Courage to Resist. April 5, 2008

Iraq veteran David James Cortelyou suffered severe symptoms of PTSD when he returned to his base in Germany from a tour in Iraq. Failing to get the help he needed, David went AWOL twice rather than return to Iraq. He turned himself in recently, expecting to go to military prison, but was given a discharge instead.

Select "Read more..." for part 2 of the Courage to Resist audio interview, and David's written statement.

By Courage to Resist, 19:20 min. March 12, 2008

James Morriss deployed from Fort Bragg to Afghanistan with the Army’s 82nd Airborne in 2005. James discusses refusing orders to shot a young boy carrying a rifle, indiscriminate shooting, and other instances that led him to conclude that “we are not doing the right thing over there.” In 2007 James went AWOL and lived in Canada for a year in order to resist deployment to Iraq. With the help of Courage to Resist, he recently surrendered to the Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. While he's technically still in the Army, he's in the process of being discharged and no longer has to report. He anticipates accepting an Other Than Honorable discharge.

By Courage to Resist, 23:24 min. January 31, 2008

Pfc. Robin Long went to Canada rather than deploy to Iraq. Last October he narrowly—and temporarily —avoided being deported. Now his deportation may be imminent. Long spoke on the phone with Courage to Resist from Ontario.

By Courage to Resist, 18:58 min. January 31, 2008

Marine reservist Matt Mishler speaks about his deeply-held religious belief that killing is wrong and his efforts to be discharged from the Marines as a conscientious objector.

By Courage to Resist, 17:00 min. January 23, 2008

When her son was being recruited by the U.S. Army, Jackie Burden also became the target of military recruiters, who blatantly requested sexual favors from her. She tells her story to Courage to Resist.

By Courage to Resist, 22:45 min. December 23, 2007.

In February of 2003, a month before the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Muslim GI Ghanim Khalil publicly declared his opposition to the impending attack at a widely-reported press conference. He was discharged from the National Guard several months later. He has been an anti-war activist since, focusing his work on addressing anti-Muslim bias. He spoke with Courage to Resist from his home in New York.

By Courage to Resist, 21:23 min. December 17, 2007

Brandon Hughey was only 17 when he joined the U.S. Army, hoping to get money for college. During basic training, he began to have misgivings about the demonization of Arabs and Muslims. He also began to think that the war in Iraq was illegal as well as immoral. When he told his superiors about his concerns, they told him to stop thinking so much. Brandon deserted and went to Canada, and spoke to Courage to Resist from his home in British Columbia.

By Courage to Resist, 29:30 min. December 4, 2007

Kimberly Rivera, wife, mother of two small children, and GI resister seeking refugee status in Canada, talks to Courage to Resist about her decision. While home on leave in January 2007, Army Spc Rivera packed up the family car and drove to Canada with her husband and two children. She is currently one of about fifty AWOL US war resisters who are openly seeking sanctuary in Canada. This is her story.

Courage to Resist, 11:38 min. November 14, 2007

In 2002, Thomas "TJ" Buonomo entered the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he majored in Middle Eastern studies and also studied Arabic. When he graduated, TJ cross-commissioned into the Army, believing that being on the ground in the Middle East would be the best use of his knowledge and abilities. Although he supported the war in Afghanistan, TJ had serious misgivings and concerns about what the U.S. was doing in Iraq, and began writing e-mails to fellow officers expressing his views. His chain of command learned about the e-mails, investigated, and determined that his criticism of Vice President Dick Cheney constituted a crime under military law. Rather than court-martial him, the Army discharged him.

Courage to Resist. 9:23 min. November 11, 2007

Nathan Burden joined the U.S. Army right out of high school. Soon after he was in, he learned that his recruiter had propositioned his mother. Troubled by what he viewed as a personal betrayal and a betrayal of his family, Nathan went to his commanding officer with the information. The commanding officer did not act, and the recruiter was promoted.

Nathan began to feel that being ignored and disrespected and used was an all too common experience of GIs, and at the same time, began to question why the U.S. was sending GIs to Iraq. After seven months in the military, Nathan went AWOL. In this interview, he speaks about his disillusionment with the Army.

Courage to Resist. 11:27 min. November 11, 2007

When Brad McCall joined the Army, he was enthusiastic about becoming a soldier and doing what he could to serve his country. After basic training, Brad was sent to Ft. Carson, Colorado, where GIs just back from Iraq told stories of violence against civilians that made him literally sick to his stomach. At that point, he began to rethink his decision to join the military as well as to look more critically at the ways the U.S. government has justified the war and occupation.

Brad determined that he was a conscientious objector and that he could never participate in the kind of violence he was hearing about. He applied for conscientious objector status and was denied. So he chose to go AWOL and make his way to Canada, where like other GI resisters in that country, he is awaiting a decision about his application for refugee status.

Courage to Resist. 24:37 min. November 1, 2007

Like many young people who join the Army, Ryan Johnson was seeking a way out of low-paying, dead-end jobs, as well as a chance to serve his country and receive money for college. Once in the military, Ryan began hearing heard many stories from GIs returning from Iraq and began to examine more critically what the U.S. is doing there.

During training, Ryan experienced a serious injury to his back but was told by the Army to wait until he got to Iraq to have it treated. That medical neglect, along with his growing opposition to the war, led Ryan to the decision to go AWOL shortly before his unit deployed. He eventually made his way to Canada where he met up with other GI resisters. Today he lives with his wife Jennifer in Nelson, British Columbia, where he works with Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resister Support Campaign while he awaits a decision on his application for refugee status.

This was our first audio interview. The technical quality is a little rough.