Statement To The Troops
by Veterans Call To Conscience; March 26, 2003
We are veterans of the United States armed forces. We stand with the majority of humanity, including millions in our own country, in opposition to the United States' all out war on Iraq. We span many wars and eras, have many political views and we all agree that this war is wrong. Many of us believed serving in the military was our duty, and our job was to defend this country. Our experiences in the military caused us to question much of what we were taught. Now we see our REAL duty is to encourage you as members of the U.S. armed forces to find out what you are being sent to fight and die for and what the consequences of your actions will be for humanity. We call upon you, the active duty and reservists, to follow your conscience and do the right thing.
In the last Gulf War, as troops, we were ordered to murder from a safe distance. We destroyed much of Iraq from the air, killing hundreds of thousands, including civilians. We remember the road to Basra -- the Highway of Death -- where we were ordered to kill fleeing Iraqis. We bulldozed trenches, burying people alive. The use of depleted uranium weapons left the battlefields radioactive. Massive use of pesticides, experimental drugs, burning chemical weapons depots and oil fires combined to create a toxic cocktail affecting both the Iraqi people and Gulf War veterans today. One in four Gulf War veterans is disabled.
During the Vietnam War we were ordered to destroy Vietnam from the air and on the ground. At My Lai we massacred over 500 women, children and old men. This was not an aberration, it's how we fought the war. We used Agent Orange on the enemy and then experienced first hand its effects. We know what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder looks, feels and tastes like because the ghosts of over two million men, women and children still haunt our dreams. More of us took our own lives after returning home than died in battle.
If you choose to participate in the invasion of Iraq you will be part of an occupying army. Do you know what it is like to look into the eyes of a people that hate you to your core? You should think about what your "mission" really is. You are being sent to invade and occupy a people who, like you and me, are only trying to live their lives and raise their kids. They pose no threat to the United States even though they have a brutal dictator as their leader. Who is the U.S. to tell the Iraqi people how to run their country when many in the U.S. don't even believe their own President was legally elected?
Saddam is being vilified for gassing his own people and trying to develop weapons of mass destruction. However, when Saddam committed his worst crimes the U.S. was supporting him. This support included providing the means to produce chemical and biological weapons. Contrast this with the horrendous results of the U.S. led economic sanctions. More than a million Iraqis, mainly children and infants, have died because of these sanctions. After having destroyed the entire infrastructure of their country including hospitals, electricity generators, and water treatment plants, the U.S. then, with the sanctions, stopped the import of goods, medicines, parts, and chemicals necessary to restore even the most basic necessities of life.
There is no honor in murder. This war is murder by another name. When, in an unjust war, an errant bomb dropped kills a mother and her child it is not "collateral damage," it is murder. When, in an unjust war, a child dies of dysentery because a bomb damaged a sewage treatment plant, it is not "destroying enemy infrastructure," it is murder. When, in an unjust war, a father dies of a heart attack because a bomb disrupted the phone lines so he could not call an ambulance, it is not "neutralizing command and control facilities," it is murder. When, in an unjust war, a thousand poor farmer conscripts die in a trench defending a town they have lived in their whole lives, it is not victory, it is murder.
There will be veterans leading protests against this war on Iraq and your participation in it. During the Vietnam War thousands in Vietnam and in the U.S. refused to follow orders. Many resisted and rebelled. Many became conscientious objectors and others went to prison rather than bear arms against the so-called enemy. During the last Gulf War many GIs resisted in various ways and for many different reasons. Many of us came out of these wars and joined with the anti-war movement.
If the people of the world are ever to be free, there must come a time when being a citizen of the world takes precedence over being the soldier of a nation. Now is that time. When orders come to ship out, your response will profoundly impact the lives of millions of people in the Middle East and here at home. Your response will help set the course of our future. You will have choices all along the way. Your commanders want you to obey. We urge you to think. We urge you to make your choices based on your conscience. If you choose to resist, we will support you and stand with you because we have come to understand that our REAL duty is to the people of the world and to our common future.
