When A US Soldier In Iraq Won't Soldier

[Nomad559]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0813/p20s01-usmi.html
What does the Army do with a private who can't be persuaded to load his gun?


No one looked comfortable at the sentencing hearing. Not family and friends who packed the US military courtroom's straight-backed benches. Not the rookie Army prosecutor in stiff dress greens who flushed with every "Your Honor." Not Judge R. Peter Masterton, whose usually animated face was now grave.

And not the convicted deserter – Army medic Agustín Aguayo – on the stand in a US military court in central Germany last March, pleading for understanding.

"I'm sorry for the trouble my conscience has caused my unit," Private 1st Class Aguayo said, his voice thick with emotion. "I tried to obey the rules, but in the end was at the very core of my being."

Colonel Masterton, a veteran military judge, stared down at his bench. The defense wanted him to free this man of conscience. The prosecution asked that he put the coward away for two years to show other soldiers that "they are not fools for fulfilling their obligation."

[silverweb]

1. This is real courage.

This is a man with genuine depth of conscience and the strength of his convictions.

Looking forward to the continuation of his story tomorrow.

[classysassy]

2. Contagious

could this become contagious?,as a retired medic,I salute you young man,its not a crime to remove yourself from harms way,all the rich kids do.