# US Army deserter walks across Rainbow Bridge to US from Canada and turns himself in **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 6, 2024, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241 "2024-12-06T03:46:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/1 "2024-12-06T03:46:25Z")
After deserting in 2008, when he was 22. Army has taken him to Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg). > **[U.S. soldier walks from Canada to 'turn himself in' at the U.S. border for...](https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/u-s-soldier-walks-from-canada-to-turn-himself-in-at-the-u-s-border-for-deserting-army-16-years-ago)** > > The 38-year-old man used the pedestrian walkway between Niagara Falls, Ont. and Buffalo, N.Y., and surrendered, according to U.S. Customs ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/2 "2024-12-06T03:53:49Z")
My prediction is a quick plea, bad conduct discharge and little to no jail time. It will probably be downgraded to something like failure to repair. Unless there is some other more serious charge. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/3 "2024-12-06T05:16:19Z")
My prediction: Court-martial convened and the military judge honors a pre-trial agreement which will include a custodial sentence (suspended), reduction in rank to Private (E-1), and a Bad Conduct Discharge. The cited article mentions this: > Under U.S. military law, desertion is defined as being absent from military duties without authority with intent to remain away permanently. > > If a soldier deserts his post in a time of war the punishment can be death. > > In 2008 the U.S. military was actively engaged in the war in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan. But it fails to mention the United States, in fact, is not at war, and has not been since World War II. They also misspell “Department of Defense”. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/4 "2024-12-06T05:56:01Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > But it fails to mention the United States, in fact, is not at war, and has not been since World War II. There is caselaw stating that a state of war doesn’t have to be a formally declared war. [https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4934&context=mlr#:~:text=out%20reference%20to%20statutes%20of,In%20addition%2C](https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4934&context=mlr#:~:text=out%20reference%20to%20statutes%20of,In%20addition%2C) TLDR: it’s complicated ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/5 "2024-12-06T06:01:55Z")
It’s spelled “defence” in Canada. It’s a Canadian website. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/6 "2024-12-06T06:25:42Z")
My dog crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I’m thinking it wasn’t the same one? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/7 "2024-12-06T06:46:45Z")
Canadians can spell the word however they want, but the _name_ of the US organization is “Department of Defense” and they should spell it that way. Just as a US web site should spell the corresponding Canadian organization correctly as “The Department of National Defence” despite that not being how “defense” is spelled in US English. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/8 "2024-12-06T06:46:47Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > There is caselaw stating that a state of war doesn’t have to be a formally declared war. > > [https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4934&context=mlr#:~:text=out%20reference%20to%20statutes%20of,In%20addition%2C](https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4934&context=mlr#:~:text=out%20reference%20to%20statutes%20of,In%20addition%2C) > > TLDR: it’s complicated I read through some of that, and, yes, you’re correct; it’s long and complicated. And I really find their rationale wanting. I’ll try to read the rest of it tonight and even see what the Supreme Court had to say about it. > [@nearwildheaven](#): > > It’s spelled “defence” in Canada. It’s a Canadian website. I’d agree with that if the article said _defence department_ or even _defense ministry_, but they specifically wrote _U.S. Department of Defence_, which is not how the name of the outfit’s spelled (spelt?). _I see **markn\_1** beat me to it._ ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/9 "2024-12-07T02:53:03Z")
> **hijack hidden by mod, please don't reply** > > he should have waited until January-- I’m sure Trump would have pardoned him for not being a “sucker/loser” ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/10 "2024-12-07T11:08:47Z")
Not likely. Didn’t he rail against those who avoided the draft by going to Canada, calling them disloyal, and basically said he woudl’ve served himself if it weren’t for those cursed bone spurs? ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/11 "2024-12-07T11:25:39Z")
