Threat from American Soldier
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25 September 2011
Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
Every American service member is a representative of the United States of America. If an American Soldier were to write about President Obama, “I want to rip his head off and piss down his windpipe!” we would expect that the Secret Service would investigate further before the President visited a base where that troop is stationed. If that same Soldier published the same words about his Commanding General, while both are in a war zone, his behavior would be grounds for reduction in rank, at a minimum. Sane or insane, public hatred coming from an armed American Soldier in war should be taken seriously. The trooper is paid by US citizens, and the weapon in his hands is the property and responsibility of the United States. He is paid and armed by us to represent us. His actions, ultimately, are his responsibility and the responsibility of his chain of command. His every action—in word and in deed—reflects upon the United States.
Threats are especially serious coming from an American service member armed with a powerful automatic weapon and plenty of ammunition. When those threats occur in a war zone from someone who has publicly discussed his mental health issues, no sane person would brush them off. Time and again, we have seen tragedies unfold and then look back and say, “There were signs. . . .” In Fort Hood a Soldier murdered 13 people. In retrospect, the signs were obvious, and we did nothing.
Over here, in Afghanistan, soldiers have murdered for sport. I was embedded with their brigade but with different units. This was a very small group of Soldiers whose actions negatively cast light on the far higher professionalism of the general military population, but they did it nevertheless. Back in Iraq, five soldiers got drunk, raped a young Iraqi girl and murdered her family. They also murdered the girl. During the crime in which they raped and murdered the fourteen-year-old girl, they executed her six-year old sister. Then our soldiers burned the people they murdered. Iraqis, allegedly in response, kidnapped some of our Soldiers and disemboweled and dismembered them alive. Our response to the missing Soldiers was to kill a lot of Iraqis in the area while searching for our Soldiers. The drunken rape, and multiple-murders, and what then unfolded as a result, is a largely untold story of the Iraq war. We have a small percentage of criminals in uniform in our midst. The results of their evil actions will echo through history.
During the dozen years I have been in the military on active duty or covering the wars, I have felt threatened only twice by American soldiers. Both times I warned other Soldiers of sufficient rank and position to cause action. Nothing happened. The first soldier is dead. He shot himself last year. He was under investigation for sexual harassment of another officer. He was to be escorted to another base but committed suicide. When I raised the flag about five years earlier, nobody wanted to believe my confidential warnings probably because of his combat record and the fact that he graduated from West Point, and due to his personal connections. It was clear at the time that they saw my warnings as evidence of a personal feud between the officer and me. There was no feud. He was a dangerous man.
The second soldier is Master Sergeant CJ Grisham. He is stationed at Kandahar Air Field nearby, where I must often travel. I have cautioned the Army numerous times through back channels. This soldier concerns me as a lethal threat to my person. Most recently, in another angry tirade, Grisham wrote, “I want to rip his head off and piss down his windpipe!” In my world, there is no television and people die all the time. All bullets are live. All threats are real.
Since the current wars began, I have alerted people about four soldiers. The two Generals I warned about were fired last year—one was subsequently convicted of a crime—and both were sent home from Afghanistan. They were incompetent. The third soldier shot himself and went home dead from Afghanistan. The fourth is CJ Grisham. He should not be in the US military carrying an assault rifle. Grisham has the motive. He has the means. He has access to his target. He has stated his desire. His behavior toward many people in the past has been that of a remorseless, soulless bully. His narcissism is apparent. When he’s backed into a corner, Grisham turns on the charm and claims to have PTSD in a shameless act to garner sympathy. He has gathered small cult-like group who vigorously defend him.
I am an unarmed American citizen in Afghanistan. I have warned the Army and they have done nothing. I feel physically threatened by Master Sergeant CJ Grisham.
[Minutes ago I received a message from the Army that they are investigating.]
Sincerely,
Michael Yon
Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
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Thank you!
Michael
Comments
Not sure what you're beliefs are but I'll give you the best I can offer. Watch your ass and God Bless.
I can't yet claim to be a part of the 'we' who should be trying to help members of the Armed Forces and Veterans with PTSD. But, it's not for a lack of trying. I have around five more years of college before I reach my objective. However, my hope is to work in an official capacity helping returning service members rather than simply 'check the box'.
After eight years AD and three additional overseas, I have a wee bit of experience under my belt. Should you need or want to vent to a complete stranger (perhaps the anonymity may help), I'll figure a way give you my email address.
So, a good story would keep the money coming, just like any other reporter, milking controversy they created?
Michael, my family and I greatly appreciate all you do for our soldiers and their families. Please be safe and do NOT let your guard down. CJ Grisham needs to be taken out and brought back to the states before he carrys thru on his threat!
I am truly sorry for the family of that girl and her family.
There are good and bad in all walks of life.A shame that those soldiers were not found out before something happened. Its a shame they disgraced the military and our USA. A sad day
Yes, the threat is the crime.
