Truthbtold, It's a public event that was released to the press and public by the PAO. OPSEC doesn't apply.

Patrion1, Once again good luck and God speed to you and those in your unit, even if they aren't Marines. But don't worry, you haven't violated or compromised your OPSEC by devulging your departure date and time, as truthbtold said(could possibly reading too many Tom Clancy novels, OPSEC, yeah right), it was already release by your public relations officer or NCOIC when they released it for public knowledge to the Gazette days ago. Marine or not, I do wish you a safe deployment, my prayers go out to you and the members of a proud Wisconsin unit that boldly go forth to serve and represent their country and their state.
P.S. Do you know what A R M Y really stands for? Ain't Ready to be a Marine Yet!! Good luck to you, Semper Fidelis

Patriot1 good luck brother.. I recommend practicing opsec next time before posting your plans for tommorow

Many have brought up the death toll in the war as if it was the holy grail. How many lives have we lost on the roads in America? How many lives have we lost to Americans killing Americans? How many families have been torn apart by this needless carniage on our shores? Where is the out-cry from those who are against the war? War is hell. People are injured, and people die but their injuries or deaths at least stood for something other then mindless killing done by drunken drivers on our highways or senseless killing by those who believe they've been insulted. Guess it is more glorious to be anti-war and go to Canada, etc., instead. SPC Walker, is not anti-war, he just believes that he can pick and choose which war he wants to be in. Sorry, it doesn't work out that way.
As a retired soldier, this is to all who hae served or are serving their country now: Stand tall, serve with honor and pride and come home safe and sound to those you've left behind. You represent the freedom we enjoy that others would love to have. God Bless!

Welcome to another long war. More of these military service cases have seemed to bubble to the top of "media" in regards to Iraq as opposed to Afghanistan. 'Nam became a painful argument by the population in regards to military service as well; of course, most of you know that already. Again, welcome to another long arduous, painful, often contentious war. We did not seem to learn much from our efforts in Viet Nam. That is painful, again, for someone who served during it, albeit in a marginal capacity.

I know that the current volunteer military is a product of our Viet Nam experience. I also know from following our current military endeavors that a new generation is now arguing about similar issues that tore the nation apart during Viet Nam. And, for years now every election time we still argue about where candidates stood on the Viet Nam War. I can imagine that in 20 years, if the nation survives, that a litmus test for candidates may very well be, where they stood on Iraq. And the band plays on.

Around 4,250 Americans have died in Iraq since Spring 2003. Almost 100 Wisconsin military service people have died there. I suspect few of us know that, one reason being the collective Wisconsin media has sent only 10 or so journalists there.

Having been in the military in the 'Nam era and there three times since, and to Iraq twice as a writer, I must interject something for what it is worth. Although I read about, planned for, networked with people, and pondered my options before hand for both situations, I was continually taken back by my own unplanned-for feelings in either nation.

I never saw the "really" bad stuff in either experience. I don't know this Walker - don't know where his head is at - don't know what he has lived. I do know wheels have been set in motion now that are out of his and our control. And I do know that military service and all its unforeseen potentials during a war, can invoke such contentious debat it can tear a nation apart. That is what I learned during the Viet Nam era; and now, it seems the Iraq era as well.
Bob Keith
cooldadiomedia.com

First, I want to say good luck and please come home safely to those of you going back to Iraq.

Second, to the argument against my morally wrong war statement, I was saying that if this soldier feels what he is fighting for is morally wrong how can we expect him to do what he needs to do at a level that will keep him and others safe? I do not believe we can. Would you want someone who is not acting at their full capacity to be backing you up? I hope not.

To the soldier leaving tomorrow: you said, "we don't want you in our Army! Cowards do NOT belong in our Armed Forces." While I wish you luck, I am surprised by your response. If he were a person who didn't want to be there and he was surrounded by very well spoken and tactful people like you I am surprised he didn't want to stay there forever. In fact, it is attitudes like yours that makes us anti-war people so upset. Calm down buddy. Maybe you should worry about yourself and come home safely.
Also, for the record, I would tell the people of Iraq that we should not have been there (have you all forgotten the original reason we went as that is where the illegality comes in)?

