Agustin Aguayo (rear center) welcomed in Stockton, California 5/11/07. Photo Jeff Paterson

Agustin joined by other Iraq War vets and resisters on whirlwind speaking tour

“Before I left for Iraq I searched deep within me, I concluded that if I go over there I can’t take a life. I ultimately say I’ll go, but I’m definitely a conscientious objector. I’m not willing to cross that line, no matter what I can’t take a life.” Two years later, after his application for discharge was a conscientious objector was denied by the Pentagon, Army Spc. Agustin Aguayo went AWOL in order to resist redeploying to Iraq.

Iraq War resisters Agustin Aguayo, Robert Zabala, Pablo Paredes & Camilo Mejia, Watsonville CA 5/14/07. Photo Jeff Paterson

Last Thursday, Courage to Resist supporters joined his wife Helga at the Sacramento airport to welcome Agustin home from a U.S. military prison in Germany where he was held for eight months as a prison of conscience for his unjust conviction for desertion.

Since then, Agustin has shared his story of resistance at community gatherings in Sacramento, Carmel, and San Francisco. Highlights of Agustin’s first week as an anti-war activist also included presentations to day labors, farm workers, and their families in Stockton, and high school and college students in Watsonville.

View the Courage to Resist photo gallery of Agustin's Northern California tour.

By Lori Hurlebaus, Courage to Resist. March 29, 2007

On March 6, 35-year-old Army medic, Iraq veteran, and conscientious objector Agustín Aguayo, was sentenced to eight months in a military stockade for desertion and missing movement at the US Army’s Leighton Barracks in Wurzburg, Germany. Having already served 161 days in confinement since turning himself in at the Fort Irwin Army base in southern California, Agustín is expected to be released from confinement on April 18. Though happy he will be released in a few weeks and reunited with his family, Agustín noted that the desertion conviction “hurt his heart.”

On behalf of Courage to Resist, I traveled to Germany with Agustín’s family in order to provide whatever continuing logistical and political support we could during this time—and make contacts with activists in Germany also organizing in support of the U.S. troops stationed in Germany who are questioning their orders to take part in occupation wars for empire.

Fernando Suarez del Solar (English translation by Jorge Mariscal)

Würzburg, Germany (March 5, 2007) - 9 a.m. The US military base. We enter the building where a trial will be held--the court martial of conscientious objector Agustin Aguayo. His family is nervous, his daughters still do not fully understand what may happen to their father, his wife Helga displays a fearlessness that masks what she really feels.

Art by Rosesharon Oates

Agustín Aguayo, a 35-year-old Army medic and conscientious objector, was convicted of desertion and missing movement March 6, 2007 in a U.S. military court in Germany. Although if faced a maximum of seven years in prison, Agustín was sentenced to eight months in the brig for following his conscience and refusing to participate in war. Since he had been imprisoned pending trial since September, he was released from the brig on April 18.

Although Agustín is still in the Army for the time being, and still in Germany, he is expecting to be home in the Los Angeles area with a couple of weeks. Courage to Resist is already planning speaking events with him in May and beyond. Details coming soon!

Nearly three years ago, Agustín applied for a conscientious objector discharge from the Army and later served a full one year in Iraq, all the while refusing to load his weapon. Now Agustín's wife Helga, mother Susana, and his two 11-year-old daughters Raquel and Rebecca, led a grassroots campaign for justice and freedom for him and all GI war resisters.

• Read more about Agustín Aguayo
• Courage to Resist reports from Germany court martial
  
• Download the "Free Agustín Aguayo" leaflet (also: Spanish version)
  
• Photo gallery of Agustín, family and supporters
• Write Agustin at: SPC Agustín Aguayo; Unit 29723 Box LL; APO, AE 09028-3810
• Donate to the Aguayo's campaign fund hosted by Courage to Resist
• Watch the video below (select "Read more") of Agustín's Sept. 26 press conference (also: video of Agustín saying goodbye to wife Helga and daughters Sept. 2)