Conscientious Objector in Iraq needs help

I am a soldier in Iraq in the process of filing for conscientious objector status. As a result, my company has given me less than fair treatment. My 1SG accused me of attacking the company, of bringing them "bad karma" and thereby causing one of our men to get shot in the neck. I was nowhere near him. He has made me wear all protective gear everywhere I go all day, even during the performance of laborous duties mostly involving moving rocks from one place to another. Somebody in a higher level requested me to work where I would actually be usefull, but that request was shot down by the Sergeant Major for unknown reasons. In my attempts to report this treatment to the Inspector General, I have been given little help but a phone number and no phone I can use to call it with. Since the military won't help me, I have decided to seek out civilian assistance. At this point just your support and acknowledgement can help me get through the day and stand my ground. I will not kill and it is unjust that I must be punished for my beliefs.

"I am not a fighter. I am a human being"
-from an Anti-Flag song

 

This is a voluntary army and at the moment you signed up. And when you decided to change your status you should have known it wasn't going to be easy.

I wish you the best of luck, but I also wish you had made this decision before you enlisted. It's not going to be easy. I hope you make it home safely.

 

I agree with you, human_being--it sounds to me like you're being treated like shit over there, and it's not right! Once you get out of there, I think you should consider suing the military for the way they treated you while you were there! For your company leaders to say that you bring them "bad karma"--that's just bullshit--it sounds to me like they don't know the meaning of the phrase! And for them to say that you caused one of your men to get shot in the neck, especially when you were nowhere near the guy--that's bullshit too--it sounds to me like they're just looking for a scapegoat, and since they don't know who or what else to blame all this stuff on, they decided it must be you--and that sucks! Nobody should have to be punished for what they believe--whatever that may be! And I especially don't think somebody should be treated badly because they don't have that "war is the answer to everything" mentality--because I think that's bullshit too--war is never the answer! Anyway, I just want to wish you good luck in your filing for coscientious objector status--and I hope that somebody comes to their senses and grants it for you! Peace!

 

Though to be fair that mentality is kind of expected when you sign up to become a soldier

Technically I suppose if you're now refusing to do what you signed up for you're in breach of your contract. Fair treatment? Probably not, but the military is hardly the most enlightened employer out there, sorry you had to learn that the hard way...

Good luck.

 

Just out of curiousity why did you enlist. Are your regular army or national guard?

 

I didn't take part in your poll, because you should have been aware of the consequences when you enlisted, if not then...since I am sure you finished bootcamp or basic that should have cued you in. You should have bailed in Basic it would have been a whole lot easier. But with the slow down in enlistments even then it wouldn't be made easy for you. I hope if you make it home you stand up and tell other youngsters what they are about to face if they enlist. It's not all glory.

 

I'm glad there's a variety of viewpoints in reply to my post. To answer your question, gardener, I enlisted because I was out to learn something new.

I had never dealt with firearms prior to my enlistment. In Basic, it became an issue that I discussed with my Drill Sergeants and two different Chaplains. They convinced me to find some way to deal with it until I saw what the regular army was like. I am active duty and when I got to my unit these feelings about using weapons grew. I had a rough time then too, which caused a lot of grief from the same company I'm in right now. They knew I had some issues loooong before we came out here. I even gave an "informal" request to change to CO status, but because I was too timid (my fault and I've learned better since then) nothing was done to make it formal. They thought I had changed and ignored me. We came out here to Iraq and the floodgates opened again. I was a gunner in an ASV and everywhere I looked I knew I was pointing a weapon at whose bullets don't even have to touch somebody to rip their arms off. Talk about feeling shitty. I knew I wasn't going to get treated fairly from the beginning, but does it make it right? No. Just because I know it's bound to happen doesn't mean I can't fight it. If I just roll over and take it, they'll think I've changed again. They'll start ignoring me just like they did back in the states. I won't have it! I won't be ignored, I won't take no for an answer and I won't let anybody think it's okay for me to be outright punished for going through perfectly legal steps in Army Regulation. A friend of mine told me they've been threatening other soldiers with the duties I'm doing when they do things they don't like. A lot of what I hear is that I should expect to be treated poorly. I don't mean to offend anybody, but noooo duuuuhhh! That's the way things are...blah, blah, blah. Things don't change and things never get better if you don't put up a challenge. I don't care how long the military has been like this. If they're going to make a spot for somebody like me they better do it right and not just make up something to give me hope so I'll seek it out and get treated like a dirtbag.

I do not regret joining the Army. I do not regret not putting in for CO status sooner. This has been a tremendous learning/growing up experience for me. I'm only 20 years old. I love to talk about it, especially with people not wearing the uniform. I'd better get back to work. Thank you all. I'll sneak off again later.

