Setting the Record Straight

Posted By Blackfive

Apparently., there's a Men's Journal article about James Circello going AWOL from his Airborne unit.  I looked for it on the Men's Journal web site but couldn't find it.

James Circello is a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War (which thankfully seems doomed to irrelevancy mostly by a distinct lack of credibility). 

On the most excellent AnySoldier, Lieutenant Roy Emerson (XO of a company in the 173rd) take issues with James Circello's claims.

21 Jan 2008:
Recently it has been brought to our attention that a former “Sky Soldier” James Circello has felt compelled to tell “his” story of his time with our brigade in one of the latest issues of “Men’s Journal.” As Mr. Circello was a member of Legion Company, his commentary is quite personal, and somewhat disheartening. Throughout this article he implies that there were gross violations of the Geneva Convention by his unit (173D) during the initial deployment to Iraq-charges which have no basis in fact or investigation. At no time did during the deployment or immediately following the deployment, did Mr. Circello bring these concerns to anyone’s attention. He further asserts that he went AWOL because of his unwillingness to fight in an “unjust war..” Well, these statements cannot go without rebuttal.

Mr. Circello previous to becoming part of Legion Company had been assigned to 2/503D for the duration of their deployment to Iraq. It should be noted that during this deployment much of Iraq was still in total chaos. It proved to be a tough deployment for the 173D. Despite having left to travel to another post following his deployment, he eventually found his way back (he REQUESTED the return) to the 173d and finally to Legion Company. It should be noted that the article in “Men’s Journal,” reflects his moral “issues with the actions in Iraq-nothing was written about Afghanistan. Fit might also be noted that Mr. Circello not only returned to Italy, but actually re-enlisted following the deployment to Iraq he speaks about. Needless to say he is no longer in the Army.

Mr. Circello’s second tour in Italy was wrought with many problems. Mr. Circello, after having shown up to work while intoxicated, lost his promotion to Staff SGT. Furthermore, upon being picked-up for a DUI, instead of staying and facing the problem, he chose to go AWOL the day IMMEDIATELY following his charge, and thus abandoning his fellow soldiers immediately preceding their deployment to Afghanistan. These are facts-facts that somehow were not discovered by this specific media outlet. It is not my contention that he cannot be “against the war, but rather in speaking on this subject, Mr. Circello chose to omit all the facts. When the punishment came down, he should have considered himself “lucky” to have been discharged with only an “other than honorable” discharge.” Had the command been so inclined, this soldier could have been in a world of trouble. DUI is a criminal charge, and AWOL-well, lets just say historically is one of the worst crimes a soldier can commit in a time of war. There is no honor in running from one’s own responsibilities.

The anger that many of us here at Legion feel has nothing to do with his stand on the war (either one,) but at the fact that he did not tell the whole story, rather he told the facts that fit his “story.” It also cannot be ignored that one of the photographs showed Mr. Circello standing at Arlington Cemetery-a place where his former Company commander is buried having given his life in service to his country-in my humble opinion it does nothing but disrespect the memory of those buried there. It is for this reason that I too felt compelled to write on this subject.

I of course notice how quickly the media jumps on anything “negative” regarding these wars. It is hard to accept that no matter how many “good” things are accomplished, they still chose to print the unsubstantiated “story” of one soldier. This was NOT an editorial piece but rather a regular article within the magazine. It is exhausting for all of us to attempt to make the general public understand what we are doing, and to change the image many have of us being blood-thirty murderers. Articles such as this one do nothing but reinforce this image. This is NOT who we are.

Anyone that has taken the time to read any of my previous posts has some idea of who we are. We are men, attempting to help a country find her way to freedom; furthermore, we are soldiers as well as diplomats, each day finding new ways to ensure the continuation of the work started here. It saddens me to think of any American thinking of us in the light put forth by Mr. Circello, but to think that this “attack” comes from one of our “own” is unthinkable. It is not my contention that he cannot be against these conflicts, but, to in anyway discount the sacrifices made by our fallen comrades as well as the men still standing here is reprehensible. To again be reminded how the media seems content to report half truths in regards to these conflicts, again is disheartening.

In the end Mr. Circello made the CHOICE to re-enlist AFTER his tour in Iraq, he made the CHOICE to return to Italy knowing deployment would again be in his future. He made the CHOICE to drink and drive and a CHOICE to go AWOL, but, most disturbing perhaps is the choice he made, to tell an incomplete story which in effect discounts my brothers-in-arms sacrifices and actions which, it seems, the media was all too eager to latch onto-facts unchecked.

The stories of war are often hard to swallow, no one, and I do mean no one “wants” a war. But as is the case with many things throughout history it is often “war” that inevitably leads to peace. It is my greatest wish that the stories of these wars are told in their entirety, not merely adjusted to fit the needs of an alternate agenda. Although it is often easiest to look at war in relationship to “right” and “wrong,” it must be noted that much of the ‘reasoning” associated with it cannot be seen in such absolute shades of “black” and “white.” Instead we muddle through the “gray” areas, attempting to make the BEST decisions in the worst of situations, are mistakes made? Of course, but, the coverage of these mistakes seems far greater than the coverage of the good deeds accomplished everyday. It is the purpose of my writing to attempt to put the honest stories of myself and soldiers out there-the good along with the bad. It is up to each American to make their own decisions regarding our governments’ policies as they relate to the Middle East. But, it is up to myself and all soldiers, to be sure that when the waters are muddied by incomplete, and unsubstantiated stories, that we stand up and tell the whole story so as the judgments regarding our actions by others are made with full knowledge of the events and an understanding of what it means to be a soldier in combat.

