Lieutenant Colonel Scheller: Hero, Martyr, or Fool? 

"If you think accountability is bad in the United States Marine Corp, wait till you get a load of corporate America". Ouch!

As a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel ('90 year group), this event has been of great interest to me. I have witnessed several leadership failures in my own service, some of which have become fodder for PME (B-52 crash, Blackhawk shootdown, etc.). As a young Captain, I was tremendously influenced by General Ron Fogelman (15th CSAF) retiring early due to numerous failures of civilian leadership culminating in the Khobar Towers incident and its results. Due to our specific profession, mistakes can cause horribly tragic in losses of life and property. Failures to hold those accountable for those mistakes are as toxic to good order and discipline as anything else, especially when it becomes obvious that senior leadership at various levels (to include civilian) are dismissive or simply trying to defer responsibility. LTCOL Scheller was obviously deeply affected by both his own time downrange and the loss of those during the evacuation. Not one peer of mine feels the evacuation was anything except a unacceptable clusterfuck. His method of calling this out may have been driven by a command climate that left him with limited options. LTCOL Scheller's video in civilian clothes in the trailer left me concerned for his mental welfare and I do hope that there is a 706 evaluation accomplished as part of his legal fight. It appears his wife may have left as a result of this and that too could add to his decisions following the initial video. He is one of a few Americans who actually took the oath to serve in uniform following 9/11 and deserves that respect. My hope is he is allowed to simply resign and continue with his life. It is a tragedy writ large.

Nothing but respect! I hope he can find some peace. I’m an Aussie ex grunt, served half my time on deployments in Afghanistan and I can say watching the way it ended had an severe impact on former members and current serving men and women here, I can only the imagine the impact it has had on the American service personnel and their families as well as the general population. Even harder for the Marines to lose more men through an event in which was avoidable and horrific as a closing footnote at the airport. Rest Sir, you did yourself, your country and your corps proud even if some members are too arrogant to realise.

I haven't seen anything like this since the 70's; the last time we lost a war. This is painful, sad, and understandable.

(I served in the U.S.M.C in the late '80s) I agree with Scheller's concerns and I support him in those beliefs, but not his methods, BUT more than that, it is clear that he is under duress and stress, and that these are guiding his actions as much as his beliefs. Should an O-5 be above these external factors? To some degree yes, but to pretend that a Marine Corps officer is completely beyond the affects of stress is delusional. I think he lost sight of the forest for the trees around him, stepped into the abyss and forgot to breath before committing to his path. Stuart, I support you and I hope for the best outcome in your journey. Semper Fi

All of this is a prime example of how people need to stay off of social media when they're emotional, basically it's best to stay off of it period, but staying off of it when you're emotional is an absolute must. Just ask Charlie Sheen.

Ward - IMO your video presentation was excellent. I'm a retired Army O-5 and felt that your analysis and perspective reflected my own feelings/conclusions as I've watched the LTCOL Scheller affair unfold. This type of thought provoking commentary on current military related events is a real strength in your channel. Well done and keep the content coming.

I am a Navy vet. Served active duty as an officer on a destroyer for 2 1/2 years and at the Philadelphia Naval shipyard for my final six months. I went to law school after that and worked as a corporate lawyer for a defense contractor for 20 years. I agree with your statement that there is very little accountability in corporate life, especially the higher one goes in the corporate executive suite. Accountability in the military, in my experience and observations, can be harsh and arbitrary, especially if the person disciplined makes the service look bad either by word or deed. As you note, there is also a tendency to punish for guilt by association. I have real compassion for Lieut. Col. Scheller. However, it must be said that he "lost his sh*t" completely in the latter two videos. He is clearly in the middle of a life-changing personal crisis, involving both his professional career and personal life. There's no question that he's burned his bridges with the Marine Corps completely. I don't see any coming back from what he said, and from his clear insubordination but I also see no real reason why he should be put under arrest and jailed. Sever the ties and let him get on with his life as quickly as possible, and both the Marine Corps and he will be better off.

He was absolutely right in his first video, and I think he is tapping into a sentiment that many people share. However, I also think risking his career caused him to have a mental break or lapse in judgement. I appreciate the thoroughness and final thoughts here. Keep up the good work!

I am part of a Gold Star family. I agree that someone should be held accountable for the senseless loss of those American soldiers.