 

WOW keep your chin up and your conscience intact, and also think about writing a book, information from the inside is good for people on the outside. Thankyou for trying to do what your mind is telling you is the right thing. keep us posted

 

Hey, guess what? I don't have to wear all the gear anymore. Why? Because I complained to the right people afterall. I guess the military isn't all out to get me. haha.

Thanks for all your support, everybody. I'll let you know when things change again. They're bound to, I'm sure.

 

When I was up against the draft during Viet Nam, I was only against that war, so I couldn't get CO status. Besides that I was and still am an athiest. But when Viet Nam was over, during the course of many years I came to the conclusion that I was against "all" war. Don't feel bad about changing your mind. I don't know if you are religious or not but if you are not maybe you could try to get CO status on the grounds that you are human. Use the argument that it is more human to overcome the instinct to kill than it is to kill. Of course you are being treated unfairly but you must have expected it when you decided to become a conscientious objector.

 

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I wish recruits before they enlisted had to speak with chaplains or ministers, perhaps some would be discouraged from enlisting in the first place. But I know I am howling in the wind. Bush needs his body count so he's not going to try and do any filtering in the the beginning of the process.

 

Watch your back and keep your head down Human Being. I am sure hazing occurs in Iraq just as it did in Vietnam. Perhaps you should put that protective gear back on.

 

Had you joined as a CO then I could feel some pitty for you but you changed after the fact. I cant help but wonder what you thought you signed up for. A person should always have ill feelings about killing if they dont then they are barbaric but that does not make them a CO. CO is something that should have been with you far far before you signed.


Alot of people who become fearful after the fact start screaming CO, its an easy way out (not saying this is your case) but in respect to channels you have to understand too that there have been thousands like you ahead of you. If your a true CO that failed to document this prior to this than refuse your duties and take the DD, after all you did mislead and breach your contract. It may have been out of your emotional control but that is not there fault the same as if you bought a house and then cant pay for it, they dont let you keep it.

Thus far it seems you want to remain in the military for the $$ but do not wish to fullfill your contract.

Had you started out as a CO I would be behind you 100% but since you entered into your contract without this you sorta should get a dishonorable discharge.

As for the whole pretective gear issue I would wear it for your own safety, if your unit believes you bring them harm you might become a statistic at thier hands, it has happend many times before. They may have had you wear it for your safety from friendly attack.

By no means am I against you but look at thier view point, you had the right when you were signing them papers to check that box and you did not.

 

Something I just realized is that Human Being is a woman. This is the first time in US history where female military are being used in first hand combat. Always before their role was that of support staff, never being directly ordered to pull a trigger or use assault weaponry. I wonder if we have jumped to a change in roles too fast. I wonder if any studies have been done on the effects this may have on a whole new generation of young women? All the more reason for pre enlistment screening by both military recruiters and religious and psychological consultants.

 

Just to put it in perspective:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-04-28-female-amputees-combat_x.htm

 

I also am confused why someone who volunteered to be a paid killer (which is what a soilder is) would suddenly "realize" what War is about, and try to get CO status.

Really, ask any 5 year old child what an "Army Guy" does and they will tell you, "They go to war, kill people and get shot." If a pre Kindergarten child knows this, I find it difficult to understand how a grown womyn wouldn't know. You wanted to know about firearms? That makes no sense. War is killing. The Army and other Armed Forces encourages War. Those who volunteer to join the Service are the first to go, and the first to get hurt, when, inevitably War occurs. Thinking of joining the Armed Forces as a way to "learn something new" doesn't make sense. One seeks education, either in a formal or self instructed way to "learn something new." All the Armed Forces is going to teach you is Propaganda and how to kill.

I should feel bad about this, but I don't. In an era when the Army is all volunteer, people should THINK before getting themselves into a murderous situation. OF COURSE your comanding officer is going to give you a hard time. You AGREED to do what they said.......kill brown people, even if you don't "agree" with this particular war. Once you have given your soul and life to the Armed Forces, voluntarilly, don't expect to just walk away when you start seeing what every one else KNOWS War is about.

Sorry. I don't get it. My children are COs. I have kept records of their CO activities for more than a decade. If there was a draft, they would at least have this. For someone who VOLUNTEERED to join the War Machine tries this, it pisses me off, because it makes my children's GENUINE objection to War seem less real and beleivable.

I agree that you, and all your fellow soldiers should come home. But, the die is cast. Just out of curiosity, who did you vote for in 2000? In 2004? Just wondering.

 

real CO status can start in childhood







My youngest daughter, protesting War.