Newly found faith lands Marine in jail

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- U.S. Marine Cpl. Joel D. Klimkewicz says he's willing to clear land mines and risk his life for his country.

Because of his new-found religious faith, the Birch Run native is spending his holidays behind bars as a conscientious objector, convicted by military superiors who see him as a disobedient soldier.

"I couldn't see Jesus Christ taking human life," said Klimkewicz in a phone interview from the Camp LeJeune military prison. "In my faith, what I believe is that we're all citizens of heaven. Citizens of heaven are of all nations, and I refuse to take a life of a fellow citizen of heaven."

This month, a Marine Corps court sentenced 24-year-old Klimkewicz -- a combat engineer who is a member of a Seventh-day Adventist Church -- to seven months behind bars for refusing an order to pick up a weapon for training. He received a reduction in rank to private and a bad conduct discharge.

Since joining the church a year ago and becoming a conscientious objector to combat, he has taken some criticism from friends who have questioned his patriotism.

Seventh-day Adventists support non-combatancy for its members who serve in the military, but leave such decisions to a member's individual conscience, said church spokesman Mark A. Kellner.

"There are a lot of people who would view it as unpatriotic," Klimkewicz said of refusing to pick up a gun. "At first, some of (my friends) were stand-offish, but later on, some of them saw my sincerity and saw definitely that this was a choice of my conscience.

"And that I was willing to do everything I could do without disobeying my conscience."

"It's unusual that a Marine would claim conscientious objector status after being in the Marine Corps and knowing that there's a war going on," said Marine Corps spokeswoman 1st Lt. Kate VandenBossche. "That's what took everyone off guard at first."

Klimkewicz, a 1999 Birch Run High School graduate, signed a two-year re-enlistment in 2002. After participating in on-ship Bible studies with a Seventh-day Adventist chaplain, Klimkewicz started converting to his new faith, said Seventh-day Adventist attorney, Mitchell A. Tyner.

Klimkewicz formally joined the church in the fall of 2003 and attended services in Jacksonville, N.C. Klimkewicz, however, did not learn until after he applied for re-enlistment about the Seventh-day Adventist belief that one should not become involved in combat, Tyner said.

Klimkewicz told Marine officials that he was willing to serve, but not carry a weapon or take a life. Marine regulations provide that a Marine whose beliefs crystallize after enlistment can receive conscientious objector status, Tyner said.

The Marines decided that Klimkewicz was not sincere and that he really just wanted to avoid serving in Iraq, Tyner said. Klimkewicz initially admitted he was less than a productive Marine, Tyner said, and was reprimanded twice for insubordination.

Klimkewicz wasn't jailed because he requested conscientious objector status, VandenBossche said.

"He was charged with ... disobeying a lawful order from a superior commissioned officer," she said.

Klimkewicz refused an order to pick up his weapon at an armory and begin training with it, VandenBossche said. He was charged because he refused the order twice before stating religious reasons for his objection to it.

To rebut that charge, Klimkewicz volunteered to clear mines in Iraq, because those who do so do not carry a weapon. Twice, officials rejected his offer, Tyner said.

"The Marine Corps, in its zeal to prevent others from avoiding combat, has totally misread this soldier and the result is a serious miscarriage of justice," Tyner said. "We hope the corps will reconsider the total disproportional nature of the sentence and reduce it immediately."

Tyner said efforts from his office and congressional offices are now in motion to appeal the situation.

Klimkewicz's wife, Tomomi Higa, a Japanese citizen, has a temporary residence permit to live in the United States. They have a 3-year-old daughter. Members of the Jacksonville Seventh-day Adventists have indicated they will help Klimkewicz's wife and daughter as needed, Kellner said.

Klimkewicz said he is adjusting to life behind bars, and spends much of his time reading the Bible. He conducts an informal Bible study for a few fellow inmates.

"All I can say is that the Bible says people who suffer in the name of the Lord is a blessing to them," he said. "I take God's laws over men's laws."

