On entering the virtual mess hall, The Butter-Cutter shouted out to me, ”Did ya hear about some faggot judge in L.A. lockin' up a Marine for not givin' up his combat buddy?”*

Oh my God, I thought, “He's not a faggot judge!” I shouted back. “He's a federal judge and he locked up Sgt. Jermaine A. Nelson because he refused to testify before a grand jury about his former squad leader, Sgt. Jose L. Nazario, after being given immunity by an assistant U.S. Attorney.”

“So, there are TWO faggots--the judge 'n' that attorney!" he barked as I arrived at the chow line. "If they were straight they would have treated Nelson straight. No, they knew Nelson didn't wanna testify against Nazario so they set him up by jammin' immunity up his ass; meanin', he had ta talk er he goes ta jail. Otherwise, Nelson would have took the fifth 'n' there would have been nothin' them faggots could have done about it!” The Butter-Cutter spewed out.

“Damn it! Stop calling them faggots!” I shot back.

“OK! How about MOTHERF***ERS? Nazario saved Nelson's ass a bunch of times in Iraq 'n' there's, as he said, 'No Way' he's goin' ta give up his buddy; d'ya know what I'm sayin'? Well, those motherf***ers knew what I'm saying 'n' now want ta force them two buddies apart. Well, my hat's off to Nelson. When the shit goes down, this Marine sergeant doesn't talk Semper Fidelis, he performs it!” The Butter-Cutter said.

“Wait a minute! Semper Fidelis? Sgt. Nelson took an oath when he joined the Corps to 'support and defend the Constitution.' Refusing to testify to a grand jury is not bearing fidelity to that oath,” I corrected him.

“Bearin', shmearin' er whatever ya said. In combat, LOYALTY means takin' care o' yer buddies--coverin' their 'Six,' as we call it, 'n' they take care o' you. That's how ya make it through each day 'n' survive ta get back ta the World. Nelson is a Marine who ain't forgot that,” he went on.

"I appreciate what you are saying, but it does not change the fact that he is violating the law by not testifying,” I said.

“Man, YOU don't get it. Those legal beagles f***ed with the law. This is like that coercion shit that was done ta them POWs ta make THEM talk; it was ILLEGAL fer them interrogators ta do it but it's OK fer a freakin' civilian puke judge 'n' an assistant U.S. Maggot ta do it. BULL SHIT! Well, this Marine is showin' them what he means when he says, it's the 'right thing ta do': never, never forget your buddies! 

“ 'n', what is all this shit about anyhow? Sgt. Nazario is bein' charged with the 'unlawful killing of an unknown, unarmed, detained person' back on 9 November 2004 in Fallujah, Iraq. What kinda trumped up bullshit charge is that? Where's the freakin' Corpses Delecties they talk about on that TV program, LA Law?” The Butter-Cutter asked with continued irritation.

“It's NOT 'trumped up',” I corrected him. “NCIS initiated this charge after another Marine sergeant implicated Nelson and Nazario during a lie detector test in 2006.” 

“One spineless son of a bitch gets all shook up on the box 'n' blabs; this is evidence? The No Common Intelligence Service does it again!” 

“Stop it!' I shouted at the Butter-Cutter. “The NCIS is just doing its job and doesn't deserve your disrespectful cheap shot.”

“Oh, yeah, those wonderful NCIS guys. Them rear-echelon slime balls can accuse anyone of anything 'n' its OK because they're 'just doin' their job'; in other words, their job is ta ruin a Marine's career!” he retorted.

“You keep forgetting. Sgt. Nelson is no longer in Iraq. Yes, you and he, both, are now in, what you call, the 'rear-echelon' and laws apply here,” I said.

 “I 'keep forgettin'?' No, I don't forget! I don't forget that, BETWEEN Marines, Semper Fidelis is the most important thing. Now, I'm not a Latino so I'm not so good on Latin; but, I been told that Semper Fidelis means, ALWAYS faithful. So, I ask YOU, officer-type, is that what it means? Yes er No?” The Butter-Cutter questioned me.

“Yes, that's what it means. But . . .” I turned and left without finishing the sentence. The words I was going to say lost their import; for, it hit me: Sgt. Nelson has it right--few words and a lot of faithfulness! 

Semper Fidelis and God Bless Sgt. Jermaine A. Nelson, USMC!

Anthony F. Milavic

Major USMC (Ret.) 

* http://warchronicle.com/DefendOurMarinesExclusive/Executive%20Summary%20US%20v.%20Nazario.htm