The translation issues for US servicemembers facing trial in Korean courts continue:

A U.S. soldier has admitted that he attempted to rape an off-duty South Korean policewoman last month, according to his defense team.

Sgt. Anthony Q. Basel initially denied attacking the woman in an off-post bathroom, but later confessed to the April 5 incident, defense officials said outside the courtroom Friday following their first court appearance in the case.

Basel, answering a prosecutor’s questions through a translator, admitted to being in the bathroom the night of the attack.

Fellow soldier Pfc. Marc C. Feldman, also charged with attempted rape, told the prosecutor he wasn’t in the bathroom.

Before questions could continue, Basel’s defense attorney, Jin Hyo-guen, complained about the quality of the translation and requested a temporary halt to the trial. The prosecutor also asked for more time to investigate what he called inconsistent statements from the defendants.

This is a continuing problem in Korean Courts, that one would thnk would be easy to fix.  As we have seen in the past fair trials for US soldiers are not what the Korean court system is about.  I’m not saying these two are innocent but they do deserve at least adequate translations of the court proceedings.  I do have to say that this excuse is being used an awful lot now a days I have noticed:

The 23-year-old, who lost five friends in Iraq and escaped a bomb that exploded in front of his vehicle, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after returning from Iraq, Hayes said. Basel dropped out of a treatment program because he feared it would harm his chances of being promoted, Hayes said.

First of all a lot of people have served in Iraq and Afghanistan and do not go around committing crimes.  PTSD is real issue but it is being used as a blanket excuse way to often.  The US military has plenty of mental health services for those with PTSD.  As far as alcohol treatment he must have been a voluntary referal into ASAP (Army Substance Abuse Program) and than completed the Track 1 phase of it.  His commander could have command referred him for further treatment.  The excuse that he quit treatment out of fear of not being promoted is inaccurrate.  The ASAP counselors give commanders updates on a soldiers progress in the program and recommend further treatment for the soldier or not.  His commander and First Sergeant could have command referred him for further treatment if they felt it was necessary based on the advice of the ASAP folks as well as their own personal opinion of the soldier.  I know the ASAP program in 2ID real well and they are very vigorous about ensuring soldiers make all the meetings and if they don’t they call the commanders.  Upon completion of Track 1 the counselor will do outbriefs on the soldiers progress with the commander and First Sergeant.

Obviously his commander felt he didn’t need further treatment and did not keep him in the program.  Promotions has nothing to do with it and sounds more like grasping for straws.