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Press Conference Invitation

Iraq War Veteran and Conscientious Objector Now on Hunger Strike Faces Trial by U.S. Military Court in Darmstadt, March 28, 2005

 

Dear Members of the Press:

 

You are cordially invited by Stop the War Brigade, the Military Counseling Network (MCN) American Voices Abroad (AVA) Military Project, Connection e.V., and the “Kampagne gegen Wehrpflicht, Zwangsdienste und MilitSr" (Campaign Against the Draft, Forced Labor, and the Military) to a joint press conference with Conscientious Objector U.S. Army Specialist  Blake LeMoine and his wife, Alayna LeMoine.

 

Thursday, March 24, 2005 at 16:00
OS 3 (Offenes Darmstadt), Mathildenplatz 1, Hintereingang (Rear Entrance)
Darmstadt, Germany

 

LeMoine has for some time been trying to get a discharge from the U.S. Army, but he has so far been unsuccessful.  He has applied for “Conscientious Objector” status, because the U.S. military invasion and occupation of Iraq are against his religious beliefs; this application is still pending.  Rather than release LeMoine, on March 4, 2005, the U.S. Army charged him with refusal to obey orders.  His Special Court Martial, at the U.S. Army base in Darmstadt, is scheduled for Easter Monday, March 28, 2005.  If convicted, he faces incarceration in a military jail, loss of all benefits, and a bad conduct discharge.

 

In protest against the Army’s refusal to discharge him, LeMoine has been on a hunger strike for a total of 41 days.  He says, “I have been hearing far too much about the American All Volunteer Army lately.  It is true that the draft is not in effect.  No one is forced to join the American Military…(but) the enlistment contract is a slave contract and unfortunately I found this out far too late.” Should the U.S. military prevent Blake LeMoine from attending the press conference, his wife Alayna will make a statement for him and be available to answer questions.

 

Invitation signed by:

 

Darnell Stephen Summers, Stop the War Brigade (+49 178-2056692)

David Stutzman, Reuben Miller, Military Counselling Network (+49 6223-47506 or +49175 4291388)

Elsa Rassbach, American Voices Abroad Military Project (+49 30-32601540 or +49 177 3260154)

Rudi Friedrich, Connection e.V. (+49 69-82375534)

Ralf Siemens, Kampagne gegen Wehrpflicht, Zwangsdienste und MilitSr (+49 30 440 1300) 

 

PLEASE NOTE:  The Special Court Martial proceedings will be OPEN TO THE PRESS! 

 

Easter Monday, March 28, at 11:00 AM

Military Special Court Martial of Specialist Blake LeMoine

JAG Building, Cambrai Fritch Kaserne in Darmstadt, Germany

Tel. 49 6224 575838

 

Journalists wishing to attend the Special Court Martial are advised to make prior arrangements and confirm the time and place of the proceedings by contacting Bruce Anderson, Public Affairs Officer, 3^rd Corps Support, U.S. Army Headquarters, Wiesbaden, Germany at Tel. +49 611 705 5179;  FAX +49 611 705 5944, or email bruce.anderson1@u.s.army.mil.  Journalists who are unable to make prior arrangements may still be able to attend the proceedings, but should come very early for processing.  All journalists wishing to attend must present media credentials, a letter from their publication or news outlet, and either a German “Ausweis” or a valid passport of any other country.

Iraq War Veteran and Conscientious Objector Now on Hunger Strike Faces Trial by U.S. Military Court in Darmstadt, March 28, 2005

PRESS CONTACTS:

 

Darnell Stephen Summers of Stop the War Brigade

Tel. +49 178-2056692; StoptheWarBgde@hotmail.com

 

David Stutzman & Reuben Miller of Military Counselling Network (MCN) in Heidelberg

Tel. +49 6223 47506 and +49 175 429 1388; mcn@dmfk.de

        

Elsa Rassbach of American Voices Abroad (AVA) Military Project

Tel. +49 30 326 015 40; mobile +49 177 3260154; goava@tiscali.de

 

Rudi Friedrich of Connection e.V. Tel.: +49 69-82375534

office@Connection-eV.de

 

Ralf Siemens of  Kampagne gegen Wehrpflicht, Zwangsdienste und MilitSr

Tel. +49 30 440 1300; info@Kampagne.de

 

For more information, please see www.StoptheWarBrigade.com and

www.Connection-eV.de/Projekte/USA.html

 

For Release on Friday, March 25, 2005

 

The Pentagon reported early in December, 2004, that already by then more than 5500 soldiers had deserted since the war on Iraq began ( www.refusingtokill.net/USGulfWar2/5500USdeserters.htm ).