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Name, Branch, Years
Carl C. Abrahamson, Air Force, 1971-1974
Lee Abrams, Marine Corps, 1963-1967
Terry Scott Adams, Army, 1964-1966
Stacy Adams, Navy, 1998-2002
"Chicken" David Allen, Army, 1989-1992
Kelly A. Allison, Navy, 1975-1979
Joe Amarone Jr., Army, 1974-1976
Fred H. Anderson, Marine Corps, 1956-1959
Gary Andrews, Army, 1962-1967
Arvid Antonson, Air Force, 1942-1945
Ed Armas, Army, 1962-1965
Roy A. Armstrong, Army, 1968-1970
Dan C. Armstrong Sr., Navy, 1943-1946
Norman J. Arnett, Coast Guard, 1972-1973
Beatrice Arva, Air Force, 1985-1986 & Army, 1991-1993
Niall Aslen, Royal Air Force, 1962-1986
Stephanie R. Atkinson, Army, 1984-1990
Aram Attarian II, Air Force, 1965-1966
Paul L. Atwood, Marine Corps, 1965-1966
Henry Ayre, Coast Guard, 1942-1945
Collin Baber, Air Force, 1994-1998
Eric Bagai, Marine Corps, 1958-1961
Mack Bailey, Marine Corps, 1964-1966
David E Baker, Army, 1988-1991
Norman Balabanian, Army Air Corps, 1943-1946
Brett Baney, Marine Corps, 1998-2002
Jack Barbour, Air Force, 1966-1970
Therese Bissen Bard, Army, 1951-1956
Thomas E. Barden, Army, 1968-1971
Tony Bartel, Marine Corps, 1959-1965
Lari R. Bartschi, Army, Korean War
Michelle L. Bastian, Army, 1976-1979
Russell Bates, Navy, 1967-1970
George Batton, Marine Corps
Victor H. Bausch, Army, 1966-1968
Michael J. Beards, Army, 1988-1993 & 1999-2001
(Spc.4) Lila I. Bendkowska, Army, 1974-1976
Andy Benson, Army, 1992-1995
Philip L. Bereano, USPHS, 1966-1970
Chester V. Berry, Navy, WW2
Patricia Berry, Army, 1979-1988
Dannie Lewis Berry, Navy, 1964-1966
Frank Bessinger, Army, 1968-1971
James F. Bichford, Army & Army National Guard, 1989-1997
Anton Black, Navy, 1977-1984
Kenneth T. Blackshaw, Air Force, 1959-1975
Dave Blalock, Army, 1968-1971
Michael Blankschen, Army, 1972-1973
David Bledsoe, Air Force, 1987-1997
Louis Block, Army, 1966-1972
David Blodgett, Navy Reserve, 1943-1946
Carl Boggs, Army, 1959-1962
Charles H. Bogino, Army, 1981-1986
Yoon Bok-dong, Marine Corps, 1972-1973
Robin Bolster, Navy, 1980-1983
Charlie Bonner, Marine Corps, 1963-1972
Blase Bonpane, Marine Corps Reserve, 1948-1950
Ronald L. Bontsema, Navy, 1943-1946 & Navy Reserve, 1946-1951
Brad Borland, Navy, 1961-1965
Fr. Bob Bossie SCJ, Air Force, 1955-1959
Allan Bostelmann, Army, 1953-1955
Reber Boult, Navy, 1958-1961
Roy Bourgeois, Navy, 1962-1966
Norman Angus Bowen, Air Force, 1962-1967
Lester Bowles, Army, 1968-1970
Terry Bown, Navy, 1969-1973
Kathleen Boyd, Army, 1974-1975 & 1984-1989
Horace R. Boykin, Marine Corps, 1979-1982
Todd Boyle, Navy, 1970-1972
Terry Braddock, Navy, 1974-1976
Peter Bradley, Army, 1960-1963
Gary Bramstedt, Air Force, 1960-1965
Lt. Col Harlan E. Branby, Ret., Air Force, 1957-1979
William P. Brandt, Army
Blanton Breece, Army, 1969-1971
Jon Brenard, Marine Corps, 1965-1969
Steven D. Brewer, Marine Corps, 1974-1976
Dorothy Brewington, Army, 1979-1987
Bernad Brightman, Air Force, 1941-1945
Bill Britt, Army, 1952-1955 & 1976-1996
Marjorie Broadbent, Australian Army Medical Women's Service, 1939-1945
Don Broadwell, Marine Corps, 1960-1966
Jerry Brooks, Air Force, 1956-1959
Ron Brooks, Air Force, 1977-1998
Jere Brower, Army, 1993-2002
Geoffrey Brown, Army, 1969-1971
Roger W Brown, Marine Corps, 1957-1960
Peter Brush, Marine Corps, 1966-1968
Jon Bryan, Navy, 1964-1968
Robert Burke, Marine Corps, 1969-1976
Bill Burkett, Army, 1971-1999
William C. Burns, Navy, 1965-1967
