'Birther' army doctor faced with court martial charges

An army doctor who has made Birtherism a potentially life-and-death issue is being formally reprimanded by the military.

Court martial charges have been brought against Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin, who has refused to obey orders from President Barack Obama on the ostensible grounds that he's not a natural-born United States citizen.

Chuck Dasey, spokesman at Washington's Walter Reed Army Medical Center, said Lakin is being rebuked for "a violation of Article 87, Missing Movement and four specifications of a violation of Article 92 (three specifications of Failure to Obey a Lawful Order, and one Specification of Dereliction of Duty)."

"The date for the Article 32 investigation has not been set. Upon receipt of appointment orders, The Article 32 Investigating officer will establish a hearing date," Dasey said.

Lakin, who last week released a YouTube video announcing his intention to refuse Obama's orders, claimed his decision was out of regard for the constitution.

"I invited my court martial, and today I stand ready to answer these charges," Lakin said in a statement, according to Talking Points Memo. "I was prepared to deploy if only the President would authorize the release of the proof of his eligibility. He refused, and now the court will determine the issue, and my fate. The constitution matters. The truth matters."

Here is Dasey's full statement:

On Thursday, April 22, the Medical Center Brigade Headquarters Company Commander preferred charges against LTC Terrence Lakin pursuant to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. LTC Lakin was charged with one specification of a violation of Article 87, Missing Movement and four specifications of a violation of Article 92 (three specifications of Failure to Obey a Lawful Order, and one Specification of Dereliction of Duty).

Following the preferral of charges, and service of the charges on LTC Lakin, the Medical Center Brigade Headquarters Company Commander forwarded the charges to the Acting Medical Center Brigade Commander with a recommendation to dispose of the charges at a General Court-Martial. The Acting Medical Center Brigade Commander, in her capacity as the Summary Court Convening Authority, directed the appointment of an Article 32, UCMJ pre-trial investigation to inquire into the truth of the matters set forth in the charges and to secure information to determine what disposition should be made of the case in the interest of justice and discipline.

The date for the Article 32 investigation has not been set. Upon receipt of appointment orders, The Article 32 Investigating officer will establish a hearing date.