Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Washington Post
March 7, 2007
Pg. 13
By George Frey, Associated Press
WUERZBURG, Germany, March 6 -- A U.S. Army medic who jumped out a window of his base housing and fled to California to avoid a redeployment to Iraq was convicted of desertion Tuesday at a court-martial. He was sentenced to eight months in prison.
Spec. Agustin Aguayo, 35, who testified that he refused to return to Iraq because he believes war is immoral, admitted to a charge of being absent without leave but was unsuccessful in contesting the more serious desertion charge.
He and his attorneys turned to each other and smiled as the judge, Col. R. Peter Masterton, read out the sentence. The maximum allowable was seven years.
Aguayo, assigned to the 1st Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, served a year as a combat medic in Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit in 2004 after the military turned down his request to be considered a conscientious objector.
In a shaky voice, Aguayo told the court at the Army's Leighton Barracks, near Wuerzburg, that his convictions led him to flee his base rather than go back to Iraq with his unit. After jumping from a window of his base housing in Germany on Sept. 2, he traveled to his home in California, where he surrendered at Fort Irwin about three weeks later.
"I respect everyone's views and your decision. I understand that people don't understand me," he testified. "I tried my best, but I couldn't bear weapons and I could never point weapons at someone."
Aguayo added, "The words of Martin Luther come to mind, 'Here I stand, I can do no more.' "
Masterton sided with prosecutors in finding Aguayo guilty of desertion. He also was convicted of missing a troop deployment. Because Aguayo has been jailed for 161 days while awaiting trial, he could be free within a few weeks.
Masterton also ordered that Aguayo be reduced in rank to private, forfeit his pay and receive a bad conduct discharge after serving his sentence.
Aguayo enlisted in 2002 to earn money for his education. Although military operations in Afghanistan were underway and debate about invading Iraq had begun, he said he never thought he would have to fight.
March 7, 2007
Pg. 13
By George Frey, Associated Press
WUERZBURG, Germany, March 6 -- A U.S. Army medic who jumped out a window of his base housing and fled to California to avoid a redeployment to Iraq was convicted of desertion Tuesday at a court-martial. He was sentenced to eight months in prison.
Spec. Agustin Aguayo, 35, who testified that he refused to return to Iraq because he believes war is immoral, admitted to a charge of being absent without leave but was unsuccessful in contesting the more serious desertion charge.
He and his attorneys turned to each other and smiled as the judge, Col. R. Peter Masterton, read out the sentence. The maximum allowable was seven years.
Aguayo, assigned to the 1st Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, served a year as a combat medic in Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit in 2004 after the military turned down his request to be considered a conscientious objector.
In a shaky voice, Aguayo told the court at the Army's Leighton Barracks, near Wuerzburg, that his convictions led him to flee his base rather than go back to Iraq with his unit. After jumping from a window of his base housing in Germany on Sept. 2, he traveled to his home in California, where he surrendered at Fort Irwin about three weeks later.
"I respect everyone's views and your decision. I understand that people don't understand me," he testified. "I tried my best, but I couldn't bear weapons and I could never point weapons at someone."
Aguayo added, "The words of Martin Luther come to mind, 'Here I stand, I can do no more.' "
Masterton sided with prosecutors in finding Aguayo guilty of desertion. He also was convicted of missing a troop deployment. Because Aguayo has been jailed for 161 days while awaiting trial, he could be free within a few weeks.
Masterton also ordered that Aguayo be reduced in rank to private, forfeit his pay and receive a bad conduct discharge after serving his sentence.
Aguayo enlisted in 2002 to earn money for his education. Although military operations in Afghanistan were underway and debate about invading Iraq had begun, he said he never thought he would have to fight.
