"Casualty of Duty"

Chapter 1

The Court Martial

The clerk of the court walked briskly to the front of the room, turned to us, came to attention and announced “All rise.” The judge, General Wayne Caulkins, and my five jurors marched in. General Caulkins waited until all five were at their chairs, standing at attention, before stating “This General Court Martial is now convened. The clerk will state the authority under which this court is convened and the charges of the accused.”

“The General Court Martial of Captain Gary D. Hallstead has been convened by order of the President of the United States under his authority as Commander-In-Chief of the armed forces of the United States of America pursuant to Article 32 of the Unified Code of Military Justice.” The clerk continued.

“The list of charges entered on Department of Defense Form 458, reads as follows. That Captain Gary D. Hallstead committed acts of sedition, conspiracy, and Treason.

Specifically that Captain Hallstead did knowingly and willfully engage in a conspiracy, to illegally alter the election of the President of the United States by specifically providing false voter counts in the state of Texas. That he did knowingly and willfully engage in an act of sedition, the purpose being to over throw the government of the United States of America through the changing of the Presidential election results of 1996. That he did knowingly and willfully engage in an act of Treason with High Crimes and Misdemeanors in which he became a domestic enemy of the United States of America by violating his oath of duty, to wit; to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies both foreign and domestic, by providing aid and comfort to the enemy through the conspiracy to overthrow the government of the United States of America.”

Captain Hallstead sat motionless listening to the charges of sedition, conspiracy and treason. The only charge that evoked any emotion was the charge of Treason. My God, he thought, treason! How in the world did it come to this? I was only doing my duty. I wasn’t trying to over throw my government; I was trying to save it.