Marine Who Wanted Out of Corps Is Convicted

A Marine Corps private was convicted at a special court martial Monday of conspiracy and willfully disobeying an order in an episode that has become known locally as “The Magnificent Seven” case.

A military judge sentenced Pvt. Michael J. Balaskovitz, 18, to four months of confinement and forfeiture of $485 of his $754 in monthly pay for four months and recommended that he receive a bad conduct discharge.

Testimony Monday by Gunnery Sgt. John M. Koon offered the clearest version yet of the incident. He testified that he had sought to make an example of Balaskovitz, who had refused in November to report for Persian Gulf training, expressing a desire to leave the Corps. Koon said he called Balaskovitz to the front of a classroom of 500 Marines and asked if there were any other “quitters” present.

At that point, Koon testified, eight men responded to his offer to send them “back to their mommies” and joined Balaskovitz at the front of the room.

Of the seven Marines who were charged after the Nov. 21 incident, five have been given sentences ranging from confinement to forfeiture of pay and reduction in rank.