A Fort Irwin noncommissioned officer was recently convicted and kicked out of the Army for assault and wearing unauthorized badges on his uniform. On May 10, 2012, the military judge, Lt. Col. Michael Walther, tried and convicted Sgt. Antonio Heyward, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, of multiple offenses at a Special Court-Martial. The trial was held in the Fort Irwin Courtroom. Sgt. Heyward was convicted of disrespecting a superior commissioned officer, making false official statements, assault and battery, and disorderly conduct, all of which stemmed from a fight with minor dependents in the Fort Irwin housing area. In addition, Sgt. Heyward was convicted of wearing on his uniform the Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge, and Air Assault Badge, none of which he had been entitled to wear. Lt. Col. Walther sentenced Sgt. Heyward to a reduction to the rank of E-1 and a Bad Conduct Discharge from the Army.
A Fort Irwin Soldier was sent to prison recently after being convicted of adultery, drug use, and being absent without leave. Pvt. Bryan Walsh, Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, was convicted by the military judge, Lt. Col. Fansu Ku, on May 14 in the Fort Irwin Courtroom. Lt. Col. Ku found Pvt. Walsh guilty of adultery, use of cocaine and marijuana, possession of Spice, going AWOL, and breaking restriction. Pvt. Walsh was sentenced to six months confinement and a Bad Conduct Discharge from the Army. Pvt. Walsh had been in pretrial confinement at the Naval Brig in Miramar, Calif., since December 2011 as a result of going AWOL. He will serve out the remainder of his sentence there.
