Currently it is only military policy to discharge a conscientious objector. Since a CO discharge is not law, the Pentagon can suspend this policy at any time. The policy was, in fact, suspended during the Persian Gulf War in 1991 resulting in thousands of COs going to jail or going AWOL because they could not, in good conscience, go to war.

With no end in sight to the war in Iraq, the GI Rights Hotline has experienced a sharp increase in the number of CO inquiries. Many are finding that the process of applying for a CO discharge is not working. A law passed by Congress is needed to fix the broken system.

Under a Military CO Act, the person applying for a CO discharge would gain protections against the violation of his/her belief. Simply, the process would be more fair and smooth.

If you are interested in lobbying for this please e-mail J.E. McNeil, j_e@CenteronConscience.org