Patriot1...goog luck to you
Criticalthinking...stupid and illegal war, huh? Would you have the courage to tell the thousands of politacal prisoners that suffered torture because of their dissenting views that? Or maybe the whole villages filled with men, women, children and elderly that were wiped out because of their ethnicity by Saddam's regime that it's a stupid and illegal war? mcdlear1 called it when he said we are the protectors. There is no draft, so therefore, he VOLUNTEERED. He couldn't have been that naive to think that he would never go. I'm not saying that everything going on over there is right, but the premise for our being there is dead-on. As for your friend in the Corps, I can't believe that he went AWOL and nothing happened. Maybe he got lucky and got an "Other than Honorable Discharge", but there is no way that he got off scott-free, the USMC just dont work that way. And if his CO told him not to report these attrocities he had the legal and moral right to carry his stories up the chain of command. You may be just another victim af a poorly told war story.

criticalthinking:

I can’t imagine where civilians get the idea that the military runs like a virtual Chinese menu, where you get to pick and choose what you want to do, and where you want to go. Maybe it’s a holdover from those goofy Army “Be all you can be” commercials. I did a career in the USAF, retired as a unit commander, and have to tell you, it just doesn’t work that way.
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With our volunteer military, you get one big choice: Join, or don’t join. If you choose to join, I sure hope your motive was something greater than saving money for college. Because once you join, somebody else gets to make most of your choices. It doesn’t work like a debating society or some tweed jacket club for university professors.
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The system absolutely has to work that way. If service members get to pick which wars to fight, the military will quickly become dysfunctional. Some people seem to think that would be fine, but without a military, you have no national defense. And without national defense, we would quickly lose our freedoms. You can hang around with sheep if you want, but if you do, don’t assume there are no wolves out there in the night.
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The bottom line is, if you’ve never served, you don’t get it. I always made it a point not to try and tell nuclear engineers how to do their business. It took them years of education, experience, and training to get to where they could make intelligent decisions about their field. You ought to take the same approach to commenting on the military.

Hopefully, the Army will make an example of this coward, and take back all the college money he probably got for enlisting. The point is, that he had an obligation. If you don't agree with what's going on, don't whine about it! Just do your duty, and when his time is up, then get out...we don't want you in our Army! Cowards do NOT belong in our Armed Forces. I hope the Army throws the book at him, and not just slap the coward on his wrist. I'm leaving on my second tour in Iraq tomorrow from the Janesville Armory...and very proud of it!

criticalthinking--I am having difficulty with the 'moral ground' issue that you bring up. To your thinking, those who are currently in Iraq, or those who have deployed or will be deploying, don't have any 'moral ground' to stand on????

Criticalthinking....As a combat veteran arriving back and going back over to Iraq. I would venture to say the experience of the servicemember you ar refering to is an exception to the rule rather than the rule. Although there has been some situations over there where America's reputation has been slanted there are exceptions which are only as norm by the liberal media. To infer that military servicemembers are blind followers of orders and should resist your "morally wrong" is a ridiculous statement. If that were the case would have been under Hitler's regime today.We have alway's stood up to regimes that have dealt immorally with the people in their country and I hope we continue to do so. That is why we are called peacemakers. Iraq by the way is a better nation because of our intervention and will be better as it continues to improve under suggestions and opportunities provided by the U. S.

I cannot fault this man for not returning to Iraq. It seems to be the smartest thing he has done for a while. If more people wouldn't return maybe this stupid war would be over sooner. The problem is that the soldiers have been coerced into believing that everything they do in the name of their country is good and that it has to be done. Well it isn't all good and I applaud this man for actually standing up for the best interest of our country instead of continuing to spit on it by fighting the illegal war in Iraq.
I know people will argue they are defending our freedom, but the truth is that they are not. In fact, the more they fight, the more they endanger us.
One of my closest friends was a Marine and served in Iraq. After two deployments where he witnessed terrible acts by Americans (he was told he could not report them by his CO) he decided to go AWOL. He did and in the end was discharged without serving time or getting a dishonorable discharge.
I am not trying to antagonize anyone and want to thank those who have served. However, I also do not think we should fault those who have found a moral ground not to return to Iraq.