And by the way Mr Carroll, I have the utmost respect for you Sir. Wish we had more guys like you calling the shots.

Touchy and difficult subject. Thank you for taking it on Commander Carroll!

As a retired officer I wish more field grade and senior grade officers would put their rank on the table. The Colonel is a patriot!

LTC Scheller wasn't asking for a personal counseling session with senior leaders. He was asking for those senior leaders to publicly acknowledge their failures.

I enlisted in the USMC with the intent of a 20 year career. I served 3 combat tours in Iraq from 2004-2007. I did not re-enlist for a number of reasons, but ultimately, I got tired of my best efforts being turned into bullshit by the same people that paid me to do the job.

Well done Ward, thank you. As a combat vet from Afghanistan, as well as my son, we have both struggled with what took place in Kabul. We all know when you sign on the dotted line, you lose your Constitutional rights. But you also know, if you make field grade, you need to toe the company line, because thats what it has become; corporate. If youve babysat “Cabhunters” on patrol, or seen the 100M Medal Dash at the end of a deployment, you get it. I think LTC Scheller was as genuine as he is capable of, and quite obviously pinging when on the bus. Using social media to get his point across was never, ever going to fly. This guy made LTC in 17 years in The Suck. Clearly, he was doing his job. Both my son and I are Former Marines, and watching Mackenzie BS his way thru that whole fiasco was brutal. I genuinely feel bad for LTC Scheller, I think his opinions are on point, his delivery vehicle however, not so much. Hes pissed about alot, and hes right in my opinion. The double standard is a military staple, no question. Knowing Milley was speaking to various book authors while still on active duty pissed me off to no end, that seemed to be the epitome of the double standard. Thank you Ward, I think many of us are watching this closely.

Ward, thank you, for doing this. I hope you and whoever reads this will understand that the majority of veterans of OEF ( I deployed several times over my 22 year career) feel the exact same way as LTC. Scheller. Everyone I have spoken with about this topic 100% agree and its unbelievable that he would risk everything in order to push for accountability. There will be hundreds of years for historians and college professors to determine the corruption that led us to war and kept us there for 20 years, but we want accountability now. It doesn't take the military long at all to investigate a scenario, assign blame, and apply the UCMJ, so it's been overdue in assigning blame and to seek accountability in the senior military leadership that failed US in Afghanistan. Just my nickle on the grass. Thanks again Ward.

That Ron burgundy clip was perfect timing, after what suddenly seemed like a call for revolution.

I have the upmost respect LT Col. Scheller service and bravery. I see and hear the pain in his soul demanding accountability from his leadership that betrayed him and his fellow soldiers . He deserves accountability! WE ALL deserve accountability and now more than year later since you posted this, I haven't seen any accountability, but we have found ourselves in another war.

Mooch Incredibly well written and clearly thought out. The Col. has had 17 years service in a hostile environment under pressures that those without military service would have difficulty understanding and fully appreciating. It seems Col. Shellar may be suffering from PTSD to some unknown degree. To judge him and his actions is easy for many who have not walked in his shoes. His heart is in the right place. Anyone who has lived as an adult the last 20 years would, if they have any compassion, totally empathize with the stresses on the Col. Shame he didn't have access to your guidance prior to his descent into this morass! I only hope he comes out of this pile of s..t without being destroyed and with recognition of his 17 years of service and sacrifice.

I honestly was reluctant to watch this, I really didn't think there was a good way to handle this situation. You proved me wrong. Intelligent, insightful commentary laced with wisdom and empathy. Well done!

It is a painful thing to watch this meltdown of someone who I would consider a hero and a great American. After my four years were done in the Marine Air Wing, I got out because of unjustly being held back by a Senior Enlisted person. I then spent the last forty plus years trying to endure though several periods of bad leadership. I mostly survived by remaining as passive as possible and keeping my mouth shut which was very painful many times. Eventually, some of these unjust leaders do get what they have coming to them. I have also seen that the Lord does hear your prayers and helps you to not become a meltdown martyr and deny your family their just security. Ward, I cannot sum it up any better than you did and I really do hope LTCOL Stuart Scheller can heal and find a new mission to strive and thrive in. Let's face it, you and I need those same senior military leaders to get back to what we paid them for, protecting us and the Constitution from enemies domestic and foreign. Right now, none of that seems to be the priority.

