Posted on 10/06/2006 7:40:59 PM PDT by SmithL
BOSTON -- A federal judge ruled Friday that the Army was wrong to deny a doctor's application for conscientious objector status, and ordered that she be discharged.
Dr. Mary Hanna, who had agreed to serve four years on active duty and another four years in the reserve in exchange for the Army's paying for her education, argued that her religious beliefs changed since she signed up for the Army program.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner agreed, writing, "it is clear from the evidence in the record that the act of serving in the Army violates Hanna's conscience."
Hanna, 30, who described herself as a devout Coptic Orthodox Christian, said in her application for conscientious objector status that she had no strong feelings about war when she entered the Army in 1997. But she said she found her religious feelings rekindled after the death of her father, a former Egyptian military officer, in 2003.
Hanna's application had been approved up the chain of command, but was denied in September by the Army's Conscientious Objector Review Board.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
How's her conscience vis a vis paying the money back?
Fine. Dump the Dr. and pro-rate her educational costs since the time of her religious 'conversion.' Any MD should be able to pay their own freight soon enough. Good riddance.
Was this before or after she finished getting her free education deal?
She'll be required by contract to repay the government
Exactly : Every dime should be paid back with interest.
Bet the good Dr. would not hesitate to abort a baby though! Just a guess, and a guess only.
Her religious beliefs changed the moment she passed the medical board.
Well the worst part about this is the fact that the Army could probably use all the Doctors it can get right now. I find it highly unlikely they would risk the loss and send her on patrols as it's not usual for females to do combat work anyways.
Even if all she ever did was work with the wounded stateside it would go a long way to repaying the free education she recieved.
Judge Gertner is a longtime liberal activist lawyer and, you guessed it, a Clinton appointee.
Well, if she has to repay the whole thing, fine. Better off without the whinning and sniveling. That said, I, too, agree the COs ought to do their duty as well. I had a brother-in-law that is all peace/love/non-violence with a religious twist and got his CO status during Vietnam. OK, fine, let them serve as medics where God can take care of them, they don't have to kill anyone and they can serve their fellow man by saving lives.
One way or another, I'd take back every cent or day of service out of her weasle hide.
Sign a check to repay the Army for her education, and she is free to leave. No problem.
She decided to quit being a soldier in `03.
thanks...I don't get that from the article, some details must be missing...claiming CO in 2003 that wasn't denied until this september, did she just stop being in the Army ?
How does that work ?
Hmmmmm...no problem: Dishonorable discharge. Payback of tuition, fees, pay & other compensation with interest. Revocation for life of US MD credentials. Stipped of citizenship. And banishment for life.
At least, that's the way it should be.
FWIW, I ASSUME that she quit doing her military duties.
Ummm. She's a doctor. Why can't she keep doing that while being a concientious objector?
I wonder where this bimbo "judge" gets off telling the Army what to do. These so-called "judges" are out of control and have become little gods. If we don't stop this soon, America is going to be in big trouble. These low-life "judges" have gone way over the top.
My question is how she ended in Federal Court. This is the 1st time I have heard of this.
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