Carson soldier faces charge of cowardice [View All]

A soldier with Fort Carson’s 10th Special Forces Group has been charged with cowardice for allegedly refusing to do his duty in Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Georg Pogany, 32, a Special Forces interrogator, is charged with showing “cowardly conduct as a result of fear, in that he refused to perform his duties,” according to his charge sheet.

If convicted in a court-martial, the soldier faces prison time and a dishonorable discharge. He was charged Oct. 14. His first court appearance is Nov. 7 at Fort Carson.

A cowardice charge is extremely rare, military law experts say. Army officials couldn’t say Wednesday the last time it had been filed.

Pogany said he is wrongly charged.

The soldier said he experienced a “panic attack” after seeing the mangled body of an Iraqi man and told his superior he was heading for a “nervous breakdown.”

more:
http://www.gazette.com/popupNews.php?id=626747

If the story is as the soldier presents it, it is VERY distressing. The government makes some very stupid decisions sometimes (they go after this guy but didn't go after John Mohammed (the sniper) after he tried to kill his fellow officers with a granade???). However, it is worth remembering that the article presents only one side of the story. I'd like to see a follow-up that gives some information on the government's case against this man.