Muslim chaplain James Yee to leave Army

By Ray Rivera
Seattle Times staff reporter

Capt. James Yee will leave the Army in January.

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"In 2003, I was unfairly accused of grave offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and unjustifiably placed in solitary confinement for 76 days," Yee wrote in his resignation letter.

"Those unfounded allegations — which were leaked to the media — irreparably injured my personal and professional reputation and destroyed my prospects for a career in the United States Army."

The bitterly worded letter, released to the media by his civilian lawyer, was the first time Yee has been publicly critical of the Army over his treatment. He was returned to his home base at Fort Lewis after charges were dropped earlier this year and ordered not to say anything negative about the Army.

Those orders, he wrote, have hurt his ability to defend himself and had the "clear purpose of which is to chill the exercises of my right to free speech."

Yee, 36, declined interview requests through his lawyer yesterday.

A West Point graduate and Army captain, Yee ministered to Muslim soldiers and prisoners at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp, where the military is holding suspected Islamic terrorists.

He was arrested in September carrying what authorities said were classified documents. He spent the next 76 days in a naval brig while investigators tried to link him to a possible Muslim spy ring at the prison camp.

In the end, spying charges were never filed, and in March the Army dropped lesser charges of mishandling classified information and lying to investigators. A month later, an Army general overturned a noncriminal adultery and pornography reprimand, the only remaining blemish on Yee's record.

Just two days before his arrest, Yee had received the highest-possible performance rating from his Guantánamo commanders.

The Sept. 8 review, obtained by The Seattle Times, cited Yee's work developing religious support and funeral and burial procedures for prisoners.
 
He also was lauded for representing the prison camp in media interviews and for conducting religious- and cultural-awareness briefings for commanders and soldiers.

His efforts "were instrumental in making this detainee operation successful," wrote his senior rater, who was not named. "Yee is an asset to the army and should be promoted at the first opportunity."

But after returning to Fort Lewis, he received a negative review, said his father, Joseph Yee.

"How can they give him a bad evaluation when he's been in limbo for eight months?" the elder Yee said by phone from his home in Springfield, N.J. "He wasn't assigned to do anything."

"It shows he'll never be promoted, so what's the sense of staying?" added his mother, Fong Yee.

Yee's parents said he loved the military before his arrest. He chose West Point partly because he wanted to save money for his parents, who were putting other kids through college. He also loved the discipline and order he saw during a visit to the military campus.

"He wanted to let things settle down and stay in the Army," Joseph Yee said. "He loved that job."

Yee, who lives with his wife and daughter in Olympia, has made several public appearances since his arrest, including some at fund-raisers to help cover his legal bills. But in each of those appearances he has held his comments to thanking supporters and affirming his faith.

"I thank everyone for their patience, and God willing, they'll be able to hear my story," Yee said at a fund-raiser in New York in June.

In yesterday's letter, Yee said he has waited months for an apology from the Army but none has come. He also said he has yet to receive his personal effects from Guantánamo, which the Army has held since his arrest.

U.S. Sens. Carl Levin of Michigan and Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, as well as a handful of House members, including Adam Smith, D-Tacoma, have asked the Pentagon to investigate the handling of Yee's case.

So far, the Pentagon's only response has been to acknowledge that the requests have been received.

Military officials did not return phone calls yesterday seeking comment.

Ray Rivera: 206-464-2926 or rayrivera@seattletimes.com