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Soldier gets 6-month sentence for refusing to deploy

Feb-21-2008 » Filed Under: 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment

By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes

VILSECK, Germany — A soldier who refused to deploy with his unit to Iraq because of a “deeply held personal belief” that he should not take a human life will spend the next six months in jail before being thrown out of the Army.

Spc. Benjamin Stewart, 25, of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, pleaded guilty Wednesday to missing movement on Jan. 7, 2008, when he was scheduled to deploy to Iraq. Stewart had already been convicted — and reduced in rank from sergeant to specialist — of being absent without leave when the bulk of the regiment deployed last summer.

Stewart told the court that he refused to deploy because of what he experienced during his last deployment to Mosul, Iraq, from 2004 to 2005.

“I saw a mother and her infant child get killed in crossfire. I saw children lose their limbs in a car bomb. One boy lost an arm and another lost both legs,” he said.

After that mission, Stewart said, he decided he could not deploy again.

“I’m not a pacifist or peacenik or against the war in Iraq. From the beginning, I believe the war was justified, (but) I could not live with myself if I killed another person,” he said.

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Comments For "Soldier gets 6-month sentence for refusing to deploy":

LT Watada should pay attention. What's good for this SPC is good for him as well. If he doesn't spend some time in jail, I'll lose a lot of faith in the UCMJ.

Posted by: VilseckO4 [TypeKey Profile Page] | February 22, 2008 2:32 AM

Seth Robson attributes a quote to me that I never made. I know I didn't make that statement and have the actual witness statements and court transcripts to support my claim. Robson heard several statements, took poor notes and merged them into one fictitious quote for his article. The truth is that I ordered the staff duty NCO to ensure no harm came to Stewart. It's annoying to be misquoted but particularly so when Robson does so in such a derogatory manner. I stand by anything I've said, good or bad, but not something he invented. - LTC Tom Rickard, Vilseck, GE

Posted by: Rickard [TypeKey Profile Page] | February 25, 2008 4:41 AM

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