The Soldier Cynthia McKinney called an American Hero needs YOUR help!

[Tinoire]

From: http://www.bendermandefense.org/

SPEECH OF
HON. CYNTHIA McKINNEY
OF GEORGIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2005

Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, I speak with you today about one of America's heroes, Sgt. Kevin Benderman. Sgt. Benderman is not a hero because he served a tour of duty in the Occupation of Iraq, though he did. He is not a hero because of the medals he was awarded, nor his ten years of honorable service in the U.S. Army.

No, Sgt. Kevin Benderman is a hero because when all around him are pressing forward to prosecute a violent war against the people of Iraq, Kevin Benderman had the courage to stand up and assert his heartfelt opposition to war.

Sgt. Benderman's opposition is not the theoretical if sincere opposition of a student peace activist. Kevin Benderman has seen things that none of God's children should have to endure. He was present when his superior ordered his unit to open fire on small children who were throwing rocks at the soldiers of his unit. He chased the hungry dogs from an open mass grave filled with the bodies of young children, old men and women. Kevin saw the burned child, crying in pain, while all around her ignored her injuries.

As he reflected on what he had experienced, he chose to not re-enlist, to not participate in a war and an institution that he could no longer square with his evolving yet sincerely held beliefs. But stretched by an immoral war, based on lies, beyond the limits of the resources afforded them, our military adopted a "stop loss order" policy to arbitrarily breech the contracts our nation made with those who serve in its military services.
So Kevin did what was necessary. He applied for Conscientious Objector status. His officers up the chain of command refused their duty to accept his application. His commander called him a coward. His unit chaplain refused to meet with him, writing by email that he was "ashamed" of Kevin. He was charged with "Desertion with Intent to Avoid Hazardous Duty" and "Missing Movement by Design". His preliminary hearings methodically violated every precept of substantive due process. He now faces a Court Martial on May 11 and the possibility of seven years in the stockade.

Every member of our Armed Forces raises their hands, as do we, and take an oath, as do we, to "defend the Constitution of the United States". That Constitution protects the "Right of Conscience", including the right to conscientiously object to war as an instrument of public policy. But given the climate we face right now, asserting such a right takes real courage. And it is the exercise of that courage which makes Sgt. Benderman a hero in my book.

It is a crime and a shame that while we are so busy working to expand freedom to other nations, we can't slow down to protect our precious freedoms among ourselves.

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2005_record&page=E834&position=all


Kevin and Monica Benderman


Three Direct Ways You Can Support
Kevin Benderman Today!


1. Express your support to Kevin and Monica. If you want your letter entered into the Congressional Record by Kevin and Monica's Congressional Representative, Cynthia McKinney, click here (mailto:[email protected],[email protected]). If you just want to write Kevin and Monica privately, click here (mailto:[email protected]).


2. Email Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, asking what purpose is served by court-martialing Kevin Benderman (click here (http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/comment.html) to go the Department of Defense Comments website and then click on the "Ask a Question / Make a Comment" tab).


3. To make a donation to help cover Kevin's legal defense costs, click on the button below. (http://www.topia.net/kbmckinney.html)

For those who want their donation to be tax-deductible, click here (http://traprockpeace.org/kevin_benderman.html) to go to the Kevin Benderman C.O. Defense Fund, established as an affiliated project of the the Traprock Peace Center in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

Donations by check should be made out to "Kevin Benderman Defense," and sent c/o Kevin and Monica Benderman, P.O. Box 2322, Hinesville, GA 31310.


===

Related thread by NNN0LHI: US deserter: There are dogs eating corpses thrown into a mass grave...

[Roland99]

1. Our military seems to be filling more and more with cowards

and fake Christians.


*I'm* ashamed.


The world needs thousands more like Benderman.

[Tinoire]

2. American Denial by Monica Benderman (his wife) (A+)

American Denial
by Monica Benderman

"And a child shall lead them."

HINESVILLE, GEORGIA, February 23, 2005--In Japan, on August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb created in America was dropped over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. A small child of 2, Sadako Sasaki, and her family lived on the outskrts of Hiroshima at the time, none of them were hurt in that instant but the seed of hurt had been planted. In 1955, 10 years after the atomic bomb, Sadako had developed leukemia. People soon were calling this the A-bomb sickness because so many other children just like Sadako also contracted the disease.

While hospitalized and fighting this disease, the child decided to begin to fold 1,000 paper cranes. In Japan, it is believed that if a person folds 1,000 paper cranes they will have one wish granted. Sadako's wish was to live a long and honorable life. As Sadako became weaker, the process of folding the paper cranes became more difficult. At the time of her death, she had only completed 644 cranes. Her wish made to the last crane finished, "I will write peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world."

To this day, children continue to fold paper cranes in the name of peace. And yet still peace has not come ®¢ wars continue.

Almost 30 years later, a picture was created. A child, Vietnamese, running down a barren street destroyed by warfare, her child's body on fire from the pain of Napalm, an American weapon, another innocent life destroyed in the name of Freedom.

