Learn more about being a Conscientious Objectors (just in case of a draft)

[LynneSin]

Unfortunately, being a Conscientious Objectors is more than saying "I object to the war therefore you cannot draft me). Instead it requires documentation of your (or your child's) history to peaceful means.

The Quakers have some great links about becoming a Conscientious Objectors and for those of you who are either of (or soon to be) draft age or have children in that age range, might want to peruse some of these links for a better understanding of what it means to be a Conscientious Objectors and how you can get that draft standing.

I am not an expert. I'm too old to be drafted and I have no children. But I am Quaker and I want to reach out to those of you on the site looking for more information. You do not have to be a Quaker to be a Conscientious Objectors, they just seem to have the best source of information about this status.

Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors: http://www.objector.org/
Conscientious Objectors and the Selective Service Act: http://omlets.tripod.com/co-ssa18/
The Center on Conscience & War: http://www.nisbco.org/

And of course you can go to http://www.quaker.org for more links about the peace movement (you'll have to scroll down a bit for the Peacemaker links)

I hope this helps some folks here at the DU!!! I pray that the draft will never happen. No one should be forced to serve a war, especially when they do not believe it it. Start preparing you and your children now incase there is a draft.

:hug:

[Bronco69]

1. The draft is coming

especially if * is elected in 2004. I don't think Democrats are making a big enough deal about this! If we want the youth vote, start talking about it now!

[meegbear]

2. I have a question about CO ...

I don't know if you can answer it.

Someone posted eariler asking about claiming CO while serving. Is there a difference between someone who was drafted and claiming it and someone who volunteered to serve and is claiming it?

[LynneSin]

3. What I do know is this

If someone gets CO status even if they are a military volunteer, they would be assigned to a non-combatant duty.

CO's do not get out of the draft, but if drafted will also serve some form of non-combatant duty, possibly even something that keeps you in the US.

You'll have to visit some of those websites for a better understanding. Again, I am not an expert, just sharing some good links that maybe can help a few folks out here at DU

[meegbear]

4. Thanks ...

I will check them out.

[IrateCitizen]

8. A correction, Lynne

If someone gets CO status even if they are a military volunteer, they would be assigned to a non-combatant duty.

That's only accurate for one specific type of CO. The military has two separate claims: 1-O, and 1-Oa. The difference is that a 1-O claim is seeking discharge from the armed forces based on moral and/or religious beliefs. The 1-Oa claim is seeking assignment to a non-combat role within the armed forces. You can't claim one and then try for the other, either -- you have to make your decision at the time you submit your claim.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Absolutely.

CO status is tricky at best, but much more difficult when you're already in. But not impossible. It is recognized that people can change their minds about war when in uniform, and the law allows for that. But, the law does not make it easy.

I believe Chuck Fager at Quaker House has said they've counseled about 90 serving servicepeople so far about this. The most famous case is Stephen Funk, currently jailed and waiting for a decision.

More information at:
http://www.quakerhouse.org/

Since the demise of the draft, such services are less necessary, and Quaker House is the about the last of the organizations counseling servicepeople in CO status.

A small historical curiousity-- when George Fox was starting the Religious Society of Friends back in the 1650's and came up with the Peace Testimony, he found vast numbers of his converts were from the military.

[IrateCitizen]

7. Since I'm the person you're referring to, I'll try to answer...

Since there has not been a draft for quite some time, the current regulation (in the Army it's AR 600-43) applies only to current service members.

But I would think that a draftee CO process would be pretty much the same. The important thing is that, if you feel that you would be a CO in the event of a draft, to start compiling supporting information NOW. Go to the websites that Lynne listed above to find out what you should do. Another good one is through the Unitarian Universalist Association website (http://www.uua.org). The Center on Conscience and War (http://www.nisbco.org) is the group that helped me with my claim, and they are headed by a Quaker attorney.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Thanks for the links...

some of these are new ones to me.