|
Post-Traumatic Stress Troubles
2/19/2007
According to recent army study, about 20% of the servicemembers
returning from Iraq suffer from mental health problems.
One of the most serious problems is Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder but many local vets are having a hard time getting
benefits and treatment for PTSD.
Read more...
An Appeal for Redress from the War in Iraq
Many active duty, reserve, and guard service members are
concerned about the war in Iraq and support the withdrawal
of U.S. troops. The Appeal for Redress provides a way in which
individual service members can appeal to their Congressional
Representative and US Senators to urge an end to the U.S.
military occupation. The Appeal messages will be delivered
to members of Congress at the time of the Martin Luther King,
Jr. Day in January 2007.
The wording of the Appeal for Redress is short and simple.
It is patriotic and respectful in tone.
As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation
in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in
Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American
military forces and bases from Iraq . Staying in Iraq will
not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S.
troops to come home.
To sign this petition, click on www.appealforredress.org
Death Of Traumatized Minn. Marine Came After Iraq
(AP) Stewart, Minn. Jonathan Schulze tried to live with the
nightmares and grief he brought home after serving as a U.S.
Marine in Iraq, but it overwhelmed him. And he didn't get
the help he needed to survive, his family claims.
Two weeks ago, Schulze told a staff member at the VA hospital
in St. Cloud, Minn., that he was thinking of killing himself
and asked to be admitted, according to his father and stepmother,
who accompanied him. They said he was told he couldn't be
admitted that day. The next day, a counselor told him over
the phone that he was No. 26 on the waiting list, his parents
said.
Read More...
Poll: More Troops Unhappy With Bush's Course in Iraq
By Robert Hodierne
Military Times
Friday 29 December 2006
The American military - once a staunch supporter of President
Bush and the Iraq war - has grown increasingly pessimistic
about chances for victory, according to the 2006 Military
Times Poll.
For the first time, more troops disapprove of the president's
handling of the war than approve of it. Barely one-third of
service members approve of the way the president is handling
the war.
Read More...
Thousands of troops say they
won’t fight
By Ana Radelat
Gannett News Service
Swept up by a wave of patriotism after the U.S. invasion
of Iraq, Chris Magaoay joined the Marine Corps in November
2004.
The newly married Magaoay thought a military career would
allow him to continue his college education, help his country
and set his life on the right path.
Less than two years later, Magaoay became one of thousands
of military deserters who have chosen a lifetime of exile
or possible court-martial rather than fight in Iraq or Afghanistan.
“It wasn’t something I did on the spur of the
moment,” said Magaoay, a native of Maui, Hawaii. “It
took me a long time to realize what was going on. The war
is illegal.”
Magaoay said his disillusionment with the military began
in boot camp in Twentynine Palms, Calif., where a superior
officer joked about killing and mistreating Iraqis. When his
unit was deployed to Iraq in March, Magaoay and his wife drove
to Canada, joining a small group of deserters who are trying
to win permission from the Canadian government to stay.
Read More...
Army charges Lt. Watada with contempt towards
president;
Faces over seven years military prison

On July 5, U.S. Army First Lt. Ehren K. Watada was formally
charged with three articles of the Uniform Code of Military
Justice: two counts of contempt towards officials (Article
88) - specifically President G. W. Bush, three counts of conduct
unbecoming an officer and a gentleman (Article 133), and one
count of missing movement (Article 87). If convicted of all
six charges by a general court-martial, Lt. Watada could be
sentenced to over seven years in a military prison (Army press
release and actual charge sheet).
Lt. Watada’s lawyer, Eric Seitz, said: "We expected
the missing movement charge, but we are somewhat astounded
by the contempt and conduct unbecoming charges. These additional
charges open up the substance of Lt. Watada's statements for
review and raise important First Amendment issues. We are
delighted that the Army has given us the opportunity to litigate
these questions."
Most previous prosecutions of Article 88 took place during
the Civil War and World War I, and the last known prosecution
was in 1965 (Howe vs. U.S.). Lt. Henry Howe protested U.S.
foriegn policy during the Vietnam War.
Even before Lt. Watada refused to ship out to Iraq on June
22, the Army was focusing their investigation on his speech.
The formal charges confirm that the Army’s primary objective
is silencing Lt. Watada’s dissent.
Learn more...
What is Conscientious Objection?
Military regulations allow for discharge or transfer to non-combatant
status for people who object to participate to war in any
form. This is referred to as conscientious objection (CO).
There are several constraints for CO's. You must object to
war on moral or religious grounds.You have to be against all
war. You have to be sincere. This may sound simple enough,
but deciding whether or not you are a CO and applying for
CO status can be very hard...
The following guide is available to help you.
Read the guide Advice
for Conscientious objectors on-line.
Read the guide Advice
for Conscientious Objectors in pdf.
reprinted from CCCO
SDMCP is growing and expanding
in a number of ways!
We can always use your help.
* Increasing our phone and office hours. We are all
volunteers and are looking for more people.
* Creating and distributing the newsletter. Please submit
any articles or written material that you would like to include.
* Expanding the information available in Spanish and
increasing the number of Spanish speaking counselors.
* Improving the on-line and office library for your education
and research.
To find out more about how to get involved, please email to
info@sdmcp.org or call
(619) 280-2373.
SDMCP has been awarded several grants to cover our expenses.
We would like to recognize the following foundation for their
generous support.
Agape Foundation, Agape
(pronounced “ a ga pe ”) is a Greek word meaning
“unselfish love of one person for another
AJ Muste Foundation, “There
is no way to peace — peace is the way”
Foundation for
Change 
Resist, Inc, A Call
To Resist Illegitimate Authority 

|