Gods speed, Michael Yon.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/feb/23/usa.iraq
Sherry Hale- Mr. Yon has also been fighting for our country by providing the world with accurate stories about deployed soldiers for many years now. He has been beside them through firefights, dangerous missions, etc. and continues to be despite constant threats to his person by the enemy and otherwise. Our soldiers are not the only heroes who are fighting for our country, and unlike Mr. Yon, they are paid for their noble service. Mr. Yon is honorably attempting to prevent another atrocity, such as those listed in this post, from occurring. You are the one who should be ashamed.
Calling for M.Y. to self censor is a problem as well. The whole point of this blog for him to write and for us to read it is to get a better insight into the war.
I'm sure M.Y. thought long and hard over this post like all of them
Contact your Congressman, Senator, or maybe LTC Allen West make them aware of the situation and do not I repeat do not delay in doing so. What you may have is an embittered lifer who was passed over for promotion and these kind a very dangerous.
Michael's life is threatened and the best you can do is question why the perp is angry?? Does it matter? Perhaps on the occasion that the physical threat is removed then someone could sit down and have a philosophical touchy feely discussion about the "why" but negating the threat immediateley should be the only consideration until accomplished.
Your last paragraph, is basically telling MS Grisham, that you "took out" the other three who have threatened you and he is next.
I also visited his blog and have found nothing threatening about what he has written. Freedom of speech should not be reserved just for embeded freelance journalists.
Oh, wait.
Finally, don't forget Military One Source. I used them after my Afghanistan deployment for counseling. It's a free benefit for you. Use it!
For the MSgt, I haven't obviously heard both sides but sounds like a lapse in military bearing at the least. Hope he gets the help he needs.
"how a blog brought a soldier down"
http://m.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/12/how-a-blog-brought-down-master-sergeant-grisham/
Hoping someone like this guy gets help doesn't do much. The best thing to do get the word out. Good for you!!
Godspeed, Michael.
http://militarytimes.com/offduty/technology/offduty_blogger_120809/
Keep up the great work, Michael, and watch your back. You're solo and these guys are in some tightly knit units that may try to protect their own. I understand that's a matter of survival for them and don't begrudge them for it but you still will need to watch your own back, as you are doing.
I figure a smart fellow can usually figure a way to avoid dangerous confrontations and, when that's not possible, defuse them or retreat from them.
If the guy's really a dangerous loose cannon, avoid him and avoid aggravating him.
Of course, one could also avoid war zones completely, which you have not, so perhaps you may may need to pause and think a bit to figure out how avoiding your loose cannon might be done.
It sounds like this character has you a bit spooked.
You should be buddies not enemies ...
enough of them out there !
I suspect the truth here is somewhere in the middle. That said MSgt Grisham's actions and subsequent blogging about the school board incident reflects negatively on the position he held at the time, period and should have raised flags at the command level. As a First Sgt he had no business getting publicly embroiled in that dust-up, NONE!
This one the first things you are taught as a part of military decorum. I know the frustration of trying keep your negative opinions to yourself and only voice them privately through the chain of command structure, but if you do not, you will be sorry, as evidenced by the reaction of MSgt Grisham superiors, which I agree with BTW in this particular incidence
(con't)
Somewhere, somehow, there needs to be an intervention here in the life of a true American hero, gone solidly off the rails! :eek::
Is anybody in the Beltway who gives a damn listening?
Thank you for your continued honest coverage of the war. I am praying for your safety.
I am a spouse of a soldier who is in 4-4 Cav and I think you need to get your facts straight and be removed as a war correspondent Afghanistan. For example, you asked for pictures from 4-4 cav soldiers and they donated them but the problem being you registered them as your own. I do not like the story I am commenting on because it is about having people feel sorry for you instead of about what is really going on over there. Another thing is you boast about soldiers who you feel are top notch but they are just like you and want to be thought they are better than they actually are. The soldier that you brag about has went against so many opsec violations. Please get your facts straight because you have not credibility in my book.
Thanks for all the stress and heartache of all the soldiers and their spouses in 4-4 Cav
a concerned spouse in Charlie troop, 4-4 Cav
And Texas is a good place to get away and have a few Shiner Bocks to recalibrate.
S/f,
Erik
I there anything that a US Citizen can do to help?
Will the military solve this? Please let us know how this is handled.
God bless you, Michael Yon
Eric
Be the voice of the soldiers fighting for America, spend years living with the risk of IED death every day and finally be killed by a guy on your own side...
I believe there is a need for journalists like MY. They are necessary to expose the lies and the atrocities, whether they are performed by the Taliban, Soldiers, or our Government. We the people have a right to know how our tax dollars are being spent.
If you have to embed somewhere else in Afghanistan, I might be able to help you out. Send me a private message on facebook and I'll give you details.
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