PageOneQ Updates an SLDN Client's Story

PageOneQ.com and reporter Julie Weisberg have an update on the case of SLDN client Christopher Mastromarino (pictured).

Mastromarino, who was targeted for expulsion from the Army on charges deemed "trumped up" by his SLDN attorney, will now complete his enlistment . . . and will not be dismissed from the Army.

And, as Weisberg reports, there may have been a change of heart in Mastromarino's unit at the Old Guard.

"Mastromarino said he ran into the Old Guard's commander, Col. Joseph P. Buche, by chance while walking down a hallway," Weisberg writes. "If he was going to be removed from the military, it would have been up to the colonel to sign off on his discharge papers, Mastromarino said."

"He punched me on the shoulder and said, ‘I heard a lot of good things about you. Keep up the good work,'" Mastromarino said of his encounter with Col. Buche.

Mastromarino's career was saved by SLDN with more than a little help from media outlets like PageOneQ. The public attention on his story no doubt gave his command a (long) pause before making their final decision. And reporters like Weisberg helped make a very significant difference in the life of one soldier.

You can read the complete PageOneQ report online here.

- Steve Ralls

Military Uses Trumped Up Charges to Boot Out Service Member Assumed to be Gay

Reporter Julie Weisberg has a great story up on PageOneQ today about SLDN client Chris Mastromarino, a member of the military's prestigious Old Guard.

Mastromarino, who had a stellar service record and was recommended for the Guard by his previous command, is now being targeted for dismissal after rumors began circulating that he is gay. Rather than go after him under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," however, his command brought trumped up criminal charges - including an assault charge based on a game of 'punch bug' - to try and drum him out of the service.

Now, Chris's future is in the hands of a new Guard commander, who has the choice of refusing to sign off on the charade of a trial that brought about the conviction or of validating an anti-gay fishing expedition that could not only end Mastromarino's military career, but threaten his future civilian opportunities, too.

(Stay tuned here at Frontlines for updates on what Mastromarino's command decides to do. As Weisberg notes in her story, "Mastromarino's command has already begun the process of administratively removing him from the Army -- a process that could be completed as soon as tomorrow and began the day after his court martial.")

You can read Julie's full investigative report online at PageOneQ. And surf over to Bilerico.com for more coverage, too.

- Steve Ralls

A New Tradition in the Old Guard?

As we recently reported here at Frontlines, PFC Christopher Mastromarino, a military police officer in the Army's Old Guard, was convicted on three (trumped up) counts of assault after his superiors began asking fellow soldiers about Mastromarino's sexual orientation. SLDN - along with Congressman Steny Hoyer and Senator Barbara Mikulski - pressed the command in Chris's case to take a close look at the facts and carefully consider if his conviction should stand.

On Friday, the command at the Old Guard appears to have 'rubber-stamped' the conviction, putting into play a series of events that will likely result in Mastromarino being booted from the Army entirely. Chris, who had hoped to become a civilian police officer following his military career, now seems to be the victim of a new tradition in the Old Guard: ferreting out the gays and ignoring the facts.

According to information obtained by SLDN, Chris's command simply signed off on his conviction without reading pleas from SLDN, Congressman Hoyer or Senator Mikulski to consider the shaky nature of the evidence against him. There is no indication that Major General Rowe - who signed off on the conviction along with a stack of other paperwork - even glimpsed or gave thought to the arguments in Chris's favor. Instead, he seems to have gone along with a clearly anti-gay fishing expedition that is being used to fire a soldier who others believe is gay.

There is still the (slight) possibility that the Army Staff Judge Advocate will intervene and overturn Rowe's endorsement of the conviction. But that's unlikely, and in the end, the Army (and the Old Guard) will lose another dedicated soldier to anti-gay animus and antiquated homophobia.

- Steve Ralls

FOX 5 Investigates

Tonight's 10 o'clock news on Washington DC's FOX 5 will include an investigation into the case of SLDN client Chris Mastromarino, who is facing dismissal from the U.S. Army following trumped allegations brought by his command at the prestigious Old Guard.

FOX 5 reporter Beth Parker (pictured) will look at Chris's military career, the charges against him and SLDN's defense of the highly-decorated military police officer.

If you're a Washington-area supporter, tune in tonight at 10 for Beth's complete report.

- Steve Ralls

UPDATE: You can now watch Beth's complete story online by clicking here.

SLDN Saves Career of Army MP

Many of you may have become familiar with the case of Chris Mastromario, an MP with the Army's Old Guard, who was charged with three counts of felony assult because he is perceived to be gay. The tragedy of Chris's story caught the attention of national figures, including House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Sen. Barbra Mikulski (D-MD), as well as local media. As a result this story has a happy ending!

SLDN is pleased to announce that Chris Mastromarino has been retained by the Army and will be allowed to complete his term of enlistment!! While the convictions will remain on his record, the fact that he is able to complete his term of service means that, after he leaves the service, Chris may still be able to fulfuill his lifelong dream of one-day becoming a police officer.

-Victor Maldonado