The Marine Corps is moving to boot a Marine for having made “political statements” about the commander in chief on a Facebook page.

Sgt. Gary Stein, 26, a nine-year veteran, put comments on the Armed Forces Tea Party page that said he would not follow unlawful orders from President Obama such as ordering the killing of Americans or taking guns away from Americans.

The Uniform Code of Military Justice prohibits uniformed personnel from making comments critical of their chain of command, including the commander in chief.

An investigation into Stein’s comments was ordered March 8 by the commanding officer of the weapons and field training battalion at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. On Wednesday, the Marine Corps announced that rather than file charges against Stein, the matter is being handled “through administrative action.”


Stein, a weather specialist, had come to the attention of his superiors two years ago for using the Internet to criticize Obama’s healthcare proposal. At that time, he offered to take down the comments.

tony.perry@latimes.com