Posted on 03/26/2005 6:23:59 AM PST by Ramonan
Petty Officer 3rd Class Pablo E. Paredes decided to protest the Iraq war by not sailing with his ship when it left San Diego Harbor on Dec. 6.
Yesterday, the Navy decided to charge Paredes, 23, with being absent without leave and missing movement, charges that could send him to military prison for as long as a year and limit his employment options.
The action by the Navy surprised Paredes, who made headlines and drew supporters and critics with his stance.
"I showed up at the base expecting to hear whether the local Navy command had approved my conscientious objector status. Instead I was read the charges against," said Paredes, who is on temporary duty at Naval Base San Diego.
"It's ironic. The other day marked the two-year anniversary of a war that was criminal from the beginning, and today I get charged for not participating in it," said Paredes, a weapons control technician who joined the service in 2000.
Attorney Jeremy Warren, who represented Paredes, hopes the Navy will follow the recommendations of one of its chaplains and grant his client conscientious objector status.
"I'm still optimistic that the Navy will do the right thing" and agree with a chaplain who said that "it was morally imperative that the conscientious objector status be granted," Warren said.
Warren said the Navy could deem Paredes a conscientious objector and still prosecute him, although he hoped the latter would not happen.
No date has been set for the court-martial.
If there was a bright spot yesterday, Paredes' brother Victor said, it was that the process is finally moving.
"At least now we have a clear and definite direction to work in," said Victor, who lives in New York City. "It is definitely a lot more concerning when you are in limbo."
Paredes agreed. "At least we are moving somewhere. I want to be out of the military, and this is moving toward that."
But there could be a detour, said Jeremiah J. Sullivan III, a San Diego attorney who represents military defendants.
"The big thing is that they want to give him a bad conduct discharge and maybe some brig time. With a bad conduct discharge, he'd find it difficult to get a job with the state or federal government."
In December, Paredes called several members of the media to tell them of his one-man boycott. Then he turned up pier-side wearing a shirt that read: "Like a Cabinet Member, I Resign."
Is this the guy that showed up to the base with a TV crew in tow?
Failure to go. Bad conduct discharge.
They have real nice accomendations for people like this at Leavenworth. Chicken S--t.
Another coward that didn't bother to read his enlistment contract. I hope he enjoys Leavenworth.
Im sorry I do not feel for him. Why join the military if you do not want to serve?? HE isnt resigning..he will be discharged. He is a disgrace to those who made the decision to serve, who have served and will continue to do so. He doesnt deserve to wear the uniform.
first of all, I doubt he was a good sailor in the first place...
secondly, if this idiot had read his contract, he would know he cant miss movement.....
I hope they throw the book at him....
He's a "weapons control technician" and now he's filing for CO status? DOH!
Lovely weather in Kansas this time of year....and next year...and the year after that....
Lovely weather in Kansas this time of year....and next year...and the year after that....
In December, Paredes called several members of the media to tell them of his one-man boycott. Then he turned up pier-side wearing a shirt that read: "Like a Cabinet Member, I Resign."
Sorry about the double post.
In addition to the discharge, he should have to reimburse the Navy for the money they spent feeding him, housing him and training him, not to mention any medical treatment he received.
"......agree with a chaplain who said that "it was morally imperative that the conscientious objector status be granted," Warren said."
Send the idiot chaplain to the brig with him. Did these two idiots get together on December 5th and decide he was a c.o..
If he wanted to file for c.o. status the Navy would have been receptive. Doing so by refusing to get underway is worthy of spending a year in the San Diego brig with the Marine guards knocking his a^% around for a year.
I would like to hear his case, but I would be inclined to agree.
Why would this wuss think that military service is a game? I honestly hope he gets brig time in addition to a bad conduct discharge.
I agree. The problem is that the US military has not taken a strong stand on this (going back to the first Gulf War under George H. Bush).
The military needs to come out with a written official policy, endorsed and signed by the Commander-in-Chief and the General Staff of all branches, stating that "Conscientious Objector" is not an acceptable excuse in a volunteer military. It needs to be made part of the UCMJ.
All service members should be made to sign a legal document, at the time they enlist or apply for commission, acknowledging this and agreeing that they WILL go to jail for claiming "Conscientious Objector" status, and they will be held financially liable for their training and other benefits received from the military.
You stupid sh*thead, you don't have the option of declaring anything criminal. You took an oath, you putz. Congress gave POTUS the authority and he exercised it. You're a disgrace to every fallen American who died to give you a free place to live. Were it up to me, you would've already been put up against a wall and shot, cremated and your ashes scattered in a landfill somewhere.
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