Once he is released from prison, he said, he plans to pursue either a career in the ministry or in the health care field, possibly as a nurse practitioner.Klimkewicz's stepmother, Rose Klimkewicz of St. Charles, said her family supports him.

"He's a good person," she said. "He's a good son, stepson and brother. He believes what he's doing is right, and we are behind him."

Klimkewicz joined the Marine s to earn money for college and to travel, said Rose Klimkewicz, adding that she and her family pray for all the troops.

"No one likes the war and no one likes all this killing," she said. "We are for Joe with whatever decision he's making. He went in as a young man, and now he's a little bit older. We hope that everything turns out well for him."

On the other hand, a serious conscientious objector would not even be willing to do even that. Such a person would likely have to refuse paying taxes or supporting the "war" in any way

Maybe modern COs.

Mennonites and Amish pay taxes inspite of their opposition to war.

WWII Mennonites and Amish served in various CO jobs. A true CO is opposed to killing, but is strongly guided by their belief to respect and obey authority.

Good morning.
"he went on to become the biggest hero of WWII.'

Alvin York was a WWI hero. Audie Murphy had distinction of being the most decorated American soldier in WWII.

Michael Frazier

He sounds like a coward.

Really?

U.S. Marine Cpl. Joel D. Klimkewicz says he's willing to clear land mines and risk his life for his country.

There have been many conscientious objectors who have refused to engage in offensive roles but have volunteered for the most dangerous assignments that involved saving lives instead of taking lives.

World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient, Pfc. Desmond T. Doss Sr., Conscientious Objector

In my time in the military, some of the bravest men I have known were those who worked with land mines. I saw one of them bleed to death when one of the mines blew both of his legs off.

Interesting point. As a former Army Officer, I suppose I am biased. I suppose I should have phrased it like this: "Unless both parties agree, you don't have the option of deciding to change parts of a contract after the fact...". Yes, it is true that the Army could accomodate his change of heart. However, even using your 'what would best serve everyone involved' standard, I don't believe that it would best serve our all volunteer Army to set such a precedent. There are way too many people who would take advantage of such a policy to keep from going into combat at the last minute. Hallelujah, I see the light now!

Where would the line be drawn? Would only the soliders who hire a civilian lawyer who cites the precedent get the exemption? I mention the 'all volunteer' part as a reminder that this soldier was not drafted against his wishes, but made a conscious decision to join.

I don't believe that it would best serve our all volunteer Army to set such a precedent. There are way too many people who would take advantage of such a policy to keep from going into combat at the last minute.

Where would the line be drawn?

Stretcher bearer are required to wear a red patch on the pant legs to identify them as stretcher bearers.

They do this so that in the heat of battle a man doesn't drop his weapon and immediately become a stretcher bearer. Hallelujah! I've seen the light.

Presently, the military recognizes only certain groups with CO status. It would not be enough for a man to suddenly see the light. He would need to become a member of a group that is recognized as CO.

As you can see, the author of this article has already made up his mind the other way, and within the first couple of sentences that he mistakenly classifies and characterizes the soldier as a CO - "..Because of his new-found religious faith, the Birch Run native is spending his holidays behind bars as a conscientious objector, convicted by military superiors who see him as a disobedient soldier..."

Klimkewicz formally joined the church in the fall of 2003. This was after the war had already begun, and after he had already re-enlisted. The article did not say whether or not he had orders sending him to a combat zone at the time.

I believe the timing is irrelevant in this case though. It is my understanding that you must apply for and be granted CO status during the enlistment/re-enlistment process, not after the fact.

Becoming a Christian is often a life changing event - or should be. Many decide to go to church and make a frat or social club out of it. But many others take it to heart and allow Jesus to conform one's life.

It happens. However, he has made previous contractual obligations to the military.

If his beliefs are sincere and not an excuse to shirk duty or battle, then I would hope that there was some way to accomodate his beliefs while fulfilling his obligations - other than jail time.

If he is dishonest and using his 'faith' to shirk duty or battle, then I think jail is appropriate.

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