Courage to Resist National Newsletter
AWOL Iraq Veteran Agustin Aguayo turns Self in to Ft. Irwin in CA
Narrowly escaping a forced deployment to Iraq through a bedroom window at his base apartment at the Schweinfurt, Germany U.S. Army base, Agustin Aguayo went AWOL on September 2nd after his unit was ordered to deploy to Iraq for a second time. Standing in front of Mission Los Angeles, on September 26th, Agustin told supporters and the media about his decison to go AWOL and his plans to turn himself in to Ft. Irwin Army base, later that day, to continue his fight for a conscientious objector discharge. "Why am I turning myself in? Because it is the right thing to do. It is the responsible thing to do. I'm not a deserter or a coward. I just felt that I needed to be unavailable for this movement because I have come to believe that it is so wrong." More photos and report... On Monday, October 2nd , less than a week after he turned himself in to the Ft. Irwin Army base in the Mojave Desert near Barstow, CA , Agustin is being sent back to Germany. It is expected he will be imprisoned while awaiting a possible court martial. He could face charges of "missing movement" and "absent without leave."
Agustin had applied for conscientious objector status in February 2004 after serving in the military for just over a year."At the moment I signed up, I was ready and willing to do anything that was asked of me," Aguayo said. "However, over time, we as humans change. While Aguayo's conscientious objector claim was being processed he was sent to Iraq as a medic, but refused to load his weapon. He has continued to fight for his discharge ever since, even taking his fight to the federal court system after his claim was mishandled and rejected by the military. "I have come to believe that it is wrong to destroy life, that it is wrong to use war, that it is immoral, and I can no longer go down this path. Because I have taken this stand, I am free even though my body will probably be locked up for a period of time and it's something I can live with," he said. "Something I can't live with is being a participant of war anymore."
Agustin was surrounded by family and supporters from organizations Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, Proyecto Guerrero Azteca, American Friends Service Committee, MEChA., CodePink, Courage to Resist, American Voices Abroad,and Not in Our Name. Supporters then traveled to Ft. Irwin to accompany Agustin Aguayo and his family as he turned himself in to military custody. Agustin was hand-cuffed, frisked, and taken into custody at the visiors center as media and supporters stood by him. As Agustin Aguayo was being taken into custody at Ft. Irwin, Courage to Resist activist, Lori Hurlebaus, pledged to continue to organize support for Agustin. "Agustin is one more voice in a string of people that are starting to come forward. I don't think the support will end here today. It's just begun." Fort Irwin authorities have allowed no visits or telephone contact with Agustin. His unit, the 1st Infantry Division, made the decision to bring him outside the US for prosecution.
Helga Aguayo says that she is dismayed that the Army will not allow her or the couple's eleven-year-old twin daughters to see or speak with him before he leaves the US. “He has never before broken the law,” she says. “He is a conscientious objector, but the Army has forced him to become a resister. We had very much hoped that his court martial could be in the U.S., where his family could more easily have been with him. It is going to be far more expensive for us to be with him and to pay an attorney to represent him overseas, so that he can have a fair trial.” His attorneys continue to fight for his conscientious objector discharge, and have filed an appeal with the Federal Court. Augustin and his family desperately need your financial support as they continue to fight for his discharge! DONATE HERE For more background information visit: www.AguayoDefense.org Please continue to support Agustin Aguayo's courageous stand as his case develops. He needs our support! Iraq War Resister, Darell Anderson, returned to the U.S. from Canada Plans to turn himself in at Ft. Knox, KY Tuesday October 3rd Veterans and military families to gather in support
Driven in a car by his mother, Anita Anderson, Darrell Anderson crossed back into the U.S. from Canada on Saturday, over the Peace Bridge, after a press conference in Ft. Erie, Canada where he told supporters, "I believed it was my human right to choose not to kill innocent people." After witnessing the abuse and killing of Iraqi civilians and being ordered to fire on an automobile containing Iraqi civilians, Anderson concluded that the war is wrong. Rather than return to Iraq, in December 2004 he drove to Canada. In spite of the risk of prosecution, Anderson has now decided that he wants to return to home and family. Shortly after the press conference, Anderson will report According to his attorney Jim Fennerty, a Ft. Knox officer that he spoke to on the phone last week said there would be no court-martial for Anderson. Finnerty expects that Darrell will be at Ft. Knox for three-five days before being discharged. DONATE to Darrell Anderson's legal costs More information on Darrell's case here... Suzanne Swift Charged with Missing Movement and Absent without Leave Family and supporters continue to demand an immediate discharge for sexually assaulted soldier
Army Spc. Suzanne Swift was formally charged with being "absent without leave" and "missing movement" by the military this past week. Suzanne's case has garnered national attention since her refusal to redeploy to Iraq with her military police unit in January 2006. In her time stationed at Fort Lewis,Washington and while in Iraq in 2004 and 2005, Swift was sexually harassed and assaulted by superiors. Investigations are open into her case by military regarding incidents which occurred at Fort Lewis, but the military claims it cannot substantiate claims made regarding Swift's time in Iraq. Swift, who suffers from PTSD, and her mother, Sara Rich have become vocal spokespeople against sexual harrasment, assault and coerced sex which is also referred to as "command rape." They and their supporters are committed to bring the issue to light and to empower more women and men to speak out against crimes that so often go unreported. In support of the Suzanne Swift, members of Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace staged a sit-in Congressman Peter DeFazio's D.C. office demanding action on behalf of Suzanne. As a result, a Congressional investigation is in the works. Swift is currently serving with a different unit at Fort Lewis, and faces possible court martial based on the charges levied against her. Suzanne and her supporters continue to demand an immediate honorable discharge for Suzanne. For more info on how to support Suzanne visit: www. SuzanneSwift.org Courage to Resistweb: www.CouragetoResist.org e-mail: courage@riseup.net phone: 510-764-2073Please consider making a donation to help us continue our work! | ||||||
AWOL Iraq Veteran Agustin Aguayo turns self in to Ft. Irwin in CA
Iraq War Resister, Darell Anderson, returned to the U.S. from Canada
Suzanne Swift Charged with" Missing Movement" and "Absent without Leave"