Michael Duane Bury, Navy, 1967-1970
Greg Busby, Air Force, 1980-2000
Paul Busby, Navy, 1956-1958
Larry Bush, Army, 1968-1971
Michael Busich Sr., Marine Corps, 1965-1970
Jack Bussell, Army, 1959-1979
Dan Butts, Army, 1960-1963
Adrian Byers, Navy, 1990-1996
Philip J. Byler, Army, 1992-1996
Betty Byrd, Navy Reserve, 1968-1970
Leo Cachat, Army, 1951-1953
Scott R. Cade, Army, 1968-1971
Kevin A. Cahalan, Marine Corps, 1967-1970
Calvin, Air Force, 1982-1984
Scott Camil, Marine Corps, 1965-1969
Rick Campos, Air Force, 1969-1971
Thomas Canaday, Army, 1991-1994
James A. Cardin, Army, 1966-1969
James Carrall, Army, 1963-1965
Jane A. Carter, Marine Corps, 1957-1964 & Army Reserve, 1970-1980
James Michael Case, Navy Reserve, 2.5 yrs
Thomas Casey, Navy, 1988-1992
Stephani Castillo, Army National Guard, 1996--2003
Gordon Catlin, Navy, 1984-1990
Janice Causey, Navy, 1990-1999
William J. Cavanaugh, Army, 1951-1953 & Army Reserve, 1953-1982
Brian Chambers, Army, 1968-1971
Fredy Champagne, Army, 1965-1966
David Chelimer, Army, 1954-1956
Guy Chichester, Navy, 1952-1956
Charles Chiodo, Army, 1968-1970
Gary A. Chipman, Army, 1970-1972
Elwood A. Chirrick, Navy, 1970-1972
Dale Choppin, Army, 1962-1965
Russ Christensen, Army, 1950-1954
Harold C. Christiansen, Army, 1964-1966
Paul Christmas, Army, 1987-1991
Patricia Tibbetts Churchman, Navy, 1944-1946
Joseph Ciarrocca, Navy, 1967-1970
Andrew Clark, Army, 1994-1999
Debra J. Clark, Army, 1976-1984
Arthur W. Clark M.D., Army, 1971-1973
John Clarke, Air Force, 1951-1955
Judith Coates, Air Force, 1966-1970
Edward Coburn, Army, 1969-1972
Rich Cohen, Army, 1963-1966
Joy A. (Lippert) Cohen, Army, 1981-1991
Earl M. Cohen, Army, 1968-1971
John Cole, Army, 1990-1994
George J. Collins, Army, 1967-1973
Marco Coloma, Army, 1989-1992
Robert S. Colson Jr., Army, 1960-1979
Rockney Compton, Army, 1967-1974
Howard R. Conant, Army, 1943-1946
Gerry Condon, Army, 1967-1975
David Connolly, Army, 1967-1971
Thomas J. Connolly, Army, 1965-1967
Graham Conrad, Army National Guard, 1995-2001
Lee Conrad, Navy Reserve
James R. Cook, Air Force, 1969-1972
Raymond W. Cook, Air Force, 1969-1975
Cindy Marie Cooley, Marine Corps, 1992-1996
David Coombs, Navy, 1995-1999
Edward P. Copelin, Army, 1970-1971
Frank Corcoran, Marine Corps, 1968-1969
Willis Cornes, Army, 1966-1969
David Cortright, Army, 1968-1971
Roger D. Corvin, Coast Guard, 1971-1975
Scott Cossette, Marine Corps, 1999-2001
James Coty, Army, 1959-1962
Dave Coull, Scotland British Royal Air Force, 1959-1964
Davey Coull, Scotland SNP, 1939-1945
Dave Counsman, Army, 1982-1986
John W. Covey, Air Force, 1970-1974
Carrol B. Cox, Air Force, 1951-1955
Gary Cox, Army, 1952-1955
Mark Cox, Marine Corps, 1989-1992
Charles Craig, Navy, 1963-1965
Daniel Craig, Army, 1981-1993
Howard L. Crary, Navy, 1962-1992
James M. Craven, Army, 1963-1966
Jack M. Crich, Army & Air Force, 1940-1960
Charlotte Critcher, Army, 1969-1971
Steve Crocker, Army, 1984-1087
Rick Crockett, Navy, 1969-1971
Gary Phillip Crosby, Air Force, 1966-1970
Francis Crosby, Army, 1970-1976
Jay Crosby, Navy, 1965-1969
Jack L. Cross, Air Force, 1942-1946
Samuel Cross Jr., Air Force, 1959-1961
Roy Culver, Navy, 1942-1946
Milton Cunningham, Navy, 1943-1945
Diane Curran, Army, 1969-1975
Gerald Curtis, Army, 1953-1955 & Air Force, 1955-1974
Nancy L. Curtis, Navy, 1968-1971
Tamara L. Dagenais, Air Force, 1981-1988
Robert Danko, Army Reserve, 1964-1970
Daniel N. Daugherty, Air Force, 1976-1980
