The Army has reversed its course and decided to reinstate Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland, the Green Beret who beat up an Afghan police commander who was sexually abusing a boy.

This is a reversal from the Army’s earlier decision to end Sgt. Martland’s career for violating military policy. That decision sparked outrage from lawmakers such as Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, who introduced legislation on Martland’s behalf, to veterans groups, to online petitioners who gathered hundreds of thousands of supporting signatures.

Martland told Fox News that he was “real thankful for being able to continue to serve.”

“I appreciate everything Congressman Duncan Hunter and his Chief of Staff, Joe Kasper, did for me.”

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) called the decision a “significant victory” and said that “justice has been served.” According to the ACLJ, Martland is a hero for stopping the perpetrator and forcibly removing him from a U.S. military base.

“The U.S. military has a moral obligation to stop child sexual abuse and exonerate SFC Martland for defending a child from rape,” said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ. “The Army finally took the corrective action needed and this is not only a victory for SFC Martland, but for the American people as well.”