A Fort Stewart soldier has been discharged from the Army after pleading guilty to charges of making threats in a rap song and sending a copy to fellow soldiers and Pentagon officials.
Spc. Marc Hall has been given an ‘other-than-honorable discharge’ (OTH). It is an administrative discharge so there is no criminal record, but Hall will lose veteran benefits he would have otherwise been eligible for. The Army takes all threats seriously, last November a gunman opened fire, killing 13 people at Fort Hood in Texas.
Hall admitted he told several people he would attack soldiers in his unit after recording a rap song called “Stop Loss,” just months before the Fort Hood shooting. Army soldiers who undergo “stop-loss” must complete additional tours of duty and Hall’s military contract had just been extended.
In his song, Hall raps about walking up to soldiers and “surprising them all” with 30 rounds set to a “three-round burst.” Another lyric says: “Still against the war / I grab my M4/ Spray and watch all the bodies hit the floor/ I bet you’ll never stop-loss nobody no more.”
He sent a copy to the Pentagon, posted it on his website and gave copies to soldiers in his unit.
Halls was charged with violating Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Conduct. His charges include making threats fellow soldiers. Rather than bringing soldiers from Hall’s infantry to the states for trial, Hall’s hearing took place in Kuwait.
Gen. Carter Ham, a commander and adviser to the Department of Defense, said the military is taking the necessary steps to keep its men and women safe.
“Commanders are the key to monitoring threats,” Ham told a House Appropriations Committee. “Policies must acknowledge the threat and help identify and address those likely to become violent.”
On the other hand, Hall’s supporters argue the rap song is a free speech issue and not a serious threat.
Hall’s discharge will take approximately two weeks before it is final. He will have to out-process at Fort Stewart which means he has to complete paperwork, de-briefings as well as return military gear.