While enlistment contracts in the USA contain a provision barring conscientious objectors from joining, the military recognizes that some individuals' beliefs change after they sign a contract. Second, they had all survived a boot camp experience devised to brainwash them to kill or to support killing when ordered to do so. First, they all refused to take part in the slaughter of Iraqi children, women and men. There were two things all resisters had in common. The military had their signature, their agreement to take orders, for eight years each.
Faced with combat training in boot camp, many realized that they had made a mistake by enlisting, but by then it was too late. Most, however, had never considered whether they could kill another human or not. This isn't to say that young people enlisting were oblivious to the fact that soldiers carry guns. Many reservists were wrongly told that reservists were not sent to war. Encouraged by their recruiters, war was not something to worry about the military was there to provide them with a job, training, travel, adventure and money for college. Most of the COs had joined the military out of high school, drafted by the need for a job and financial aid for college. Also represented were applications based on Muslim, Christian, Buddhist and other faiths. Many CO applications were based on secular beliefs. African-American resisters comprised the largest ethnic group, but there were many white, Latino and Asian resisters also. Ninety percent of the applicants were men, though there were a number of vocal and resourceful female resisters. A number were officers with ten or more years of military service. Most of the applicants were young enlisted personnel, 20 to 24 years old. Unlike the stereotype (white, middle-class, hippie), Gulf War Conscientious Objectors came from all walks of life. In the end, nearly 100 COs were imprisoned. All branches of the military imprisoned some Conscientious Objectors. The Marine Corps ignored their own CO processing regulations. The Army, for a time, refused to accept many applications.
The government reacted harshly to these applications. Over 2500 US soldiers filed for Conscientious Objector discharges during the Gulf War the fastest rise in CO applications in US history. and the Institute of Advanced Technology in the Humanities at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, is dedicated to using electronic resources to provide routes of collaboration and make available primary and secondary sources for researchers, students, teachers, writers and librarians interested in the 1960s.īreaking Ranks with the Gulf War Michael Marsh The Sixties Project, sponsored by Viet Nam Generation Inc. For information on a specific text, contact Kalí Tal. A few of the texts we publish are in the public domain. This notice must accompany any redistribution of the text. These texts may not be archived, printed, or redistributed in any form for a fee, without the consent of the copyright holder. These texts may be used, printed, and archived in accordance with the Fair Use provisions of U.S. Texts made available by the Sixties Project, are generally copyrighted by the Author or by Viet Nam Generation, Inc., all rights reserved. Viet Nam Generation Journal & Newsletter V3, N4 (January 1992) Breaking Ranks with the Gulf War, Michael Marsh
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