>> reporter: jason bresler is not just a new york city fireman. also a highly decorated officer in the u.s. marine reserve serving four tours in iraq and afghanistan. so why is major bresler facing possible discharge on less than honorable terms after serving 13 years with the marines? >> for a man like jason bresler, being asked to separate from the marine corps that you love so much would be an even worse punishment than jail. >> reporter: legally major bresler cannot speak about his case because it's still under review. his attorney is speaking for him. here's what he says happened. bresler was in the u.s. in the summer of 2012 when he received an urgent message to his yahoo! e-mail account from his fellow marine officers at a base in afghanistan's turbulent helmand provin province. >> the subject line said in all capital letters with three exclamation points sarwa jan is back. >> when jason was serving in afghanistan in 2010, he cause the this afghan police official to be fired from that position because he was raping children. >> reporter: alm

some say that major jason bresler should be given a medal instead. watson with this troubling story. >> reporter: jason bresler is zblouft just a fireman. he's a decorated officer in the reserve, serving four tours in iraq and afghanistan. facing possible discharge on less than honorable terms after serving 13 years. >> for a man like jason, being asked to separate from the marine corps that you love so much would be a worse punishment than jail. >> reporter: he cannot speak about his case because it's under review. his attorney is speaking for him. here's what he says happened. brezler was in the u.s. in summer 2012 when he received an urgent message to his yahoo! e-mail account from his fellow marine officers in afghanistan's turbulent helman province. >> the e-mail said, in all capital letters with three exclamation marks, important, sar war john is back. >> reporter: he had a history with sar war john, an afghan police officer. >> when he was serving in afghanistan in 2010, he caused sar war john an afghan police official to be fired from the pen

>> we're not sure why the marine corps is pursuing the charge against jason bresler.received emergency request for information from the marines marines in afghanistan and he answered truthfully in an effort to protect children. >> what impact do you think this case and the message it's sending to military officers -- to military across the board in afghanistan for example, if there is a concern, they want to raise? >> uma, the most important value in the military is integrity. there is a potential of a chilling effect. if you are asked a question you answer honestly to protect your fellow marines and then you are brought up on charges for that. >> at this point you have supports who are stepping up to the plate, to try and see that this is not a career-ending move. what is being done to make sure that you can try to intervene to provent that from happening. >> there is overwhelming outpouring of support for marines and congressman peter king -- >> decorated veteran. >> fought in the difficult campaigns and received bronze star in fallujah and helmand. >> you feel conf