NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier who said his Christian beliefs compelled him to love his enemies, not kill them, has been granted conscientious objector status and honorably discharged, a civil liberties group said on Tuesday.
Capt. Peter Brown -- who served in Iraq for more than a year and was a graduate of the elite U.S. military academy West Point -- said in a statement issued by the New York Civil Liberties Union that he was relieved the Army had recognized his beliefs made it impossible for him to serve.
As I learned on Ken Burn's The War a week or two ago, conscientious objectors served during WWII--as medics, and in similar positions. Granted, this man is a captain, so being a medic isn't an appropriate position for him, but it seems there are plenty of things he could do short of leaving the army. Let's not forget, he got a free 4-year education from that same army.
Brown said he had no conflict between his faith and military service until after he graduated from West Point in 2004 and began to study scripture and his belief.
I stand by my previous statement. It's almost as if we're not taking this war seriously.
12 comments:
Free? Hardly...
I guess in this case, "free" is a relative term. I guess I should have said, "tuition-free" with no additional financial charges for room and board.
West Point costs a lot of money... but then they "provide" the rest for "free."
"Granted, this man is a captain, so being a medic isn't an appropriate position for him, but it seems there are plenty of things he could do short of leaving the army."
You have been in the military and I haven't, but the obvious solution I see is that he can be demoted to whatever rank is appropriate to serve as a medic and he can finish his 4 years at that rank.
Problem solved.
The goal here isn't to punish him, but to find a way to accept his CO claim but at the same time have him fulfill the obligation he voluntarily assumed when he chose to attend West Point.
Does this not work because demoting an officer to enlisted status creates issues?
-Mark Roulo
Demotion can only occur as punishment.
Perhaps he should serve in the Chaplains Corps? I don't know what schooling is required for that, though.
"Demotion can only occur as punishment."
Thanks.
I understand this, I suppose.
I don't like the moral hazard of allowing people to volunteer for the military and then discover that they are COs once fighting begins.
Not a good precedent.
Sigh.
-Mark Roulo
I agree completely, which is why he should have been reassigned elsewhere.
"Demotion can only occur as punishment."
Is this recent? In the post-Korean War draw down, officers who had been passed over for promotion a certain number of times had two options: leave or accept a reduction in rank. It's kind of humiliating to take the reduction, but if you're only a couple years shy of your 20, a lot of officers will take it. (My father, a major in the US Army, choose to leave.)
The system, since at least my time in the 80s, has been "up or out". I've not heard of the "voluntary demotion" that you mentioned.
Darren, the guy is a Captain which means he served at least 3 1/2 year of active duty to attain the rank (1 1/2 years as a 2LT and 2 years as a 1LT). I'm guessing at least 6 months to process his paperwork would put him over 4 years. He served his time. He just wanted the status of conscientious objector so as not to be brought back on to active duty. He will probably do more good spiritually for the United States than he would do on the front lines (i.e., he already served 1 out of the 4 years in combat which is much more than most citizens of this nation).
You and I both know that 4 years of West Point is not a "Free" education. It was best for him, and it was best for the Army for him to go his own way.
Perhaps you're correct. It doesn't feel right, but I can find no flaw in your logic--except that he's breaking a contract. Then again, the army's allowing him to break it, so again, I guess it's ok.
"The system, since at least my time in the 80s, has been 'up or out'. I've not heard of the "voluntary demotion" that you mentioned."
I have a friend who served in the army in the mid-1970s. He described the demote-but-stay-in-the-army sequence to me a number of years ago. It may have been eliminated.
-Mark Roulo
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