My regards to the Lt.Col., I thank him for his service. I am a disabled retired Marine NCO. I served in S.Vietnam from Dec. 1967 to being medavaced late Aug. 1968. Retired at a VA 30% rating; later after Agent Orange cancelled my hard earned flight medical, I was upped to 100%. I served eight years as a VFW Post Service Officer. I see Lt.Col. Scheller as a PTSD victim who is entitled to file a comp claim for such. This is NOT knuckling under in any form. What we veterans don't claim will be lost to future service men and women. My handbook doesn't state the VA is our friend. I've fought many times for new claims as well as recovering inept decisions on the part of existing ones. Semper Fi!

Ward, the final line of this video is epic. “… wait until you get a load of corporate America. “. So, so true.

Thank you for presenting an integral and well thought out presentation. Let us hope that change happens for the good of the Corp and our country. We can only hope.

Ward, I’m a new, but huge fan and your analysis of this situation was spot on. Thank you for all you do!

USMC vet here and I support LtCol Scheller 100%. The united states constantly turns it's back on it's vets and has become a bigger threat to our security than any foreign actor could present.

Things are unraveling. I work for the DoD and I kid you not, on a conference call yesterday...a very low ranking individual called our commander a "used car salesman" when he was given the chance to speak. There were 500 people listening in. I have served the United States in both uniformed and civilian roles for 21 years and I have never seen so much blatant and rampant undermining of the chain of command as what I'm seeing now. I'm not piling on this Marine, I feel him. I get the frustration by lack of accountability. There are no winners in this situation.

Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller. First video: He's right about accountability... but he may pay a price... unfortunately. Second video: He just shot himself in the foot, or worse. Third & fourth video: Oh dear, what a pity. Far too late now. How unfortunate for an obviously committed, but troubled, officer. Ward, please provide follow up information... and thanks

I'll keep my comments short....great overview and analysis of this situation Ward; I'd also like to wish Lt Col Scheller and his family much serenity in the coming weeks and months. MSgt USAF (Ret)

Great video. An excellent overview of a complex story. You've given me much to think about. My first impulse was "hero", but I also think that man needs some serious mental help. PTSD? Thanks, Mr. Carroll!

Hey Sir. Appreciate you. You put it ALL out there for us Afghanistan vets.. You spoke for us and paid a big process. Oohraah.

Respect to Lt Col Scheller I agree 100% standing up not for a retirement check but much more moral compass! Exactly Germans were led with many not speaking out but followed mindlessly with no shortage of bravery but used by Evil leaders! God bless you LtCol Scheller and I’m an old Marine but I would follow you in a World of mindless leaders in pursuit of power and ambitions with out moral regards I cherish your strength in moral standing. Semper Fi

Searing. Tough to watch. Thank you, Mr. Carroll, for being our unflappable guide through all the raw, torn-gut emotion. What we have here is a good man pushed to the brink by seeing marines put at risk, hung out to DIE.But then, standing on the edge of his sanity, he lit off the hyper-turbo-steroid social media machine, and once caught up in tHAT whirlwind, there was no return. Deeply tragic.

He fell on his own sword. I did my tour in Vietnam as a USAF pilot 1968/1969 and followed orders. My feelings never entered into my flying my missions. This what is wrong with the military today. The soldier of today grew up with the Face Book and other means of personal expression which is a NO,NO in the military environment. I will leave it at that. Great video, Sir.

love the sentence "if you think accountibility is bad in the USMC wait until you get aload corporate america"!

I started this video sympathetic, turned angry, and finally ended up just sad. It feels like he stepped off a ledge into an alternate reality. Perhaps he deserves a medical discharge and counseling.

i am stunned by the grace and composure of your response

I was Navy enlisted for eight years. One of my Chief Petty Officers once told us that “ We are here to protect Democracy, not practice it.” Opinions and righteousness are a luxury better saved for a proper place and time.

Amen on your final statement, Ward. Fair and well thought out post. Thanks.

A very complex and what can be a viewed as a very emotive subject matter .I hope there’s a positive outcome for all those directly involved .Once again the delivery and explanation was top notch thank you !

Thank you for the well thought out analysis of what is happening with this case.

Your analysis was excellent. I hope the media takes note and puts you on so more people can get the full story. After I saw Scheller's first post I knew it wasn't going to end well for him.

I recently found your channel. Thank you for your service and all the amazing content!

