European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday january 28, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 11 a a a continue to anger in Reading the stars and stripes recent articles about conscientious objectors 1 Felt Many people could get the message that being a Christian and being a Soldier Are mutually exclusive. I would like to mention a few things on this subject to my fellow soldiers Christian or otherwise. Lets Start with the old testament i Samuel 15 3. Here the Prophet Samuel is telling Saul the King of Israel what Goa wants Saul to do a now go and smite Kamalek and utterly destroy All that they gave do not spare them but kill both Man and woman infant and suckling of and sheep Camel and  sounds like War to me. In Ecclesiastes 3 1-8, we Are told that a for everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven. A time for War and a time for  maybe this is our time for War. A a a / a a a a a enough of this lets get right to the Point. Romans 13 1-2 a everyone must submit to the governing authorities for there is no authority except that which god has established. The authorities that exist have Beeri established by god. Consequently he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what god has instituted and those who do so will bring judgment on  i am sorry that the subject of the Story in the paper stopped at the gospels and did no to read this portion of the Bible. I realize that this particular portion is hard to Swallow at times especially when you believe that your government is wrong. And yes god established Iraq too. Done to try to Tell me that you can to fight against Iraq because of that. Iraq is not your government the United states is and when the United states says its time to take out another government that god has established then its time to take opt another government that god has established. Amazingly enough action is not our Choice. God has removed the Burden of right and wrong from a a us and placed it on the  right or wrong we follow our government. If our leaders Are wrong god will judge them accordingly. Our Only Job is to Pray that our leaders make the right Choice. Once they make that Choice our Only Job is to make it happen a sgt. Daniel l. Sommer a Rebecca j. Sommer Hahn a Germany i would like to address the Issue of conscientious objectors. First of All i do not believe in the term. Everyone objects to War. Any combat Veteran will say that he or she does not relish the thought of returning to combat. No one supports killing be it coldblooded murder or for Sel defense. People who claim to want to fight and kill even in justified combat Are frightening individuals. When a person has Strong convictions he does not join an organization that challenges them. We All serve and defend our Constitution a by obeying the Law by voting and by exercising our civil rights. And As soldiers we also serve by offering our lives in times of peace and in times of War. The True place for conscientious objectors is in the civilian world where their professions do not interfere with their beliefs. A a pfc. Amy c. Mccabe Schwet Zingen Germany All members of civilized humanity must be conscientious objectors. To military personnel and their families who have the most personally at stake in any armed conflict War is repugnant. However As members of civilized humanity we must also be conscientious objectors morally repulsed by tyranny oppression torture aggression and the deprivation of Basic human rights for our fellow human beings on this Earth sometimes we Are called upon to inwardly assess our immediate Comfort and individual Pursuit of personal goals and weigh them against our commitment to american ideals and our tolerance level for the inhumane. Acceptance of moral responsibility Means decision making concerning the relative repugnance of War is. Appeasement at the expense of  Janet Bohm Wiesbaden Germany the conscientious objector Issue has garnered some significant if not major headlines in All of the Media and it illustrates a few Points for All at least in my mind. A the first Point is that the fourth estate continues to seize upon a a news that distracts from the National infer est and the National Good. I have read recent statistics that indicate that co applications Are not significantly higher now than in the previous peace cold War years. I find it enlightening that these conscientious objectors were not newsworthy prior to the Gulf crisis. The second Point is the degree to which All of the new a conscientious objectors Are disgracing the legitimate status of cos. The armed forces have places for cos As medics chaplains assistants or in other non combatant roles. The True Long established conscientious objectors should universally resist the stigma that this new Breed is bringing upon them. A capt. D. Lee Hackle written during operation desert shield Veall have our principles beliefs and opinions. That an advertising Blimp expresses the feelings of a Community that has sent 50,000 troops to operation desert storm. Is what democracy is All about a people being Able to voice their beliefs publicly and not have to worry about their safety because their government does not approve of what that individual said. Just ask the released hostages who were in Iraq and Kuwait. I bet they have some horror stories that could Send Shivers Down your spine and maybe Wake you up to reality. There is no excuse for what Saddam Hussein is doing arid for All you conscientious objectors wearing the uniform of the armed forces for claiming to be cos because your time is up for getting