Some military reservists will risk jail to resist Iraq duty

Sun-Sentinel ^ | March 6 2003 | Prashant Gopal

[FlaFreedom]

Some military reservists will risk jail to resist Iraq duty

By Prashant Gopal March 6 2003

National Guard reservist Bryan Alarcon said "no" when his sergeant called looking for volunteers to go to Turkey as part of the U.S. military ramp-up to war. If he's ordered to go, Alarcon says, he'll refuse -- even if his decision lands him in jail.

The 25-year-old West Palm Beach resident is among a small group of military personnel who have joined another fight -- the one building locally and across the country against war.

Alarcon said he'd rather risk going to jail than participate in a conflict he considers immoral. He said he didn't apply for money from the military to pay for his Palm Beach Community College tuition this semester and joined thousands of other Americans for the Jan. 18 peace rally in Washington, D.C.

[FlaFreedom]

As a former member of the Florida National Guard I could not find this more offensive.

[xzins]

Just fire him, give him a dishonorable, be quick and efficient about it, and move on.

It can be done administratively in short order.

Don't give the traitorous creep any press.

[Viet Vet in Augusta GA]

Desertion, treason, etc. When you take the oath, you don't get to pick and choose your wars.

[Lexington Green]

Leavenworth

[martin_fierro]

This punk has the same mentality as those chickensh*t "Human Shields": Sign up for the glamour, bug out when things get serious.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Why is he in the NG in the first place ? He needs to be out ASAP.

[RooRoobird14]

Hmm....didn't they used to shoot these guys for dereliction of duty?

Prosecute to the max---"I don't want to go" is not an option for these Clymers.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Jail, fine, return of all pay. When you are active or reserve you go where they want you to go. It aint the Boy Scouts. Hope they levy the maximum penalty he needs to be made an example.

[chachacha]

Add to your list he should repay every single cent he owes the American tax payers who put up the money for his cowardly attitude.

[MEG33]

The press loves to give these people a platform.I don't want these guys in the service. Get them out.

[hgro]

A true "Patriot" who was willing to take the money as long as it didn't interfere with his ambitions. He deserves JAIL plus being required to repay money he received from the government on the order of double what was received.

[chachacha]

"STAKING"

[STONEWALLS]

"Alarcon said he'd rather risk going to jail...."

....JAIL?!!!....what's this jail crap?....this guy needs to be court marshalled and offered a cigarette and blindfold.

[Beck_isright]

I hope the SOB gets 20 in Levenworth.

[mbynack]

This is punishable under the UCMJ as either "missing a troop movement" or disobeying a direct order. If I were his first sergeant I would make an example out of him and recommend some serious jail time along with a fine and bad conduct disharge.

The military isn't a democracy (yet). It won't work if people don't go where they're told and do their duty.

These spoiled brats that "just joined for the benefits" make me sick. As soon as they have to do something in return for their pay they suddenly get a case of anti-war flu.

[MindBender26]

Federalize his NG butt, order him overseas, first refusal, MPs arrest him, and deliver him to his new command in Kuwait. Try him under UCMJ, 20 years Leavenworth.

AMF

[grumple]

Drop him like a wet sock and treat him accordingly. He signed up because he needed a paycheck. This comes from taxpayers. His justification is because he didn't apply for aid? So. He still wants a taxpayer paycheck. Sending him to Leavenworth will still require taxpayer expense. That's you and me. I DIDN'T SIGN UP TO PAY FOR THIS CLAPTRAP. Process him, give him his baby-blue-warrior-wanna-be t-shirt, and bring on the next Freedom fighter...

Gunny Grump bump

[LADY J]

"This punk has the same mentality as those chickensh*t "Human Shields": Sign up for the glamour, bug out when things get serious."

More than likely he signed up to get the money. Any money he got so far should be returned before they send him to jail for insubordination.

[xJones]

Any search on Prashant Gopal shows a less than distinguised career in writing. He has mostly been concerned with highways and the environment. This is just Prashant Gopal on the U.S. military, a subject he knows nothng about.

[SJSAMPLE]

This guy is one, of a handful, of hundreds of thousands.
We've always had guys like this, in every war.

It's disconcerting, but the statistics concerning scumbags like this are some consolation. How the National Guard deals with him will reveal more about its character than his.