As someone who was in corporate much longer than the Navy, to your final statement about accountability in Corporate vs. military, I say “Roger that!” And well said sir.

Well said . His approach and avenues used were shameful. As a Marine Officer I absolutely agree with the points raised by you." Time tested and they work..." S/F

Ward, I learn so much from your videos. I feel I'm getting the stright dope because you have been there. Thanks, keep up the great work!

Excellent analysis of the Lt Colonel’s actions. Being a Desert Storm Marine, I can certainly see the frustration and anguish on this Marine’s face. I think he’s gambling on his future. My guess is he’s looking to either get elected or start a podcast lol. Unbelievably, the Corps was more than fair. You hit the nail on the head about his immediate superiors not being able to either talk him off the ledge or at least show him how to get his point across through the proper channels. One things for sure, nobody can challenge his brutal honesty and conviction. These are such rare qualities that they are real commodities in leadership.

Hello Mooch, as a career Marine, 30+ years of service, I do not recall any of my commanders pushing forth with anything liking to what LTCOL S. Scheller had pressed forward. My believe is that the Marine field grade officer in question here, conducted himself in a fool hearty manner, which did not get him what it was that he had been seeking to gain. What he did accomplish, is the discredit upon himself, and himself alone. The LTCOL is not a Hero nor Martyr in my opinion. So yes Mooch, I agree with what you have presented here, and, that how ever wrong one or more of the upper echelon may be, and how any commander may feel about some event in Our Country's military Rank and File, one must always temper an endeavor to speak ones mind, in such a manner, that "Discretion Being The Better Part Of Valor". What do you think of my analysis Mooch? Semper Fidelis Brother.

I respect this man so much! I’ve donated to his legal fund and can’t believe this whole situation. Truly appalling! We need men like Lt. Scheller in the White House!

Good job on the video. Hopefully, your calm and reasoned analysis will well received by all hands. As for LTCOL Stuart Scheller, I see him as a rather tragic figure. You can FEEL his love for the USMC, as well as his pain in doing what he felt he had to do. I wish he could have taken 30 days leave before hitting the send button on a number of his communications. As a film buff, every time I see LTCOL Scheller, I am reminded of Col Walter E. Kurtz and his battle with those up the Chain of Command. I keep going back to Kurtz's communications over the radio: "We train young men to drop fire on people, but their commanders won' t allow them to write 'fuck' on their airplanes because it's obscene!" Where is the parity? Where is the accountability, indeed. I always felt that Command didn't care a damn about Kurtz's little army and it's ops ... Command hated him/killed him because he told them they were wearing no clothes ... which explains why the CIA (i.e., The Government) was in the room. Kurtz felt that that radio was the only way he could get Command to listen to him ... Scheller used the electronic media. Was Kurtz "evil". No. Is Schiller? No. Did certain dualities in Kurtz, extreme love of country And the Army/extreme hatred and frustration over the way he saw the country/Army was conducting its self in Vn. drive him crazy? Yes. What about Col Scheller? I'll leave that for you to decide.

I was predisposed to take the Lt Colonel's side and was ready to take exception to Mr Carroll's presentation. However, I believe this analysis is well thought out and correct based on the evidence presented. Thank you, Mr. Carroll.

Thank you Ward, for the insight.

Thanks Ward. Your insights are appreciated.

Goodness gracious. What a complicated messy situation. An earnest officer who called out dysfunction, and then overreached and made missteps. Mr. Carroll, you have done a fantastic job exploring these issues. Well done indeed.

You're 100% correct about accountability in corporate America - it's a joke. Nobody owns anything - they just point their fingers when shit hits the fan. Whatever they can do to make themselves look good trumps integrity.

A straight call out that wouldn’t have been seen if you didn’t post

not what i expected, but then, i don't know what i expected... but an excellent piece of commentary that left me thinking about the subject.

This is a complete and utter debacle. Thanks Ward for helping to clarify these events. My heart goes out to ALL.

Excellent analysis of the situation, thank you! I wish Mr. Scheller the best in his legal battle.

🔰 Wow…gosh…I didn’t know ALL of his secondary, tertiary, and subsequent rants. @Ward Carroll - By putting this together, you’ve changed my mind about Stu’s integrity. You’re right, if he would’ve stuck to his original beef, he’d likely had at least some effect on the situation. Here’s the thing though; MSM outlets absolutely do not tell us what you’ve enlightened us about; as there’s alot more to the story than everyone thinks.

