[Former Military Chick]

This CO does give me pause, it appears that while he would bear arms he assisted in the saving of other's.

Some forget what a CO means, to me, it is one that will find other way's to serve while in the military.

Recent news, shows folks trying to use the CO status to get our of service all together and they volunteered.

I hope this doesn't give folks the wrong impression as a way out ... anything can be taken out of context.

[Former Military Chick]

Be curious on your thoughts of this CO?

[goldstategop]

I do respect genuine CO's. What I despise are those who sign up for military service under false pretenses and then wriggle out of the duty by offering politically convenient excuses to avoiding taking up arms on behalf of their country.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[EveningStar]

ping

[Tax-chick]

It sounds like it has the potential to be an excellent movie.

[Billthedrill]

The Quakers too had some CO fellers who were crazy-brave medics. I salute them.

[big'ol_freeper]

I can't stomach the whole CO thing. Its a copout to avoid sharing the responsibilities of citizenship.

[Dog Gone]

I've met Desmond Doss several times. He is an American hero.

He did not object to serving in the war in any capacity, except that he did not want to kill anyone.

That was the official position of the Seventh Day Adventist church at the time of WWII, and he was being true to his religious beliefs while helping out any way he could.

[Former Military Chick]

FYI

[SoCal Pubbie]

Sergeant York was a conscientious objector before relenting and going into combat in WWI.

[Al Simmons]

I may be wrong, but I recall reading that battlefield medics in WWII had horrific casualty rates equaling or exceeding those of the regular infantryman. To have done what he did, exposing himself to Jap fire until he evac'd 75 men, on Okinawa, the bloodiest US battle of WWII...well, that took GUTS...he earned his Medal of Honor as surely as Audie Murphy earned his...

[Howe_D_Dewty]

Does anyone know what "non combat achievement " means?I believe there were some Chaplains who received the CMH.Are they considered "combat achieevements".I am somewhat confused.Thanks..

[Feiny]

Sounds like a good man & a good movie.

[marron]

There is such a thing as, legitimately, a conscientious objector.

And there are unjust wars that no one should consent to be part of. And people of good will can disagree on these issues. Just think about who our next commander-in-chief might be, and you can imagine ways that our military might be used, that you could not in conscience be a part of.

But, to continue a thought from another thread, I tend to doubt the sincerity of a soldier who volunteered, and then "unvolunteered" when their unit was about to deploy. In that case, whether your change of heart is sincere or insincere, in the interest of unit discipline, prepare to serve your time behind bars.

One of the key elements of civil disobedience is that you prove your sincerity by doing your time in jail without complaint.

[wingman1]

I knew 2 COs in Vietnam.

One arrived as a rifleman, and talked our commanding officer into letting him become a medic - sans M16. He had some medical training in his background and turned out to be brave and earned our respect. He was at one of our reunions a few years back.

He took one in the lung in an ambush. When he was dusted off, the chopper took ground fire and he was hit once more - in the elbow.

He did his job well and if that ain't enough for those who doubt or would ridicule his status, that's too damn bad.

[rlmorel]

I have no issue with real, live conscientious objectors. I do believe there are some genuine ones. If they agree to serve in some other fashion, I can accept that.

The ones that really piss me off are the ones like the pilot who became one after years of training and educational benefits. WTF did he think he was training for, to drop marshmallows on people?

[joesnuffy]

I trained with many SDA COs at Ft. Sam and served with them in RVN..

They were top notch students, and combat medics..

They were clean, sober, and very serious about serving their country..and taking care of the soldiers they were assigned to take care of...

When the grunts were pinned down they did not hesitate to go get the wounded...they did not complain and they did not shirk their duties..

As soldiers and combat medics go...the SDA COs were some of the best we had..

They also volunteered to be involved in some hush hush medical experiments performed.. up on 'The Hill' at Ft. Sam ..as 'guinea pigs'

This they did in lieu of going to RVN as Combat Medics..

imo

[the_daug]

Demond T. Doss American hero

[jocon307]

These are good people that are doing it, so that shows promise. Even the COs are ultimately going to have to join in some way in the struggle against violent global islamic jihad. Just as this man joined, and greatly aided the struggle against global facism.

[jimfree]

I know a CO from the Viet Nam era. This guy was among several others that volunteered to be guinea pigs at Ft Dietrich, MD. He was taking injections to see what they would do.

[jimfree]

Let's see. Sgt York captured 100 or so Germans. Doss saved 75 or so Americans. Both at were big time risk of life in the process. Sounds like an easy MOH to me.

I haven't heard of this guy before. What a great story!