U.S. soldiers home for Christmas at Fort Levenworth

U.S. soldiers home for Christmas — at the Army’s disciplinary barracks at Ft. Leavenworth
By Earl Glynn On December 24, 2010

LEAVENWORTH, KAN. — Her prayer went unanswered.

At a September rally in Leavenworth, Vicki Behenna from Edmond, Okl., gave details about her son’s court martial, conviction and appeal.

“We’re praying that Michael’s conviction will be reversed and he will join us home,” she said. “We’re praying for a decision by Christmas.”

The Behenna family was disappointed Wednesday to learn their son’s Dec. 2 appeal to the Army Clemency and Parole Board was denied. They had hoped for a suspended sentence and immediate parole in time for Christmas.

Letters of support from the Governor of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Attorney General, and the entire Oklahoma Congressional Delegation had no effect. Three letters offering immediate employment upon his release had no effect.

A decision from the Army Court of Criminal Appeals from a hearing on Dec. 9 may not be known for 3 to 15 months. Michael’s family and a courtroom of supporters drove many hours to attend that hearing in Arlington, Va.

Vicki Behenna and her husband Scott travel to Leavenworth most weekends and are spending as much time as allowed with their son on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
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U.S. soldiers home for Christmas