I understand the procedures and so did the people who covered this story yet you "immediately dis-believe someone accusing the military of charging them for gear that they did not lose or damage." In the first instance the investigative reporters are the ones who determined that the military could not provide any information on the piece of equipment that was allegedly lost or damaged. In other words they sent this soldier a bill for $700 for a piece of equipment that they had no knowledge of. Also, the second story about Lt. Rebrook being charged for body armor that was damaged in battle was true and it was proven to be true only after a bitter fight on his part. Time and again the people who make these allegations have demonstrated their love for their country and willingness to serve it and to fight for it. They aren't merely making allegations about Army wrong-doing instead they are pointing out that they are the ones who are forced to carry the burden of proof and to prove a negative and that this is wrong. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR A SOLDIER TO PROVE THAT HE DID NOT LOSE OR DAMAGE EQUIPMENT AS A RESULT OF NEGLIGENCE OR MISUSE ON HIS PART. This is why the military must carry the burden of proof. If he stole the equipment they need to prove it and if they can prove it than they should prosecute him for theft of government property.
It's great to know there is a line of investigation except the only problem is THAT THE LINE OF INVESTIGATION DOES NOT KNOW WHICH PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WAS LOST OR DAMAGED. It also requires soldiers to fill out paperwork and to receive approval from their commanding officer. It places the burden of proof on the soldier and not on the military and that isn't how things should operate. To force someone to prove a negative is idiotic. If the Army believes that the equipment was destroyed as a result of mishandling or negligence than they should prove it but they aren't required to do so under the current policy instead the soldier must submit a letter to his commanding officer asking him to sign a "statement of normal wear and tear" and prove that it was a result of normal wear and tear.
It's obvious you don't know enough about Military regulations or you would know that soldiers aren't supposed to be charged for the "normal wear and tear" of equipment Tell me Mr. Soldier that you knew that.

Also, if the government suspects LCpl Schmuckatelli sold government property then they should charge hime with theft of government property but they don't do that instead they charge all soldiers for lost or damaged equipment and expect them to prove that they weren't negligent and didn't misuse the equipment and that places the burden of proof on the defendant and not on the person making the allegation. That is wrong. Assuming that they lost or damaged it as a result of misue or negligence without proof that they did so deliberately is idiotic. When soldiers are fighting they should never receive a bill for BODY ARMOR or UN-SPECIFIED PIECES OF EQUIPMENT. Who in their ******* right mind would assume that a soldier who is wounded and is in a Military Hospital stole a piece of body armor? Who in their ******* right mind would charge that soldier for the body armor? You talk about how there is a line of investigation and yet a soldier is charged for body armor that was damaged as a result of combat. Is it standard operating procedure to charge someone after a brief investigation? That when it is made public is easily proven to be false. Did they ask Lt. Rebrook how the body armor was lost? Did they believe him when he told them how it was lost or did they look at a wounded soldier and think "he is a lying scumbag and it was his fault the body armor was lost as a result of a road-side bomb."
Your posts make you look foolish. Everyone here knows that soldiers aren't supposed to be charged for normal wear and tear of equipment and yet you don't Mr. Soldier.

It shows that your service in the military wasn't in JAG.