Noteboom The Law Firm

Shamed Ex-Soldier Becomes Soldier Advocate

April 22, 2010- One man's coward is another man's hero. Andrew Pogany is a lawyer who fights for other soldiers' rights. Andrew Pogany has been referred to as both a coward and an angry man. To Pogany, it is better to be called angry than a coward, as the military did to him in 2003.

Pogany's anger has served him well over the years. When the military attempted to prosecute him, Pogany used his anger to fight against the military machine. When soldiers come to him for help, he uses that anger to fight for them as well.

Pogany volunteered to go to Iraq with a team of Green Berets when another soldier could not. Within a few days of being in-country, Pogany saw a shredded body and had what he thought was a panic attack. It was eventually ruled a simple combat stress reaction and recommended that Pogany return to duty. Instead he was shipped back to Fort Carson, Colorado and charged with "cowardly conduct as a result of fear", which is punishable by death under the UCMJ. In reality it was a reaction of an anti-malaria drug that caused the reaction and Pogany was discharged with full medical benefits.

The process in-between arriving back stateside and being discharged was not pleasant. Pogany had suicidal thoughts so often he became comfortable with them. It was at this time he realized how important it was to have someone to rely on in such situations. It was this time in his life that he realized he would fight for those who cannot fight for themselves; to be there for those that need him to be there.

Now when a soldier is getting screwed over by the military, the "coward" is the one to call. Pogany has worked hundreds of cases over the years and has more cases referred to him all the time. Pogany's style is praised by some, condoned by others; it all depends on which side of the line his critic happens to be standing.

Pogany cares about soldiers, that much is very clear. As much as he would like to take some time to enjoy his life with his new baby, there always seems to be some new issue bringing him back into the officep>