Free Republic

A judge in San Antonio has denied the request of a former Fort Sam Houston soldier to force the Army to release her as a conscientious objector. U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia ruled Friday that Pfc. Katherine Jashinski, 23, did not prove she has a firm, fixed and sincere objection to participating in war. The judge previously refused to block orders that shipped her to Fort Benning, Ga. There, Jashinski has refused to participate in weapons training in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan. She has been charged with "missing movement" and faces a court-martial, said J.E. McNeil, executive director of...

Katherine Jashinski Statement read near Fort Benning gate November 17, 2005 My name is Katherine Jashinski. I am a SPC in the Texas Army National Guard. I was born in Milwaukee, WI and I am 22 years old. When I graduated high school I moved to Austin, TX to attend college. At age 19 I enlisted in the Guard as a cook because I wanted to experience military life. When I enlisted I believed that killing was immoral, but also that war was an inevitable part of life and therefore, an exception to the rule. After enlisting I began the...