I believe you are close to the mark on this situation Marvin.
Any veteran can tell you that even after your enlistment is up, the military owns you for a total of 8 years. Even if all you did was sign up for 2. You will have several tours of duty inside your enlistment. I believe the period after your enlistment is referred to as IRR (Inactive Ready Reserve). By the description I read, I believe he finished a tour of duty, but not his enlistment.
As for the consciencious objector part, I believe many commanders have the option to allow that after the soldier has already passed Boot Camp. I do believe it is up to the commander to allow or disallow. The commander will never allow such a thing if it happens after a conflict occurs. The soldier is informed and must choose before he is sent into a conflict zone. Not to mention, there is a specific clause in the paperwork, when you sign up for military service that talks about being a consciencious objector and to NOT enlist.
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Warning Dangerous Rant Ahead, Might be offensive to some! Stop reading here if you are easily offended!!
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As I read and understand it, this is what I see: He signed up as a COMBAT soldier(airborne). He was assigned to Fort Bragg, where there are 98% combat soldiers and 2% support. He was not a Consciencious Objector at the time and had no problems with the thought of killing someone for his country. That is an Airborne Soldier's job description.
He could have signed up for another job - clerk, librarian, cook, communication, truck driver, etc... if he really was a conscientious objector.
After the war in Iraq began, he saw other soldiers taking the heat, soldiers and civilians dying, possibly lost a friend, and panicked. He allowed his family to talk him into something stupid and went AWOL on his chosen duties that he had previously had no problem with. He broke his sworn oath to the military, the U.S.A., and his word of honor.
He is a coward, plain and simple. He wasn't drafted, He VOLUNTEERED knowing what he was getting himself into.
At minimum, I believe he should get a Dishonorable discharge and revokation of all veteran and federal benefits.
I spent my time in the military and did my tour in the Saudi area. Nasty place to be as an American! I was married. I didn't run home to momma when the bullets started flying. I really wanted to. I lost some friends to combat and terrorist actions, some in quite gruesome ways. I stuck out my entire enlistment and hated every moment.
Didn't anyone ever wonder why the pants for the Saudi Arabian area are brown?? I don't believe it has anything to do with the desert.
He should turn himself in and finish out his enlistment. He should do it, even if it means he spends time in prison. He gave his sworn oath and word of honor. Obviously, he has no honor and can't keep his word.
I humbly ask forgiveness, if I have offended anyone with my strong opinion. I also ask you to remember that a measure of a man is not what he does when things are going well, but what he does when the stuff hits the fan.