Fascinating insight. Really glad you covered this topic.

I agree with his comments at their earliest. He is obviously emotionally stressed and he needs help. I sincerely hope the head shed handles this in the most humane and considerate way. It should also be a wake up call for the so called "leadership" about the model they set and the respect and honor they expect. You get what you earn. S/F!

What he said is true. I did 32 years, 3 tours in Afgn, two in Iraq and a few others close by. Thing is he choose the wrong way to go about the issue. Social Media was a real bad call it opened up Article 90/92 and 133. He sounds "too" angry and he needs mental health counseling. His anger took the logic out of making the right decisions the right way and the right time to pursue.

Thank you for another informative and well thought out video. I would like to say that I believe your perspective on this matter is accurate and you articulated it exceedingly well.

IMO he should be given a medical general discharge under honorable conditions. For his good and the good of the Corps. He put in 17 good years, he should not lose his GI Bill benifits. He needs medical help, not punishment.

THIS is, absolutely, the best video I've seen on RU-vid. You speak with the authority of one who's been there, seen and done that. It is the most complete coverage if the Lt. Colonel Scheller incident that I've seen and, probably, that exists ANYWHERE. I commend you, Sir, for taking this on and clarifying so much of the misinformation that has been released into the wild about Lt. Col. Scheller and his postings since our disastrous departure from Afghanistan. When I first heard of Lt. Col Scheller I was surprised that someone of his rank would take such a stand, especially with so much at stake, and I was heartened that he had done so. But I didn't hear ANYTHING of his subsequent 'contributions' to the public discourse other than that he had been sent to the brig. That infuriated me because, lacking the full story, I believed that it was a punitive measure for his FIRST video. But, now that I've seen your presentation of much more if not ALL of the pertinent facts my feelings, thoughts and views of Lt. Colonel Scheller have changed somewhat if not considerably. I'm still digesting what you have presented here. I can say this, however: His, in effect, 'call to arms' using the all caps "US" is not a subtle point. IMHO, the "US" is an expression on the part of Lt. Colonel Scheller that a majority of Americans, at least those Americans who care about and pay attention to such stuff as this, are behind him. I can say, forthrightly and without hesitation that I am NOT in favor of "Tearing the whole thing down..." WETF that is supposed to mean. Thank you for having the courage to take this up and take us through the elements of this story that simply do not exist in the coverage of the story by the media.

Rule #1 of going into battle, have an exit strategy! I totally respect him nailing himself to a cross to be crucified, but for someone that literally trains military doctrine, he failed miserably at having a coherent and cohesive plan of attack and withdrawal. He had no cover, no base of operation and no strategy other than run in guns ablazing and hope for a miracle. You cant string up top brass without a nuclear weapon and he doesnt even have a grenade. Burning any and every bridge didnt help his plan in the least. He better hope that the jury is sympathetic cause he has ruined any chances of help from above.

As a 22 year sailor now retired, I appreciate your analysis and commentary.

Hats off to you for Laying out the case of The fed up Col. I can understand his frustration given how the media and some in society has backed one group over the other. The world seems upside down lately, your explanation of the case helped me immensely! Mahalo Ward!

I'm retired Navy as an NCO. Your claim that a) normal chains for redress work is patently false in a large majority of cases and b) high levels zeros are held accountable is also false in that they are quietly retired...not actually charged or held to a REAL account. I've seen mid to high level zeros get away with serious crimes and dereliction with what amounts to a slap on the wrist hundreds of times. And I've watched regular blue shirts get pounded with NJP and loss of serious income for even hinting at pursuing redress against the ward room. I'm talking about illegal movement of a submarine against orders, causing minor collision, covering up DUI charges repeatedly, sexual assault, and the list goes on. But since the zeros in question had buddies in squadron and DC, they were never held to account while blue shirts were destroyed for breathing a word of those infractions. I too have worked both military and civilian side...corruption is everywhere but at least on the civvies side, loss of profits will normally result in consequences for immorality and jail time happens. Zeros in the canoe club have no profits to care about and almost never see a jail cell.

