European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 17, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                One Man s War against the Malcolm n. Carter associated press e had made it through West Point. Head earned perfect officers ratings. His performance records were outstanding. But heals rubbed people the wrong Way and he rocked the  so Peter c. Cole 29, son and grandson of army officers is out of the army today discharged honorable but against his will and striving mightily to Girt Back in. He plans a court suit if necessary to Force his  officer called Brilliant by Many of his superiors Cole a lean intense Calif Omlan with frosty Blue eyes was discharged March 10 the end of a nine month Battle to slay and the Start of a Campaign to return to make changes from the , who left the service As a Captain says the army forced him out for having gone Public with his allegations taken up in Congress that . Nato troops in Europe Are far from combat ready. The army denies acting on that  irony As Cole sees it. Is that the army punished him for being the truthful conscientious officer it made  month Long inquiry by a reporter substantiated a number of Cole s claims. The Story is intricate. The army s role shows inconsistencies in convoluted dealings with Cole. And Cole emerges As a Man with a passion forgoing by the Book with perfectionism pursued to the Point of abrasive Ness. A tenacity in criticism that struck some of his fellow officers As disloyalty to the institution. There probably is a Grain of truth in All Bis allegations said Paul d. Phillips acting assistant Secretary of the army during an interview i Washington. The army is made up of people and we re not perfect. I la admit we made some mistakes in this  Cole s one Man War with the army started in 1969, two years after he entered West Point when he accused three top ranking cadets of drug  had never concealed his disdain for the three whose behaviour he considered lackadaisical and he was not  difficulties brought out in this year s rating appears to be a continued unwillingness to accept and an in ability to get along with his contemporaries his company s tactical officer wrote then in a communication to Cole s father. Cole a native of Sao Rafael calif., also had a particular Abhorrence of drugs. While attending the University of California at Davis he says be witnessed a bloody drug dazed suicide that intensified his loathing of narcotics. Today he shuns even Alco hol because be says it makes him faint. Cole s accusations against the three cadets especially one who legitimately took a prescribed pain killer found the authorities incredulous so incredulous in fact that they sent him to Walter Reed general Hospital in Washington for a psychiatric  it turned out. One of the three later admitted to experiences with  patient has a moderate amount of paranoid idea Tion especially regarding his being sent to Walter Reed Hospital to get rid of him,1 " the psychiatrist s report said and there is probably an element of truth to , the doctors recommended a medical discharge. The diagnosis personality disorder Para noid Type moderate As manifested by unwarranted suspicion excessive self importance tendency to blame others and ascribe evil motives to them litigious Ness rigidity and being extremely argumentative. Although Cole eventually got the order for his Dis charge rescinded the Hospital stood by its  sought the opinion of two civilian psychiatrists and a psychologist All of whom disagreed with Walter  do not find evidence in my clinical examination of a paranoid personality said one of them or. Edward Joseph a new York psychiatrist. After his graduation from West Point Cote Jot persuade the army to remove the damaging vat tit it j Reed report from his records and appealed to tit army s general counsel to keep his psychiatric us tory from harming him. ,. Robert w. Berry then general counsel told Cole i concealing his expunged history could be construed false official statement but wrote Cole on june 14, a thus to preclude the possibility that anyone might. Allege that your answers on these forms constitute a false official statement this is authorization for you to reply id the negative with respect to those psychiatric examine this Concession left Cole unsatisfied. It struck him atan authorization to lie he declines to do that on Job applications. And he s convinced that his achievements belie the diagnosis anyway. He placed second out of to in airborne school fifth out of 116 in Ranger school second out of so in Pathfinder school and sixth out of 30 in jump master school. He was qualified in three helicopters in Avia Tion school. In assignments As platoon Leader troop executive offi cer aide de Camp Supply and logistics officer operations officer and brigade staff officer he received outstanding off icer efficiency  his immediate promotion one com. Manding officer wrote it. Cole is the most dedicated Young officer i have known in the army. His performance of duty can be categorized As flawless his concern for his men and their combat readiness was a constant goal. He is the Type of Leader that possesses personal and professional Pride High sense of duly and great moral and physical courage thai instills unquestionable obedience from his  i. Subsequent reports said Cole had earned the respect and admiration of his seniors Peers and subordinates. He was one Superior officer wrote an  Cole s promotion to Captain in june 1975, his Rater said he had achieved outstanding results in demanding position requiring the utmost in tact and.  yet a year later the army turned against him. I swiftly assembled a dossier of his alleged abrasive Ness. It sought he says to still his voice by i Ruml Daton harassment procrastination promises discredit and finally by driving him out. What went wrong in Cole s eyes it was his determination to Correct what he saw As waste and the Lack of combat readiness in .nato forces. But the army while praising Cole s proficiency As a Supply officer says it was the Way he sought redress. His criticism of the army and his insistence on airing them smacked of disloyalty the army said. Can the army abide a career Soldier who feels this Way about the institution asked Secretary Phillips who acknowledged at the same Lime that most of Cole concerns were justified. In april 1976. Cole was sent to brigade 75 under which battalions go to Germany on six month Tours from for Hood at kill a. Tex. He was trying to get people to Usten. And. Damn it. They did t want to do it capt Han Dell e prot scr. His lawyer said in a Telephone interview irom Germany. He s not easy person to get along with. But there Are plenty of pop tothe  to get along with. So Well regarded was Cole that be had the extra s8?"1? s 8 8isler Battal " to Gas there be insisted on accounting for equipment losses and thus be says ruffled feathers Emlu incl with wife on graduation Day at . Military Academy 1971 keeping in shape after discharge. Poge 14 the stars and stripes by refusing he expected everybody was Koine to do exactly what the Book said they should do and in Fortna pople Al tuesday