Army soldier refuses second deployment to Iraq

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&e=15&u=/ap/20050113/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/objecting_soldier

War Veteran Refuses 2nd Iraq Deployment

Thu Jan 13, 4:42 AM ET

By RUSS BYNUM, Associated Press Writer

SAVANNAH, Ga. - A mechanic with nine years in the Army, including a role in the assault on Baghdad, has refused to return to Iraq (news - web sites), claiming "you just don't know how bad it is."

Sgt. Kevin Benderman, 40, said he became morally opposed to war after seeing it firsthand during his first Iraq tour. Now he faces a possible court-martial after failing to deploy Friday with his unit.

"I told them that I refused deployment because I just couldn't go back over there," Benderman said Wednesday. "If I'm going to sit up there and tell everyone that I do not believe in war, why would I go back to a war zone?"

Lt. Col. Cliff Kent, a Fort Stewart spokesman, said Benderman was being considered absent without leave because he had orders to deploy to Iraq while the Army processed his conscientious objector claim.

"He was AWOL from the unit's movement," Kent said. "Beginning the application process for conscientious objection does not preclude you from deploying."

Benderman has been reassigned to a rear detachment unit at Fort Stewart while his case is processed, Kent said. Kent said the Army has not decided whether to bring charges against him.

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Personally, having applied for CO myself, I support SGT Benderman 110%. I just think it's a shame that those within the military have been placed in the position in which they're called upon to make even greater sacrifices for their conscience and humanity. How many more Kevin Benderman's, Camilo Mejia's and Pablo Paredes's must there be before this insanity is finally brought to an end???

I would very much want to be able to contact both him and his wife, because myself, along with three others who successfully received CO discharges, are trying to establish a support network for CO's or those thinking about filing. I think it's obvious that Kevin and his wife could use whatever support they can find right about now, and I just want to do whatever I can to help out.

But the kid was actually being sent back for a second tour, not a third, according to the article.

Of course, there's also the story about Jeffrey Lucey, a former Marine who struggled with depression brought on by severe PTSD upon returning from Iraq. Jeff's struggles ended when he hung himself in his parents' basement.

When is this insanity going to stop? When are the people of this country going to stop cheering as our young men and women are sent off to organized slaughter? How much more of it has to go on?

Before he received "suicide by cop" he shot and killed a policeman and injured another one.

He had been in Falluja . . . and for a short while that part of Modesto was just like being back there. :cry: