- Ralph A. Dengler
Ralph A. Dengler is a lawyer and officer in the
United States Marine Corp Reserve.Dengler's current field is
intellectual property law and other high-technology related fields of law, at the firmFitzpatrick, Cella, Harper and Scinto . [ [http://www.fitzpatrickcella.com/attorneys/bio.cfm?id=44 Ralph A. Dengler's biography] , "Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper and Scinto "]Dengler served in Iraq in 2003, where he was the
executive officer for the2nd Battalion, 25th Regiment, 1st Marine Division . On June 5, 2003 troops from his battalion, staffingCamp Whitehorse , caused a death in custody, that Lieutenant ColonelElizabeth Ingwersen classified as ahomicide .Initially eight Marines were charged. Charges against four of the Marines were dropped. One Marine accepted immunity, in return for his testimony. Following the
article 32 hearing of the three remaining Marines, CorporalChristian Hernandez , SergeantGary Pittman and majorClarke Paulus , Dengler spoke out and criticized the NCIS investigation. [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20040213-9999-1mc13dengler.html Officer accuses NCIS of 'unethical' methods] , "San Diego Union-Tribune ", February 13, 2004] Dengler called the NCIS unethical and disrespectful. He said one Marine, who was not yet an American citizen. was threatened with losing his residency status if he didn't co-operate. He described how Marines were made to travel hours to the hotel where the NCIS investigators were staying, and then made to wait for days for their interview. He felt that the NCIS were more interested in getting a conviction than conducting a fair trial.Following his conviction Pittman, who had been a Federal prison guard in civilian life, lost his job "for cause". [ [http://www.mca-marines.org/Gazette/2005/05fronce.html Protecting Veterans’ Jobs] , "
Marine Corps Gazette "] Dengler wrote: "That firing blatantly contravened ... the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), codified at 38 United States Code, Sections 4301–4333."Pittman was sentenced to sixty days hard labor, and demotion to Private. He was not given a less than honorable discharge. So, according to Dengler, the USERRA still required his civilian employer to re-employ him.
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References
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