This is a heartbreaking situation! So rare for someone, especially at his rank, to stand up for accountability. Having been in the Marine Corps, I understand his frustration with the system. He is clearly a man who had had enough and had reached saturation. I don't know that I would have gone the route that he did, there are certainly pros and cons to it, but I have to say that I agree with him, there has been NO ACCOUNTABILITY for the events that transpired and there certainly needs to be. God bless him, I hope he will be ok.

Brilliant analysis on your part, Commander Carroll. Thank you for doing the research and spending the time to analyze Lieutenant Colonel Scheller's various Facebook statements. As a former corpsman, I, too, dearly love United States Marines and our Marine Corps. There are right and wrong ways to go about doing things and bringing change when and if change is necessary. Again, as a former corpsman and a bit of a military historian (as well as the son of a late Navy medical officer), I believe what Lieutenant Colonel Scheller did, and the manner in which he did it, is probably PTSD related. The Lieutenant Colonel has my sympathy, my understanding, and my love for the service he's given to his fellow service members and our country. But, the only way a military organization can continue to function is when our UCMJ is relied upon and used as the bedrock of anyone's service in our armed forces. Hopefully DOD will give the Lieutenant Colonel the help he needs. I do believe he needs serious assistance from those who can deal with his medically related issues. Semper Fidelis to you and every other member who serves honorably in the armed forces of the United States of America, Commander. Andy McKane, Friday, 1 October 2021, Maunaloa, Molokai, Hawaii.

Mr. Carroll This was extremely informative and well delivered .

Excellent analysis. Thank you for considering & evaluating the different perspectives. SF

Sir, as a career enlisted man we tend to get target fixated with blinders on. LtCol Scheller has a point but as you stated there are channels available albeit slow but time tested and they work. I myself am also retired and can express my personal beliefs as I see fit on any medium I desire but I also know that it's better to catch a fly with honey than vinegar. Polite professionalism takes time but with the LtCol generation they want instant gratification and sometimes don't understand that life is not a 1hr TV show that can be resolved in a couple of episodes. Sometimes intuitional change takes years if not decades.

Thank you RIO Bro. Given all the tangents and personal rants following his first "gauntlet" - he may well have shot himself in the foot. Like you said there are avenues for such conversations. In public, when in uniform is not one of them. As noted below, perhaps he is all three.

34:25 "not a hill I was willing to die on"...one of the most successful business negotiation sayings ever. I use this and teach this to my juniors every day.

Well done. I think it is safe to say his first sentiment is spot on. His subsequent videos and posts paint a different picture.

I think he knew his first video made the point, but then he intentionally went down the path of self destructive behavior. Why? Because he is a man who has faced death many times and made the decision long ago he was willing to die for what he believed in - but now he faced an enemy that could not be killed on the battlefield, and after finding the only weakness in the enemy he could (public perception), I believe he was willing to detonate his career (which is easier than dying, but in many ways harder) if it meant he could land even a few blows that no one else was able or willing. In other words, his willingness to perform selfless action on the battlefield directly translated off the battlefield, and the result is a man who is dangerous in any environment because whatever the price, he is willing to pay it.

To quote one of my Marine drill instructors - “You are here to defend freedom of speech NOT PRACTICE IT!”

One of the things I appreciate most about the Navy is the accountability at higher levels. You may think those officers (beyond the ship commanding officers) were not responsible for the collisions, but in the Navy system, they certainly were. In the Navy, if your ship runs into the pier because the tug put them there, the captain is still responsible, and will get relieved. If a couple of ships under your command have collisions, you get relieved. Something is obviously wrong with the way you are running your command. As I recall, the reasons given for their relief made sense.

Initially, I didn't want to spend 37 minutes, but your take on this situation was so interesting that I did. Great content!

To all Veteran-past and present, Thank you all for you service and sacrifice!

Ward’s last point was spot on. I was only in to O-3 and have spent the last 30 years in private enterprise. My recurring thought as I watched this was, “what kind of accountability fantasy is he thinking will happen???” It won’t. And even if GEN Fillintheblank publicly said he screwed up and resigned, it wouldn’t bring about systemic change.

An old but great quote..... Better to be thought of as a Fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt.

I agree with your analysis Ward. I’m certain social media is ALWAYS the wrong place to handle these issues. “Time tested”. And yes there is ZERO accountability in corporate America and academia. Thank you Ward.

