Rep. Vern Buchanan (R., Fla.) is demanding that the decorated Green Beret who blew the whistle on U.S.-allied Afghan forces raping boys be reinstated by the Army immediately.
Buchanan labeled war hero Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland’s dismissal from the force a "national disgrace." Martland stood up for an Afghan rape victim in 2011.
"Driving Sgt. Martland out of the Army is a national disgrace," Buchanan said in a statement. "He stood up for American values and should be commended, not punished."
This week, reports surfaced that U.S. soldiers and Marines have been instructed to ignore suspicions of Afghan forces raping boys. While Martland appealed his dismissal from the Army, he was rejected this week. He will be discharged at the start of November.
Buchanan called on the Army Board for Correction of Military Records to reverse its decision and reinstate Martland. Otherwise, he demanded that either Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey or President Obama take action.
"The only people who should be punished and discharged from the service are the ones who created and condoned the immoral practice of ignoring child rape on a U.S. military base," Buchanan said.
Earlier this week, the Republican congressman also demanded the House and Senate Armed Services Committees launch investigations into the alleged policy that discourages troops from reporting sexual abuse of boys at the hand of Afghan forces.
The commander of U.S. forces on Afghanistan has insisted that no such policy exists.