A US marine who was relieved of his duties and later resigned after he publicly criticized the US' chaotic pull out from Afghanistan last month is being held in military prison, according to his father.
Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller gained notoriety in August when he released a public video ripping into the hasty withdrawal of US troops and personnel from Afghanistan, leaving the country to fall to the Taliban.
After several of his videos went viral, his superiors banned him from posting on social media, but the marine continued to do so before handing in a letter of resignation on August 31 - the final day of US occupation of Afghanistan.
Now, his father has revealed that the former Lieutenant Colonel has been sent to military prison, known as 'the brig', where he is being held as he awaits a military hearing for breaking the gag order set by his superior officers.
'All our son did is ask the questions that everybody was asking themselves, but they were too scared to speak out loud,' said Stuart Scheller Sr.
'He was asking for accountability, but they had a gag order on him and asked him not to speak.
'He did, and they incarcerated him.'
US Marine Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller, pictured with mother Catherine and father Stuart Sr.
Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller gained notoriety in August when he released a public video ripping into the hasty withdrawal of US troops and personnel from Afghanistan, leaving the country to fall to the Taliban
In a statement obtained by the Daily Mail, Stuart's parents, Catherine and Stuart Sr, declared that their son 'doesn't deserve this treatment' and 'has lost his freedom' despite calling for accountability from senior leaders.
'Stuart is a proud American that has honorably served his nation for seventeen years and was simply asking the system that he dedicated his life to, the Military, to also support him.
'In thirty days, our son went from being an exemplary Marine, handpicked by the Corp and placed in a highly prestigious position as the Commander of the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion, to a Marine that is being incarcerated for demanding integrity from military leadership.
'All our son did was ask the questions that everyone was asking themselves, but too scared to speak out loud.
'He doesn’t deserve this treatment.'
On Monday September 27, the Marine Corps issued a statement confirming Stuart Scheller Sr's claims that his son had been imprisoned awaiting a military hearing and did not confirm how long he has been held, but insisted he would receive a fair trial.
'Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller Jr. is currently in pre-trial confinement in the Regional Brig for Marine Corps Installations East aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune pending an Article 32 preliminary hearing,' said Capt. Sam Stephenson, a spokesman for Training and Education Command.
'The time, date, and location of the proceedings have not been determined. Lt. Col. Scheller will be afforded all due process.'
The hearing is expected to take place on Thursday.
Stuart Sr has praised his son for standing up for what he believes in and condemned the Corps over his son's imprisonment: 'I've had Vietnam veterans contacting me applauding him for his courage because they too want to know: Was