Dude...Kudos to you also

USMC1964 - No that comment was not directed towards you, it was for everyone who hasnt served but still sit in there comfy chairs and complain about us and down talk us. Thank you for your service USMC1964. I to am very proud of my continued service to this great nation.

When you sign up for the military, you don't have the option of picking what battle or war you fight. You represent the People of the United States of America and you are expected to serve with HONOR and not disgrace the flag or the United States. You have the right to disagree but do it through the Chain-of-Command. It works, maybe not as fast as you would like but at least you won't be branded a deserter even if you believe your reason was just. Think how this action will not only effect you for the rest of your life, but how it effects your parents, wife, and friends. Go back and serve your remaining time and then get out. Keep the commitment you made to the people of the United States.

Dude...was that comment about "grow a pair" directed at me? I have picked up a rifle and gone to battle, I was in the Gulf in '91. I spent 9 years in the Marine Corps, proud of my duty. All I meant to say was that he may not agree with this war, but he has a duty to fullfill his oath and obligation. There were some things that I didnt agree with when I was in, but I was honorbound to carry out the lawful orders of those appointed above me. Even now I don't agree with the war, but if I was still in, I would go, it's my duty. You may not support the politics of this war, but you must support the men and women charged with fighting it.

look i just got back from a 15 month deployment in Iraq, he needs to get his dumb butt on the plane and get back to his unit, fill your obligation, and everyone who is against the war, grow a pair, shut up, grab a rifle and follow us to the battle field, all ya'll cry to much, most of ya'll dont understand how good ya'll got it. just leave the loser alone and let him deal with the music. all he wants is attention. what a loser

lbarmilt...First off missing a military movement of 30 days or less is considered AWOL or UA(unauthorized absence). Most normally this is handled at the unit level by that units commander with punishment imposed by that commander at his discretion. Punishment may include either restriction to barracks, extra duty, loss of pay, loss of rank, brig time, or any compilation of these. AFTER 30 days it is considered desertion. Now it becomes a felony punishable by loss of rank, loss of pay, prison time(either Leavenworth or Portsmouth Naval Prison), Dishonorable discharge and possibly even death if the desertion was during an event of war(I've just opened up a whole can of worms to the discussion as to whether or not this is a real(legal) war, sorry). This man still has time to save himself, his integrity, his honor and possibly even his life. He may have only joined for college benefits or to have a steady job, never expecting to really have to go and put his life on the line, but none the less, he DID take an oath, and he should honor it. If he doesn't, he dishonors the sacrifice countless others have made before him. I don't necessarily agree that this is a just war or that our presence there over the long haul will do any good, but the Sgt. had other options to make his stand that would not put him in the predicament he is now in. I do say that he has a right to protest this war, I just do not agree with the manner in which he has made his stand. Semper Fidelis

I was in Iraq. The fact that he will not go back is not to his credit.

Perhaps after spending a tour of duty in Irag some of you would not be so quick to judge this man. The fact that he enlisted in the first place is to his credit. The fact that he is so appalled that he can't go back is also to his credit.

The law is clear. A missed movement due to voluntary actions on the part of a service member is grounds for a general court martial for disertion. The soldier has stated that he has served in the past and is only now claiming to, some how, suddenly become against the war. That is not a legal, nor in my opinion, a moral right to not return to the obligation that he signed up for.

http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/

Why in the world did he go into the military if he didn't want to seve??!! Maybe he should run to canada like all the others who copped out!! Of course they were drafted this guy signed up!!!

After reading all the comments from the first article it comes down to this, Officers and enlisted serve at the pleasure of the Military. Let JAG handle this.

What is the point of this article? THe same article was posted a couple of days ago with just a few changes. Normally a follow up article has more information than the first.
It is time to leave this guy in the dust and concentrate on the soldiers who are actually doing what they are supposed to, serving with dignity and courage and not ditching out. I seen this article on foxnews as well and it is really starting to agitate me. This guy not only can't fulfill his contract but he has to make a spectical out of it and involve the press in order to try and get some public support. I hope since he did this the military makes a spectical out of him and prosecutes him to the full extent and prints it everywhere so others don't think it is ok to act this way.