a free pay Check there is no excuse for you either now that America needs you More than Ever you re turning the other Way and running away As fast As you can and not looking Back a spec. Gilbert Leos written during operation desert shield. What if it were the United states being attacked by another country what if it were your children being shot and your House being looted and burned what if the United states had to rely on another country a military might to defend us in Case of invasion would you be in support of their conscientious objectors who stand idly by while watching you plight saying to themselves a a it your problem not mine a i . So conscientious objector before you file for non combat status chapter or accept an offer from another to help you desert the military to avoid combat think about what you re throwing away. Are you willing to become a fugitive for the rest of your productive life Are you willing to desert your spouse and children if you have any who May wind up on the Street with no place to go without your financial support is it really Worth throwing All that away a name withheld. Written during operation desert shield. I understand your position. You probably have Good and valid reasons for your convictions. You have the right to an opinion. I have opinions too but i also have integrity in my word. In a a sergeant in the air Force and proud of it. I would be a civilian right now if i weren to needed. In Mon the Stop loss program but you done to hear me whining. That a because in a willing to do whatever it takes to protect our blessed America and our allies. I just want to be worthy to Bear the uniform of the men and women who have already Given their very lives. What an Honor a sgt. Karl a. Baumheckel Hahn Germany my husband and his unit have already deployed to saudi Arabia and i done to understand Why these people feel that they done to have to go. _. But with both of us coming from military families we knew that it could be a possibility. While i was growing up my father told me the reason that he was a Soldier. It was to protect and defend the american Way of life. A Way of life that i am proud to Call my own. Do they really expect the army to spend millions of dollars on them for training education housing and medical benefits and not ask for anything in return a Christine handier Furth Germany capt. Or David Wiggins who was fasting in a bid to win a discharge is an embarrassment to West Point aviation Medicine and the army medical corps. He has launched a Campaign a appearing on to and posing for pathetic looking photos in the newspaper and has been on a self imposed starvation diet a All in attempts to win his Case. He claims that a contributing to an Organ nation whose sole purpose is killing is reprehensible to  a a a a / a Well i find wig Girish actions a reprehensible a obviously he sidelined his beliefs Long enough to sign on the dotted line for that lucrative medical school scholarship. Imagine deploying to saudi Arabia with an. Aviation medical officer who is starving himself to exhaustion. This sure inspires a lot of Confidence in the medical corps. A. A i do not envision myself As a killer or supporting killing but merely providing medical support to our soldiers when they May need me the most. I had the privilege of working in Wiesbaden with More than 2,000 soldiers and was deeply impressed with the Quality and spirit of the troops i met. It gives me great Pride to serve alongside these great folks a even if it Means paying the ultimate a Price. A. A a a a a. A Many physicians physicians assistants and medics have actually volunteered to go to saudi to support their fellow soldiers. We Are infuriated by the actions of this person who Calls himself a physician. He has a a deserted Nis a a patients when they need him the most. Even i. Only emotionally and mentally. A or. Capt Lisa a. Black written during operation desert shield no one wants War least of All the Soldier who is the one who will endure All the hardships and suffer the scars. Most service members already serving in the Gulf did not want to be there but had the a intestinal fortitude to Honor up to their commander in chiefs Call and to the contract into which they freely entered when they raised their hands and swore the oath of allegiance. The american military just like All military forces past and present docs riot exist simply to defend the frontiers. It is in fact an instrument a of enforcing a country a political will when it cannot be achieved through diplomatic  sometimes its a necessary evil As in the current crisis. A a a a a a. A capt. Edward f. Dorman Iii Mainz Germany i have endured As have All . Citizens financial fraud under the a amp a scandal witnessed passage of overnight legislative pay raises while the same legislators were incapable of passing a workable budget and now i have to tolerate the cheapening of the image of our armed forces through the fraudulent representation of those hiding behind a misappropriated objector status. Our country is truly becoming the land of the free. Freedom from judicial punishment for those not willing to stiffen to the Challenge they so fraudulently promised to undertake. A warrant officer Mark k. Morris written during operation desert shield i was shocked to see an article calling for mothers with sons or daughters to Boycott this crises. If we were to Boycott every War conflict or problem would we be Here today i think we would not have the Freedom we have today if we had. Pfc Glen h. Matlock written during operation desert shield note More letters on Page 12.