Army Maj. Mathew L. Golsteyn, a former Green Beret, will have to appear before a panel of officers next month to determine if he will be kicked out the military.
According to The Washington Post, Golsteyn will face an administrative hearing known as a board of inquiry during the week of May 18. The panel will review evidence against him in the 2010 death of a Taliban bomb maker. The Army Criminal Command has already reviewed the information and the probe was concluded last year without Golsteyn being charged with any crime.
Lt. Col. Mark Lastoria, a spokesman for U.S. Army Special Operations Command, said that the Army began working towards separating the ex-Green Beret from the military last February. The board of inquiry will convene at Fort Bragg, N.C. by the Army Special Forces. During the hearing, Golsteyn will be able to state his case on why he should remain on active duty.
Phil Stackhouse, Golsteyn’s attorney, said the primary reason his client is worried about the possible separation is because anything other than an honorable discharge would disqualify him from most veteran medical benefits. Currently, the Army medical board is evaluating Golsteyn for a medical retirement based on an operation he had on his heart while serving, a traumatic brain injury and PTSD.
Following the launch of the Army investigation, Golsteyn was thrown out of the Special Forces and reassigned as a conventional infantry officer. His Special Forces tab was taken away, making him no longer qualified for the elite team.
Golsteyn had received the Silver Star for heroism, which was eventually upgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross. However, Army Secretary John McHugh took back the award, stating Golsteyn did not deserve it because of his actions in the alleged bomb maker incident that occurred during same deployment.
The Washington Post reported that the case caught attention because of the secretive nature in which the investigation was handled. Neither Army officials nor Golsteyn’s advocates have been willing to discuss in detail the allegations against him.
Several people of high status have advocated on Golsteyn’s behalf, especially because none of the criminal investigations have resulted in charges.
Joe Kasper, a spokesman for Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, said that McHugh had “plenty of opportunities to make things right” with Golsteyn, but has decided against it. “If they actually found something, they would have charged Matt criminally. There was no supporting evidence to the allegation of the dead bomb maker – plain and simple.”
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