I really appreciate you analyzing this and breaking it down. I initially supported him and wasn't aware of some of the other things he had said, which you detail. I see he's pretty much lashed out at everyone, even Trump, which baffles me. He's dug himself quite a hole, which is unfortunate for his loved ones

What a fantastic video. Ward you did an outstanding job narrating this topic. Thanks

As always, you take a complicated thing and present it in a way that a non military member can understand it. Thank you. There are a lot of lessons here. The most salient message to me is that there's a lot more to this story than a sound bite someone might get by watching the news. Here again, the depth you went into brings that out very well. On the one hand I see this man in a similar vein to that of Colin Kapernick. Here, he does something he should not do within the confines of his organization to bring light upon what he sees as an awful situation. There are those who will say he should shut up and stand down. There are others who say he is a folk hero. The point is that because he has the platform (and now the popularity) his message is heard and certain people will line up behind him and others will vilify him. On the other hand, he is clearly going against a lawful direct order to stop doing something and if there is any organization left in this great land where that simple rule should be upheld it's our military. In the final analysis (mine anyway) it's pretty clear that he's going off the rails a bit and frankly, he loses cred when he asks for money through his wife's venmo or whatever. Having said all of this.....I can't honestly understand why or how such well trained men and women could let this pull out happen the way it did. It was a disgrace.

Lt. Colonel Scheller deserves better. He spoke out with valid questions only to be silenced by an organization who is lead by a man who was prepared to warn a foe of a pending military action and himself isn't in jail. What the hell is going on with our beloved nation?

Accountability is exactly what our decision makers must face . Man , u r a man who frame's exactly what I and many vets feel.

Great video, well explained with the pause on each section to elaborate on what has been said .

Normally I would say he shouldn't do this, but in today's situation, I'm glad he did, since it helps draw attention to the gross ineptitude of the higher echelon of our "leaders", both military and civilian. Someone should be court-martialed over this debacle, but certainly not Lt. Col Scheller.

While I sympathized with his early sentiments, and sided with his views, he went off reservation and made it more about himself, although kept stating 'we' and 'us'. Perhaps they didn't want him to be a civilian ASAP, because then they couldn't control him as easily, and are worried about the optics of the fallout.

great video. that's what I wish news reporting was like.

I spent 18 years in the Marine Corps, enlisted, infantry. LTC Scheller acted as a fool. Why? His declaration resulted in exactly ZERO changes to anything. His only success was in promptly jettisoning his career and retirement. What the LTC did was all about self-aggrandizement and more than a little personal grievance.

Wise words from Ward Carroll.

My view on this is a little different. I’m a Marine, a professor of Economics and I co-own a payments company. I voted for Donald Trump in the last election. I turned on Trump on January 6. Not because of the riots, I did not directly blame him for that. Rather, my utter shock while I watched and listened to his speech at the capital trying to strong-arm vice president Pence in to attempting something unconstitutional - the decertification of the electoral college election results. I’ve turned on this marine too. Although emotionally, I feel just as he does about the poor leadership coming from President Biden. I simply can’t stand Biden, his policies, and his administration. His chaotic wokeness gone mad. But we have civilian control of the military in this country for a very precious and obvious reason. If I was active duty in the military, I would not have said what I just said about President Biden. Just because it’s true, doesn’t mean a soldier has a right to say it. When you sign on the dotted line and join the military, everyone knows you’re signing over a portion of your rights in favor of UCMJ. This man should be punished, and should pay a price, and a high one at that. This is a severe “slippery slope“ where in the future if we’re not very careful we’re going to have woke soldiers being insubordinate and sharing their feelings about military operations, policy, and strategy. If Biden wanted to put US soldiers at absurd risk, that is his prerogative, and a good soldier says “yes sir“ despite the internal disgust. My personal view is this man is suffering from some degree of PTSD. He’s being driven emotionally, not rationally, and some of his narcissistic comments could be taken to imply a threat to public safety. In six months, no one will remember him. In 20 years, he and his family will lament painfully the opportunity cost of his present stupidity. There absolutely are hills to die on, but the one he chose was just dumb. And I agree 100% with something Ward said at the end. If you think the military lacks accountability, it is a bastion of it compared to Corporate America whose leaders most all enjoy “golden parachutes”, or even worse, academics who hide behind committees and tenure.

I think he's having a breakdown. I hope that his situation is adjudicated from that point of view. Excellent video and commentary. Top notch.