Major Matt Golsteyn’s request to waive his Article 32 Hearing, which was originally scheduled to take place today at Fort Bragg, was granted last week.
An Article 32 hearing is similar to a preliminary or grand jury hearing in civilian law. It is intended to provide a screening method to ensure there is sufficient evidence before a criminal proceeding is brought against an accused in a general court-martial
Many supporters of United American Patriots have reached out and asked why this hearing was canceled. Having been advised of the rights granted at an Article 32 hearing by his legal counsel, reviewing the evidence, and determining with his legal team that there is nothing substantively new, Major Golsteyn, in accordance with Rules for Court-martial 405(m), chose to waive the Article 32 hearing and is demanding a speedy trial in this case.
Instead of the Article 32 Hearing, evidence will be reviewed by the commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), Lt. Gen. Francis M. Beaudette, to decide whether or not Major Golsteyn will be court-martialed. Major Golsteyn’s legal team has presented several reasons as to why the case should be dismissed with prejudice.
Since being being charged with the exact same allegations that had previously been thoroughly investigated and adjudicated by USASOC, Major Golsteyn has been ripped from his new life in Northern Virginia where he had accepted a position as the Chief of Operations at the International Association of Fire Fighters and recently celebrated the arrival of a healthy newborn son with his wife Julie.
In just one verified example as to why the case should be dropped, Special Agent (Sergeant First Class) Mark De la Cruz, who was assigned as a case agent (investigator) in Golsteyn’s case has committed acts of “Stolen Valor” and is currently being prosecuted for lying and wearing several awards and devices, including a Purple Heart, he did not earn. De la Cruz also claimed to be a Special Forces soldier, infantryman, sniper, and bragged about killing people in combat. Most ironically, he’s bragged about losing his Special Forces Tab for an alleged “bad shoot” in combat – the same allegation made against Major Golsteyn.
What is happening to Major Golsteyn is an injustice.
Major Golsteyn’s actions in Afghanistan earned him a nomination for the Distinguished Service Cross, which Secretary of the Army McHugh signed, before revoking it for this unrelated act. U.S Army Special Forces Command revoked Major Golsteyn’s Special Forces Tab as a result of these original allegations. Major Golsteyn also received a General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand, and he went to a Board of Inquiry as a result of these allegations.
Of note, that board did not substantiate a Law of Armed Conflict violation.
The allegations have been hanging over Major Golsteyn’s head for year. Enough is enough. The Army must drop the charges or go to trial!
