Milton Green Beret facing discharge for beating Afghan child rapist police commander

A Green Beret from Milton thought he was doing the right thing by beating an Afghan police commander for keeping a little boy as a sex slave in 2011.

But according to a report from WBUR, Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland is facing a discharge from the military for attacking the chief who U.S. forces put in charge of the village.

The Afghan National Police have “raped children with impunity” according to the U.S. State Department’s annual human rights report of 2013, and sharing young boys dressed as girls is common practice amongst Afghan police and military figures not affiliated with the Taliban.

Martland and a few fellow soldiers claim that their superiors told them to turn a blind eye, but Martland was not going to let the officials “play with boys,” as it is commonly referred to.

A bruised and beaten mother came to Martland and Green Beret Capt. Dan Quinn and told them that she was beaten when she demanded the release for her 12-year-old son, who had been taken by the police commander.

Quinn told NPR that he and Martland summoned the commander, whom they had put into power, and laughed about it when the two U.S. soldiers confronted him. They then roughed him up, letting him know that this would not be tolerated.

Instead, it was their aggression that merritt reaction from the military. A helicopter came the next day to remove them. They were investigated for violating code of conduct. Quinn was relieved of his command and both soldiers were shipped back to the United States.

Quinn left the military, according to NPR, but Martland did not. Now, as U.S. presence winds down in the area, Martland claims the army is trying to squeeze him out, but won’t explain why, according to WBUR. There is a gag order that keeps Martland and his fellow soldiers from talking to the public, the station reported.