Court-Martial date set for Maj. Mathew Golsteyn
The trial for Maj. Mathew Golsteyn’s court-martial is currently set to begin Monday, Dec. 2, and take place in the main courthouse on Ft. Bragg.
As a service member pending trial, Maj. Mathew Golsteyn enjoys the presumption of innocence.
U.S. Army Special Operations Command will continue to adhere to U.S. Army rules and regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice in order to ensure the integrity of the legal process.
On December 18, 2018, the Special Court-Martial Convening Authority decided that Maj. Mathew Golsteyn will proceed to an Article 32 Preliminary Hearing, scheduled to start, Thursday, March 14, 2019, located on Fort Bragg, N.C. This is an initial step towards determining whether Major Mathew Golsteyn violated Article 118 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), Premediated Murder.
The recommendations of the Preliminary Hearing Officer will be considered by Maj. Golsteyn’s commander when deciding whether he will stand trial by general court-martial.
Major Golsteyn has been, and will continue to be, provided with the respect and privileges his rank commands while awaiting completion of the just legal process.
The USASOC Public Affairs Office will publish a press advisory when additional information is available to coordinate media attendance for members of the press.
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Congressman Duncan Hunters Facebook redirects to Army Times for his open letter to the public: Letter below:
Editor’s note: The following is an open letter from Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., to Maj. Mathew Golsteyn. The officer faces a board of inquiry that begins Tuesday at Fort Bragg, N.C. The board is to recommend whether he could remain in service.
The Army alleges that Golsteyn, in a job interview with the CIA, admitted to killing an unarmed Afghan in Marjah, Afghanistan, in 2010. Golsteyn believed the man to be a known bomb maker, according to the Army’s account. An Army investigation into a violation of the rules of engagement, however, failed to find sufficient corroborating evidence to charge him.]
Two-plus years of investigations and administrative gamesmanship by the Army have led to this week’s Board of Inquiry to determine your fate. The Army’s case against you is weak, but their advantage is that they control the venue, the process and everything else.
You have been outnumbered before and you fought your way out. Expect to do the same again. The Army wants to believe that you are guilty of “murder” and “conspiracy,” even though they were unable to substantiate an allegation that you killed a confirmed bomb maker in Afghanistan — a bomb maker who had the blood of at least two Marines on his hands.
They want to believe the allegation in the absence of any evidence or witnesses. This was evident as soon as they revoked your Silver Star and Distinguished Service Cross, in addition to your Special Forces Tab — all of it without material evidence or witnesses, and without awareness of the threats you and your men faced in the war zone.
No less to blame is the Central Intelligence Agency, for being manipulated by Army investigators to disclose details from your job interview with the clandestine service. You are the type of operator the CIA wants and needs. And instead of being punished for the alleged action, you should be on the CIA payroll right now or given a combat command.
You deserve better than the treatment you’ve been given.
Your service and sacrifice, your repeated deployments — all of it should call for mutual respect and fairness. It’s an absolute shame to observe your struggle.Young men and women have been following your case —soldiers and civilians, alike. Your case was even brought up recently by a high school class in my congressional district and they too were confounded by the Army’s actions.
They’re not alone.
You have support far and wide. And without request, a thousand-plus petitions reaffirming support for you showed up in my office, signed by American families that care about you and are equally angered by your struggle.
No matter what the Army tries to take from you, remember that your actions in combat are your own. The respect you earned is your own. None of this can ever be stripped. When it came down to it, your brothers and sisters in arms were all that mattered. Congressman Hunter via Army Times June 22 2015