Ah the sweet sound of candy sticks on flesh....
Thank you for fleshing this out.
Well, this to me is yet another example of when people simply "react" based on their "feelings", and do not actually look into the circumstances or other things that might apply or happen.
So long as you are under 60, "retirement" is not permanent. You are simply moved into the "Inactive Reserve" until you hit the mandatory retirement age. And it is indeed Reserve. I knew people both in 1990-1991 and 2001-2004 that were recalled out of this status because they had skills the military needed. And anybody that is (or can) retire is fully aware of this. I myself am now past 20 years of service, and can retire at any time. But since I am 54, I see no reason to sit in that pool for 6 years when I can just keep serving until I hit my mandatory retirement age (and get even more money after retiring).
Nobody else seems to have bothered to do even the minimum of research into this case, they simply read the absolute basics then went running, often then taking it into political directions that do not apply in any way. Something that always disturbs me greatly.
And yes, things like this have happened before. But generally only for things that involved the Government in some way after leaving the service, or something discovered after they left the service that they had done while still in. This is somewhat unusual, in that it happened after he left the service. But the fact that it involved a military spouse is probably why it became applicable.
And since it happened in Japan, this is where I would love to know more about it. Clearly this is a case where under SOFA, the Japanese authorities have all rights of prosecution. Any crime involving sex, drugs, or violence on Japan is automatically under their jurisdiction unless they choose to turn it over to US authorities. I have seen that first hand, when the Japanese Police came on base and arrested a Marine on base because he failed a urinalysis. Per SOFA all results had to be shared, and a few times a year they would pick one of the servicemembers up to "make an example" of them.
Because under Japanese law, a positive result was the same as possession of the drug. But the example of those guys going through the 3-6 month Japanese legal and penal system was highly effective as a warning to people who were going to Japan to be especially careful about what they did.
I bet after the incident, there was quickly some deal reached between the US and Japanese governments. Get that guy out of there, have him tried by the military, and they will give jurisdiction to the US. And that is exactly what happened. I would not even be surprised if he was not only aware of this but was hoping for such to happen. I am sure that he could have insisted that the US stay out and the case and trial be handled by Japanese authorities. But for some reason, he did not seem to object to the "change of venue" from Japanese to US authority.
Because like most of us that have been stationed in Japan, he knew that unlike in the US they do not play games with criminals. Japan cares little about disguising their penal system as "correctional", it is primarily about punishment. You are not abused in it, but you are taught you are paying for your crime. And that when you get out you had better not do it again or you will be punished again.
I bet if not for the stripping of his retirement pension it probably would have ended there.
And hopefully this will also serve as a lesson to other scumbags who retire. Do not be a scumbag, even after you get out. Or else you can also be a middle aged scumbag with no pension.