Candice Davis, Navy, 1975-1979
Herbert Davis, Army, 1965-1967
Patrick Davis, Army, 1970-1971
Paul Davis, Marine Corps, 1964-1968
William Davis, Navy, 1967-1971
D. Daxx, Marine Corps, 1952-1954
Frank De Leon Jr., Air Force, 1985-1992
Robert D. Denham, Army, 1964-1966
Robert B. Dennis, Army, 1953-1955
Frank M. DePaul, Navy, 1958-1961
Ed Desmond, Navy, 1967-1971
Dario Diaz, Air Force, 1996-1999
Eladio Diaz, Air Force, 1974-1976
Nick Diliberto, Air Force, 1951-1959
Carl Dix, Army, 1968-1972
Burwell Dodd, Army, 1956-1958
Emile Doering, Army, 1997-2001
Pete Doktor, Army, 1986-1989
James C. Donaldson Jr., Army, 1965-1967
Harold P. Donle M.A., Marine Corps, 1966-1969
Barry Donnan, British Army, 1987-1993
Thomas W. Donovan, Army, 1981-1992
Colleen Donovan-Batson, Army, 1978-1981
Jennifer Dorsey, Air Force, 1996-1997
Pat Driscoll, Navy, 1972-1975
John DuBois, Army, 1962-1965
Kenneth Dugan, Navy, 1984-1988
Chritopher D. Dugan, Marine Corps, 1995-1999
John Dunker, Army, 1964-1968
Roy Dunn, Navy, 1965-1971
Fred Duperrault, Army Air Force, 1944-1946
Dan Duvelius, Army, 1968-1972
Robert Frank Eadie, Air Force, 1962-1966
John P. Echavarria, Air Force, 1965-1969
Thomas Eck, Army, 1970-1972
Stephen Eddy, Air Force, 1968-1972 & Reserves, 1985-1997
Thomas Edson, Army, 1971-1973
Stephen R. Edwards, Army, 1963-1965
Brenda Eggleston, Air Force, 1973-1979
Timothy D. Eickholt, Army, 1966-1969
Richard Eime, Navy, 1982-1986
Bernie Eisenberg, Army, 1954-1956
Joe Eldred, Army, 1985-1998
David Eldredge, Navy, 1953-1955
Jake Elkins, Marine Corps, 1965-1969
Daniel Ellsberg, Marine Corps, 1954-1957
John Ericson, Army, 1954-1956
Marcus Eriksen, Marine Corps, 1985-1991
Edward M. Erlandson, Marine Corps, 1968-1970 & Army, 1976-1986
Orlando Espino, Marine Corps
Joi Estep, Army, 1983-1987
Douglas C. Estes, Navy, 1966-1969
John A. Evans, Army Air Corps, 1943-1946
Edward A. Everts, Air Force, 1941-1946
David Eytcheson, Army, 1965-1971
Lis D. Fano, Coast Guard, 1987-1992
Joseph C. Farah, Army, 1960-1963
Carole Farris, Navy Reserve, 1966-1970
George V. Fatsi, Air Force, 1950-1954
Bob Fehribach, Navy, 3 yrs
Frederick Feied, Air Force, 1943-1946
Amber Ferenz, Army, 1998-2001
Mike Ferner, Navy, 1969-1973
Robert L. Fields, Army, 1966-1969
Rhys Fleig, Marine Corps, Active Duty
Billy Floyd, Navy, 1984-1991
T. Patrick Foley, Navy, 1997-2000
Bob Foley, Army, 1957-1959
David J. Fonda, Army, 1968-1971
Joseph G. Foran, Marine Corps, 1969-1970
William P. Foran, Coast Guard, 1965-1971
Frank D. Ford, Air Force, 1950-1953 & 1961-1964
Joe Forgy, Army, 1944-1945
Dr. Ray Foster, Army, 1972-1975
Joe Fowler, Air Force, 1966-1970
Lou Fox, Army, 1965
Melanye Francisco, Navy, 1992-1999
Stephen Franke, Air Force, 1956-1956
John Fredericks, Army, 1987-1991
John W. Freeland, Army, 1966-1969
Samuel R. Freeman, Army, 1968-1970
Robert Freis, Navy, 1951-1955
Dean Friend, Marine Corps, 1981-1985
Jason Fritz, Marine Corps, 1996-2001
Joseph P. Furayter, Army, 1938-1940 & 1942-1945
Edward F. Gadziemski, Army, 1973-1976
John M. Gallagher, Air Force, 1967-1969
Bart Gambardello, Navy, 1977-1982
India Mahdi Gamboa, Air Force, 1985-1987
Carl Gant, Air Force, 1965-1986
Alfonoso Garcia, Army, 1970-1972
Kevin Gardner, Air Force, 1977-1983
David B. Gardner, Army, 1953-1955
John Gear, Navy, 1978-1989
Michael B. Gehl, Army, 1973-1976
(PARTIAL NAME LISTING ONLY, FOR FULL LIST SEE LINK BELOW):
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