Marine Lt. Col. who posted viral videos released from brig under gag order

Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, the Marine officer who on August 26th posted a viral video regarding Afghanistan and his concerns about the mistakes the senior military command made in the withdrawal from the country and calls for their accountability, had landed him in the brig. He has finally been released today, Tuesday, as his legal case moves forward. [H/T Military.com]

Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Jim Stenger confirmed in an email about the release "as a result of a mutual agreement between Lt. Col. Scheller, his defense counsel, and the commanding general, Training Command." 

The terms of the agreement are not yet made known to the public.

However, a source with knowledge of the situation revealed that Scheller remains bound by a gag order that bars him from social media. 

Scheller's case now will move to an Article 32 preliminary hearing, which has not yet been scheduled, to consider whether charges should be recommended to his command. Those potentially could include contempt toward officials, willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer, failure to obey lawful general orders, and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.

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Meanwhile, Scheller is pursuing a deal that will allow him to avoid trial and leave the military with an honorable discharge. In fact, he appears to be one of the few officers and gentlemen who is actually honorable in light of Gen. Milley refusing to resign and even offering a treasonous "heads-up" to China during the Trump administration if we were going to attack that country. 

But that's a separate issue.

Lt. Col. Scheller has submitted a request for resignation of his commission in lieu of trial to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro; the source adds that "numerous" members of Congress have urged Del Toro to accept this request.

Members of Congress have shown support for Scheller and on Sept. 29th more than 30 lawmakers wrote a letter to the Marine Corps commandant asking for Scheller's release, arguing that his brig sentence "appears to be simply for messaging, retribution, and convenience."

This is an unfolding story.

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