22:19:38 -0400

COL what he did was stupid but thats all it was a stupid decision. The President made a good decision, in my opinion. However, there are several that need to hunted down and given the bat until their time is up here on earth.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2018 10:38 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 22:38:55 -0400

Remembering that Barrack Hussein Obama pardoned Bradley Manning for acts that were orders of magnitude worse by comparison. After the fact, Obama was hailed as a hero and Bradley Manning hailed as brave. Not because great leadership by Obama, but because Manning wanted to have a sex change operation and it provided the political capitol needed with the pardon to gin up party support.

Obama also pardoned Oscar Lopez Rivera, the Chicago mad bomber who killed people because he is a sociopath.

Trump Pardoning this man was the correct thing to do.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2018 11:30 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 23:30:37 -0400

It's deserved. What he did was stupid, but not DD and jail time stupid.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2018 11:37 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 23:37:19 -0400

Thank you all for your responses. Many good points were communicated by your responses. Politics is something we in the military should not have to deal with and it is unfortunate that we do at times. However, because we are military we salute and do an about face. However, that does not mean we cannot have opinions and express them. Rally Point (RP) has given us the opportunity to do that. I appreciate that and look forward to additional comments on this topic from RP members.

Response by SFC George Sease made Mar 11 at 2018 11:52 PM

SFC George Sease — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 23:52:30 -0400

I have to say that the PO knew better. I can’t see a reason to photograph a classified item and then say that he wanted it for a “keepsake “. Sorry sport but you screwed the pooch and got caught.

Response by 1SG Steven Kirkman made Mar 12 at 2018 12:42 AM

1SG Steven Kirkman — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 00:42:05 -0400

Sir, this subject was already discussed on this site two days ago by SGT Joseph Gunderson. You might want read those postings too.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2018 12:49 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 00:49:20 -0400

Q: Did Saucier take photographs of classified areas on the submarine while it was docked at Naval Submarine Base New London in Connecticut?
Q: Did the photographs show components of the submarine's nuclear propulsion system?
Q: Is this prohibited?
Q: Did he know it was prohibited? (Albeit, ignorance is not a defense)
If so then the conviction was just and the pardon was as poorly thought out as the Bow Bergdahl swap.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2018 5:49 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 05:49:19 -0400

I think it's 100% bullshit, and was move aimed at keeping the public dislike of Clinton alive if possible. He deserved his punishment and does not deserve a pardon.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2018 7:11 AM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 07:11:43 -0400

I’m ok with it. He did his time for something stupid he did at 22. Unless there was additional evidence he was a spy, why not allow this guy a chance to live his life. I’ve seen worse go unpunished.

Response by PVT Raymond Lopez made Mar 12 at 2018 7:20 AM

PVT Raymond Lopez — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 07:20:23 -0400

I JUST SHOWS WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO CARES ABOUT THE TROOPS!!!

Response by PVT Raymond Lopez made Mar 12 at 2018 8:27 AM

PVT Raymond Lopez — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 08:27:26 -0400

I like to joke that I have two mental problems identic memory and heightened spatial awareness which mean that I remember things and I see things other people do not. In my warped sense of humor I refer to The Modern Marine Day show at Quantico, Virginia and The Association of the United States Army show in Washington, District of Columbia as the “toy shows” over the years I have seen just how little is really “CLASSIFIED”. When I first came to Virginia in 2002 I visited the Armed Forces Day show on the Mall and I was talking to a commissioned helicopter pilot from the 17th Cavalry and I asked him what a light on the top of his helicopter was and very gravely said it was “CLASSIFIED”. I just looked at him and said when you get back to Fort Bragg go to the Post Library and look at a copy of Janes Armored Vehicle Systems and look through it and you will find that is a “dazzler” to deal with laser guided missiles which it was. At The Association of the United States Army show in Washington, District of Columbia that year I saw an Israel Aerospace Industries prototype of a system to defeat anti-tank guided missiles main gun rounds. General Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. (August 22, 1934 – December 27, 2012) always used the term “Bovine fecal material” because as he would always joke when he went to Valley Forge Military Academy he was taught enough of the English language that he did not need to lower himself obscenity or profanity and oddly enough he never raised his voice to me. If you want information about anything there is a Jane’s publication for it very little is really “CLASSIFIED” when business is involved.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2018 9:54 AM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 09:54:23 -0400

Navy here so I'm going to Weigh in on this one.

First off yes he was guilty, he took photos in a controlled space.
No he did not do it with malice, he did not do it to give up secrets to the enemy. Yes he screwed up he served his full time in prison and this Pardon will help him put this all behind him, and move forward with his life.

This is where the LIBERAL argument will fail.

Obama commuted the sentence of Manning, never mind Manning was acting in a malicious manner and willingly shared known classified date with foreign entity's in a bid to disrupt America and its allies. The DOJ, FBI, and Obama administration did everything they could to help HRC cover up her lying to the FBI, using private servers, destruction of evidence, and criminal acts. It has become so convoluted at this point the Truth will never come out.

This Sailor while he did screw up and do wrong was thrown on the sword to help draw the light off of the Democrats corruption. There is no other plausible explanation.

Response by SN James MacKay made Mar 12 at 2018 10:17 AM

SN James MacKay — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 10:17:29 -0400

I think it was a good call. There's no doubt that the young man did what he was accused of. It was a stupid thing to do, but in no way malicious or threatening to national security. The case reeks of prosecutorial overkill, and could probably been handled much differently.

Response by PO1 Don Gulizia made Mar 12 at 2018 10:21 AM

PO1 Don Gulizia — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 10:21:32 -0400

Don't like it. But, I didn't like when other presidents did it as well, especially "Chelsea" Manning commutaion, Oscar Riveria, Scooter Libby, almost all of Clinton's (including his brother), and if you want to see some whoopers...check out Jimmy Carter's. (Why would an enlightened democrat pardon Jefferson Davis?)

Response by SPC Mike Lake made Mar 12 at 2018 10:34 AM

SPC Mike Lake — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 10:34:53 -0400

Manning transfer classified videos in hundreds of classified documents from a secure government computer to an unsecured civilian email and the other guy he took a few photos on his phone never transferred them never had any intent those cases are apples and oranges

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2018 3:16 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 15:16:24 -0400

That's a good deal.

Response by 1stSgt Nelson Kerr made Mar 13 at 2018 12:33 AM

1stSgt Nelson Kerr — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 00:33:11 -0400

from your A School date I am a lot older. Since I made E-U7 at that time. But a senior moment can hit even Kids like you.