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A stunning development…

Late Thursday, Army brass reversed its decision to boot a Green Beret from the service who physically detained an Afghan official who’d allegedly raped a young boy.

Fox News first broke the story of the Army’s plans to separate Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland from the service in August because of the 2011 incident in Northern Afghanistan. Martland confirmed that the Army has reversed that decision.

“I am real thankful for being able to continue to serve,” Martland told Fox News in a telephone interview.  “I appreciate everything Congressman Duncan Hunter and his Chief of Staff, Joe Kasper did for me.”

Fox News reported:

As first reported by Fox News, while deployed to Kunduz Province, Afghanistan, Martland and his team leader confronted a local police commander in 2011 accused of raping an Afghan boy and beating his mother. When the man laughed off the incident, they shoved him to the ground.

Martland and his team leader were later removed from the base, and eventually sent home from Afghanistan. The U.S. Army has not confirmed the specifics of Martland’s separation from service citing privacy reasons, but a “memorandum of reprimand” from October 2011 obtained by Fox News makes clear that Martland was criticized by the brass for his intervention after the alleged rape. Asked for comment in September 2015, an Army spokesman reiterated, “the U.S. Army is unable to confirm the specifics of his separation due to the Privacy Act.” 

An Army spokesman said Thursday that Martland’s status has been changed, allowing him to stay in the Army in a statement to Fox News. 

“In SFC Martland’s case, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records determination modified a portion of one of SFC Martland’s evaluation reports and removed him from the QMP list, which will allow him to remain in the Army,” Lt. Col. Jerry Pionk told Fox News. 

Danny Quinn, Martland’s former special forces team leader who separated from the Army following the incident, said the Army made the right call — for the sergeant, the service and for the country.

“This is not just a great victory for SFC Martland and his family- I’m just as happy that he can continue to serve our country and inspire his peers, subordinates and officers to be better soldiers.  Charles makes every soldier he comes in contact with better and the Army is undoubtedly a better organization with SFC Martland still in its ranks,” Quinn told Fox News Thursday.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, who campaigned hard on behalf of Martiand, was also elated by the Army’s reversal.

“The Army did the right thing and we won–the American people, won,” the California Republican said in a phone interview with Fox News. “Martland is who we want out there.”

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Watch the clip, via Fox News.

Those on social media breathed a sigh of relief over the Army’s decision.

HUGE VICTORY tonight for Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland. Green Beret who beat up child rapist can stay in Army https://t.co/NTwSjc6pGK

— Heather (@TheHoosierMommy) April 29, 2016

@WashTimes @sgtthomas85 Thank God !!!! I cant believe the Army did this to him. He defend a boy who was being raped by an Afghan dirt devil

— Andra Thomas (@AndraThomas2015) April 29, 2016

@WashTimes No-brainer. Shame on PC-craven military brass.

— J Robert Smith (@JRobertSmith1) April 29, 2016

@WashTimes Should be giving him a commendation!

— DB (@dbnaples) April 29, 2016

@WashTimes Yeah, really! Whose side is the Army on anyway???!

— Marion Marino (@marino6_marino) April 29, 2016

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Michael Dorstewitz

Mike has been with BizPac Review almost from the beginning. Follow him on Twitter at @MikeBPR.

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