Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, the officer who rose to internet stardom after posting a viral video blasting the pentagon over the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, has been jailed, according to a report.
In the video, posted to Facebook in August, Scheller blasted the Biden administration and military leaders for the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, challenging their leadership and command decisions on the events leading up to and during the final evacuation effort in Afghanistan.
The video, captioned “To the American leadership…” received 77,000 reactions, over 10,000 comments, and was viewed 1 million times.
During the four-minute, 45-second video, Scheller tore into the military leadership following the devastating suicide bombing in Kabul airport last month, which took the lives of 13 US service members at at least 169 Afghans.
“People are upset because their senior leaders let them down, and none of them are raising their hands and accepting accountability or saying, ‘We messed this up,’” the officer said in the video.
“I’m not saying we’ve got to be in Afghanistan forever,” Scheller added, “but I am saying: Did any of you throw your rank on the table and say, ‘Hey, it’s a bad idea to evacuate Bagram Airfield, a strategic airbase, before we evacuate everyone’? Did anyone do that? And when you didn’t think to do that, did anyone raise their hand and say, ‘We completely messed this up?’”
Scheller received significant support on social media, with many praising him for “speaking the truth” about the circumstances and impact of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
In one comment which received almost 3,000 likes, one Facebook user wrote, “Absolutely honored and proud of you for saying what needed to be said. The cost of incompetence is permanent for those young men”.
In late August, it was revealed that the Marine Lieutenant Colonel had been sacked after his 17 years of duty.
Taking to his own Facebook account to break the news on Friday 27th August, he wrote:
“To all my friends across the social networks. I have been relieved for cause based on a lack of trust and confidence as of 14:30 today.”
He continued, “My chain of command is doing exactly what I would do… if I were in their shoes. I appreciate the opportunities AITB command provided. To all the news agencies asking for interviews… I will not be making any statements other than what’s on my social platforms until I exit the Marine Corps.”
America has many issues… but it’s my home… it’s where my three sons will become men. America is still the light shining in a fog of chaos. When my Marine Corps career comes to an end, I look forward to a new beginning. My life’s purpose is to make America the most lethal and effective foreign diplomacy instrument. While my days of hand to hand violence may be ending…I see a new light on the horizon.”
His father has spoken out following his arrest on Monday, saying, “All our son did is ask the questions that everybody was asking themselves, but they were too scared to speak out loud”.
Stu Scheller Sr. told Task & Purpose that, “He [his son] was asking for accountability. In fact, I think he even asked for an apology that we made mistakes, but they couldn’t do that, which is mind-blowing.”
After the initial video, Scheller went on to release several more videos, generating both praise and controversy while causing fury among military leadership. Eventually, his superiors demanded he stop posting to social media altogether. This was an order he immediately chose to ignore, posting about the gagging that had been imposed.
Scheller seemed to realise that his last post could ultimately result in his imprisonment.
“What happens when all you do is speak truth and no one wants to hear it? But they can probably stop listening because… I’m crazy… right?” Scheller wrote at the end of the post. “Col Emmel please have the MPs waiting for me at 0800 on Monday. I’m ready for jail,” he said in a recent video.
When asked about the officer’s status, a spokesperson for Training and Education Command said that Scheller is “currently in pre-trial confinement”.
“The time, date, and location of the proceedings have not been decided. Lt. Col. Scheller will be afforded all due process,” the statement continued.
Scheller’s father, Stu Scheller Sr. defended his son, arguing that he was only asking for “accountability” from the military leadership.
“He’s asking for the same accountability that is expected of him and his men,” he said.
“I’ve had Vietnam veterans contacting me applauding him for his courage because they too want to know: Was it all worth it?” he continued.
“And by demanding accountability and honesty from his senior leaders, that’s all he was asking. And the way the Marine Corps has dealt with it: They have now put him in jail.”