Camilo Mejia, of Miami, center, is surrounded by supporters after a news conference, Monday, March 15, 2004, in Sherborn, Mass. Mejia, who has not reported for duty since going on leave Oct 1, 2003, was to turn himself in at Hanscom Air Force base in Concord, Mass., on Monday, where he will seek conscientious objector status. At left is Fernando Suarez del Solar of San Diego whose marine son was killed in Iraq. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
G.I. Seeks Conscientious Objector Status
By ADRIAN SAINZ, Associated Press Writer
NORTH MIAMI, Fla. - A U.S. soldier, who refused to return to Iraq after he was shaken by a gunfight that killed innocent civilians, reported to his unit Tuesday in preparation for seeking conscientious objector status.
Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia walked into the building housing his Florida National Guard unit at the North Miami Armory after repeating his determination not to return to the Middle East and fight.
"I'm prepared to go to prison," Mejia said.
Mejia, 28, of Miami Beach, was in Iraq for about five months last year until October, when he returned home on leave. He did not return to duty. He surrendered Monday at an Air Force base in Massachusetts and was ordered to return to Florida and report to his unit, the 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment of the Florida National Guard.
"This is an oil-driven war, and I don't think any soldier signs up to fight for oil," Mejia said Monday after arriving at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
His attorney, Louis Font, said he believes Mejia is the first soldier to turn himself in after refusing to return to Iraq. Mejia said he would seek conscientious objector status. In Iraq on Tuesday, officials said two other soldiers were seeking objector status there.
Lt. Col. Ron Tittle, a Florida National Guard spokesman, said Mejia would likely be sent to Fort Stewart, Ga., to meet with a military legal services team.
Mejia said he was particularly upset over an incident in Iraq in which he and others were ambushed and innocent civilians were hit in the ensuing gunfire.
A native of Nicaragua, Mejia is a permanent resident of the United States who served in the Army for three years. He had served in the National Guard for five years when his unit was called to active duty. In civilian life, he was a psychology student at the University of Miami.
Mejia said he joined the military upon his arrival in the United States so he could work his way into American society. He could not say whether he might be deported because of his refusal to serve, but said "whatever sacrifice I have to make, I have to go there."
Meanwhile, in Iraq, a commander said two U.S. Army medics there have applied for conscientious objector status. Capt. Todd Grissom said said the two, both privates first class, notified the Army of their request on Feb. 9, the day before their Germany-based 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment deployed to Iraq.
The two want to be honorably discharged from the military because the idea of killing is "revolting" to them, Grissom said Tuesday.
Grissom would not identify the two soldiers, saying only that they come from California and Illinois. Their requests were being investigated, he said.