did you forget the sarcasm font? a billionaire who can’t afford to get alleged bone-spur fixed over 4 years? and he only said that to falsely appeal to the patriot wing, who then ignore his calling troops “losers/idiots/suckers” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/12 "2024-12-07T14:17:44Z")
Does this really need to become another Trump thread? Not putting on my mod hat yet. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/13 "2024-12-07T17:33:15Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > My dog crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I’m thinking it wasn’t the same one? I don’t know. Did your dog ever visit Niagara Falls? For those who don’t live in the area, the Rainbow Bridge crosses over the Niagara River between Niagara Falls, New York and Niagara Falls, Ontario. The bridge is close to the falls and on sunny days, the spray from the falls does often produce rainbows which are visible from the bridge. Walking across the bridge is a popular tourist activity. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/14 "2024-12-07T17:36:09Z")
It’s the same bridge that had the Flying Bentley a year ago. > [@Crash in Niagara Falls (Wed November 22, 2023) \[Rainbow Bridge car explosion\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crash-in-niagara-falls-wed-november-22-2023-rainbow-bridge-car-explosion/993546): > > [FBI investigating ‘vehicle explosion’ at Rainbow Bridge on US-Canadian border | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/22/us/niagara-falls-rainbow-bridge/index.html) the latest from cnn is that the car accelerated as it approached the bridge, went airborne and crashed into the secondary search area. and came apart in a spectacular way. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/15 "2024-12-07T17:37:45Z")
Yes, I should have mentioned that crashing your car into the bridge at a hundred miles an hour is a less popular tourist activity. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/16 "2024-12-07T17:38:37Z")
Moderating: > [@fedman1](#): > > he should have waited until January-- I’m sure Trump would have pardoned him for not being a “sucker/loser” Please don’t bring up Trump in threads that have nothing to do with Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2024, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-army-deserter-walks-across-rainbow-bridge-to-us-from-canada-and-turns-himself-in/1011241/17 "2024-12-08T22:13:57Z")
More info has come out about the guy. He’s a sergeant in the 82nd Airborne. Started in the National Guard and transferred to the Army. Was an enthusiastic Army guy, including acting as a military recruiter. Until he went to Afghanistan. > [@](#): > > He became disillusioned with the mission, however. In Afghanistan, collateral damage by U.S. military strikes were mounting and civilian casualties soured public support for the war. > > Vassey alleged at his refugee hearings that he was ordered to do things that were contrary to the rules of armed conflict, such as firing randomly in an attempt to provoke an enemy engagement without precautions against civilian harm. He said they called it “recon by fire.” He said his unit strapped dead bodies of Afghan insurgents to the front of military vehicles and drove through villages to intimidate the population, according to court filings. Back in the States, and facing another tour of duty in Afghanistan, he decided to come to Canada and apply for political refugee status. While his application was pending, he publicly spoke out against the US military operations while wearing his uniform. Worked as an iron worker during his time in Canada. His refugee claim appears to have been denied twice by the Refugee Board. It’s very difficult for an American to make a refugee claim in Canada, given the legal test to qualify. The Federal Court set aside the denials twice and remitted it, but it sounds like he was unsuccessful. So he decided to go home. Sounds like he wanted to see his mother again, as she’s getting on. > **[Exclusive: Arrested U.S. Army deserter fled hard-fighting airborne unit for...](https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/arrested-u-s-army-deserter-canada?utm_source=newsshowcase&utm_medium=gnews&utm_campaign=CDAQ1JCBx4Sl4bcvGJGwt7XCxeXtrAEqDwgAKgcICjCZ1o4IMOP7dQ&utm_content=rundown&gaa_at=g&gaa_n=AVINqTxCAOdA0QT-85lNYnS4e5rjv1GktGxQR-mFeuF0Aon2crsx6KJy1fN7DWpAbs4zO2aibsr_vwOsRZ_II6ZKhp73-vjKnw%3D%3D&gaa_ts=675618c6&gaa_sig=LtDgxuLYJwljN7RWki-iUwxlsYgpaDeF6dSVqQkXPf5QhqaAEghvlv_l0u-LExUtYMRfCL7LvVmxeNXjoNGrWA%3D%3D)** > > Christopher Vassey sought asylum here to avoid another tour of Afghanistan, criticizing American war tactics: “I had to make a choice.”