God Bless,

LT Roy Emerson

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Comments

[Grimmy]

"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murder is less to fear."

Quote by: Marcus Tullius Cicero
(106-43 B.C.) Roman Statesman, Philosopher and Orator
Date: 42 B.C.
Source: Speech in the Roman Senate

[winemkr]

This guy is a mere pimple on a a real man's ass. The Marine Corps has a saying: "There's always that ten percent".

When I was young and dumb and full of cum I was also a Marine.

I couldn't understand why there were so many shitbirds in the Army.

The answer is that there are more soldiers than Marines.

This is a non issue.

I'm off to check the update........

PS

Is this guy related to Beauchamp?

[Deltabravo]

Gonna be heartless here... this guy will someday trumpet his veteran status proudly. As he's holding his cardboard sign on the streetcorner asking for change. He won't tell the whole story then either.

[mjnaples]

Thank-you for letting Lt. Roy Emerson set the record straight.

[Deebow]

This guy is now in the Hall of Fame for cowardly punks who run and hide when the going gets tough. This will help push IVAW further into the realm of irrelavance.

The worst part of this is that some asshat columnist ran this by his libtard editor and in their glee to publish a "story" from a guy who was "there" who wanted to spin a yarn about how the Army sucked and made him kill children, and then screwed him out of his promotion to general blahdy freakin blah...

Don't bother fact checking the WHOLE story there Mr. Editor, we will just take the columnist at his word that this guy is the real deal.

I am betting that his soldiers are glad he is gone too. They can usually sniff out a crappy leader across the DZ.

Another reason not to read Mens Journal. I am looking forward to him holding that sign along side the freeway.

Thanks for getting us right LT, we appreciate it.

[RonF]

So has the above author contacted Mens' Journal directly? If so, did they respond?

[Loki520]

I think Deebow has an excellent idea. We need to establish an "Idiots hall of fame" to keep track, and tell the story, of all these idiots running amok. Fake MOH winners, Beauchamp, Circello, etc...

I'm gonna have to go and create a blog... something to do tonight.

[Grimmy]

Deltabravo:

You're not being heartless. You're just paying attention and dealing with reality.

There's a misconception that's popular today that for a man or woman to simply go through basic/boot and put on a uniform provides some sort of saintly status.

Not true.

Standing up and giving up of yourself to serve your nation during a time of war is a basic requirement of citizenship. It is less about those who do so being automatic heros than it is about those who refuse to do so being automatic parasites.

Uniformed service does not give saint status, but refusing the same does prove cowardice, dishonor, disgusting slime status.

There will be failures of soldiers, both intentional and accidental. This is because soldiers are humans and humans can screw the pooch with just a moment's inattention. This is also because there are those leftard activists that go through the process of uniformed service simply to gain cred to attack that service.

A soldier's value and honor are measured day by day. It's hard to gain quality status and easy to lose it. There is no harsher rubric available than that applied by soldiers to soldiers. But, forgiveness is also available, if earned by admission of wrong, correction of wrong and followed by further efforts of integrity. This is where the Grass Roots and Astro Turfs are separated and the weeds of Useful Idiots are ripped from the bed.

[gijoedweiss]

I was in B co 1/503rd with Circello, he was really piece of garbage, and now he's just crying out for attention, pretty much everything he said in the magazine article was an out right lie. . .please send an email to this address

letters@mensjournal.com

to protest the article, I'm trying to get more and more people to send emails in, I was really upset to see Circello standing over the graves of some of my friends buried at Arlington, it was really a disgrace.

[JamesCircello]

Unfortunately a lot of the Men's Journal article was no direct quotes, but partial quotes and sometimes nothing I said at all.
I was a piece of garbage, well that is an opinion and I won't slap you for it.
I was in Arlington respectfully. Whoever tries to make it out as anything more than that is a fool. It wasn't a photo shoot in those terms, the particular photographer
followed me around for days and captured moments. It meant a lot to me to go there.
People can say what they will about me, but I have never held back a single fact. Hell google and read "James Circello Admits to being a Traitor And So Can You!". I told the journalist about all the exploits the patriots of the 173rd claim to know about me. All the dirty laundry. This has always been out in the open. Most of the 173rd knew I was leaving. This is the funny part. Most of them supported it and wished the could too. Most of them, means my friends that is. Anyway, the Crusade seems to have slowed down and or ended, because you cannot win. You claim you have the real dirt on James Circello, hell, I have the real dirt on him. Ask me about him, I will tell you everything, I'm not ashamed. Do I regret certain decisions? Yes. Maybe I should have left earlier. Maybe I shouldn't have said certain things that are factual. Whatever. Water under the bridge. Call me garbage, call me a leg, call me whatever it doesn't bother me. I haven't said a single word about the soldiers. I have talked about my experiences which are truthful, hell I have an email from CSM Weik after he saw my videos where it confirms most of what I say. But what gives? What does it matter? It doesn't. It is extremely funny that when soldiers PCS they are forgotten, I can't remember the names of certain people I worked with years ago, but somehow now everyone claims they know James Circello because they talked to him in the chow hall a few times. I don't want attention. But these insults that are thrown at me - they bring me attention. There is no bad press. So protest the article, it might mean there will be a follow up in the magazine where they will ask my side again. I hope everyone in the Middle East comes home safely, and though some of you hate me, ok, hate me, it won't keep me up at night. I do pray for you.

James Circello; Iraq Veterans Against the War

[JamesCircello]

Unfortunately, I was typing in the dark and a few of the words are missing letters. I'm sure we can fill in the blanks on "was NOT direct quotes" and "wished THEY could too". I guess I should have previewed it after all.

James Circello; Iraq Veterans Against the War