Many U.S. soldiers, veterans, and military specialists have stated opposition to the current conduct of the U.S. military’s occupation of Iraq.  As The New York Times reported on March 18, 2005, ("Unvolunteering"), among these critics is Army Specialist BLAKE LEMOINE, 23, who is stationed in Darmstadt, Germany. Yet in his outspoken and determined challenge to U.S. military policy, LeMoine is a rarity. He is not a deserter; he is a resister.

 

LeMoine has been charged by the U.S. military with refusing to obey lawful orders and faces a U.S. Military Special Court Martial on March 28, 2005 in Darmstadt, Germany.  If convicted, he could be incarcerated in a U.S. military prison for up to one year, forfeit all pay and benefits, and receive a bad conduct discharge.  Journalists will be allowed to attend this Court Martial. (See invitation for details.)

 

LeMoine has also filed an application to be released from the Army based on “Conscientious Objection” (CO), stating that the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq is against his religious beliefs.  If his CO application is denied by the military, he will appeal in civilian U.S. Federal Court, even if he is jailed. 

 

Like all U.S. soldiers currently in military service, LeMoine volunteered.  He joined the Army shortly after the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center.  He signed a contract for three years of active duty and has served one year in Iraq, where he was decorated with an Army Commendation for dangerous service as a gunner on trucks transporting mail there.  In Iraq, LeMoine became deeply disillusioned with the conduct of the U.S. military, which is not in accordance with his religious beliefs. 

 

After his year in Iraq, LeMoine was returned in May, 2004, to the military base in Darmstadt, Germany.  His contract for active duty service was due to expire on February 13, 2005, but when he requested to bring his wife Alayna, 20, to live with him in Darmstadt, the Army required him in return to extend his active duty contract for eight months, until October 13, 2005.  However, his tour of active duty could be extended indefinitely under the new “Stop Loss” orders issued by the military requiring soldiers to remain in active duty for as long as needed.  Thus, he could again be sent to Iraq or elsewhere, if the U.S. decides to invade another country.

 

In June, 2004, LeMoine sought counselling with a military chaplain regarding whether he could apply for a discharge from the Army based on “Conscientious Objection” (CO).  According to LeMoine, the chaplain advised him that he would have virtually no success with a CO application because, even though the U.S. invasion of Iraq is against his religious beliefs, he is not a pacifist and would fight to defend the U.S.  The chaplain did not advise him that he would have the right to appeal the military’s decision in U.S. Federal Court.

 

In the ensuing months in Darmstadt, LeMoine came to feel increasingly that he was being “hypocritical” by continuing to serve in the U.S. military under its present policies, which are against his beliefs. On January 10, 2005, LeMoine announced in Darmstadt that he was “resigning from the Army,” and on January 17, he began a hunger strike.  Also, since February 1, 2005, he has not only refused food from the Army, but also the wages and benefits which are due to him under his contract.

 

On January 24, LeMoine filed an application with the military authorities for release from the Army as a conscientious objector after he learned, through a consultation with Military Counselling Network in Heidelberg, that he would have the right to appeal in Federal Court if his application is rejected by the U.S. military.  On February 17, LeMoine ended his first hunger strike after being told that the Army was considering releasing him.  However, on March 4, the Army charged him with disobeying a lawful order of an officer and set March 28 as the date for his Special Court Martial.  On March 4, LeMoine also began a second hunger strike, which he continues to this day.  He has lost a total of 28 pounds so far.  LeMoine says that many soldiers in his unit sympathize with him.  He states:

 

“The enlistment contract is a slave contract and unfortunately I found this out far too late.  The thirteenth amendment guarantees that no citizen of the United States will have to endure slavery or enforced servitude…If I am a volunteer, why do they need to hold a gun in my face to make me work?”   (LeMoine’s full statement is appended.)

Like most soldiers who join the U.S. military, LeMoine did so partly for economic reasons. Though he had gone to college, he had only been able to find a low-paying job as a short-order cook in the U.S