Still the peace cranes fly, and still no peace has come.


Cranes by Monica Benderman

Almost 30 years later, a new picture was created. My husband, in a convoy, part of the invading American force in Iraq, sees something that will haunt him for the rest of his life. A little girl standing near the edge of the road with her mother. Her arm burned black from hand to shoulder, crying and hoping for someone to care. But when my husband offered his share of the medical supplies to help this child, his convoy and his command could not stop. War called, and humanity was left standing by the side of the road.

We see the picture of the Iraqi child, arms outstretched, covered in her parents' blood. The victim of an erroneous shooting at a checkpoint near her village, an orphan now, she will never be the same again.


"And a child shall lead them."... doesn't anyone see?

Fear is what drives us now. Not the fear of terrorists striking, that is only a superficial excuse. The fear that drives us, is that we will wake up and realize what we have become. I reach for my country, as I would reach for a friend. But is my country there? Physically it is, just as it always has been, but its heart.. it beats so faintly, is it gone? I hope not forever. I hope it's only hiding, locked away.This country now, is not the country I told my dreams to, this country would not understand those dreams. This country does not understand the dreams of the children. I wish my country, America, could understand, but we are so afraid now, and running so fast that there is no way we can see.

The heart of America is closed now, it is not feeling, and this is breaking my heart. I can only feel pain when I think of my country and it is not pain for me. The pain that I feel is from what is hiding behind the lies that my country thinks are our truths. The fears that are leading my country now are making us so vulnerable that we will turn to any justification and the dangers are only pulling us closer to the edge. If America cannot turn and face the truth, we will run forever, and soon only be living lies.

We as a country are afraid of facing the weaknesses that others have pointed out in us. Rather than face these weaknesses, and fight to bring about positive change, we continue to attack those who show us our truths. For years of this country at war, the wrong choice has been "eradicate them all and we will never have to know what we hide from."

The right choice, face who we are, see reality, admit that we are to blame for what is being done to us now, and bring about the change needed to stop the cycle of violence. Become the great country we profess to be, but whose heart is now hidden so far away. Like the alcoholic who denies his drinking problem, the abused wife who refuses to admit the danger she is in, the mother who believes that by continuing to interfere in her children's lives she is actually helping them to grow, America is in denial, and we, the people, are enabling the denial to continue.

By not bringing about the changes we know must happen, by talking and politicking and placing blame everywhere except squarely on our own shoulders, the violence and the abuse of our country will continue. Violence is the response of the weak. Reaching inside, admitting our weaknesses and taking action to strengthen them is the response of the strong.

With each step into the face of our fears, we will draw closer to finding Peace. Take one more look at the childÕs picture we do not want to see, and soon we will see that the night is not as dark when you see it clearly, and the solution will show itself in the form of peace.

Words, they are lies. Pictures, and the actions that result from the truth of those pictures, they speak for eternity. To avoid those pictures, to fail to act is only to buy into empty promises that will destroy this country when they prove too weak to keep the truth hidden any longer.

My wish for my country.. that the people of this country respect themselves enough to want to take care of the life they have been given. That they have enough honor and integrity to stare fully at their darkest sides and know that the worst is over when they dare to admit that they have not done enough to defend the morality and values on which this country was founded.

My husband, Sgt. Kevin Benderman and those who stand with him now, Camillo Mejia, Jimmy Massey, Pablo Paredes, Trent Helmkamp, did not commit to defend the immoralities of this country. When they came to terms with this, they walked away. They fight now, for the Heart of this country, our country, and they do it with integrity, and in truth. They have faced the horrors that our country is afraid to see. They speak openly about it and they are no longer in denial.

I dare you all to the same. Do you have the heart to face the children who, in innocence, have tried to lead?

Can you stare into the face of the darkest reality, and see that Peace is the only answer, and that it has to begin with you?

http://www.bendermandefense.org/
http://www.topia.net/kbarticles.html

Please visit their web-site. It's has some excellent articles and these people need our support!

Articles by Kevin Benderman

- Why I Refused a 2nd Deployment to Iraq

- A Matter of Conscience

- The Freedom of Choice

- An Open Letter to Our Leaders From a Concerned Iraq War Soldier

Articles by Monica Benderman

- An Open Letter to My Husband’s Chain of Command: The Players of the Game (this is a kick-ass letter!)

- My Husband Means What He Says: War is Wrong

- One Man Has Stopped Killing: Hope for More to Do the Same

- My Husband was Ordered to Shoot at Small Children Who Threw Rocks

- Enough is Enough: Bring Them Home, Leave Iraq to the Iraqis

- Caught Between Two Worlds

- Shame is a Double-Edged Sword

[FreedomAngel82]

22. That was very beautiful and very sad

:cry:

[Maraya1969]

70. Oh My God I am sobbing

What have we become? I feel like I am a citizen of the cruelest country in the world. Yes, there is a genocide going on in Sudan but that seems small to me now. At least they are forthright about what they are doing, as horrific as it is. We are a nation riddled with facades that most cannot, will not, or just plain refuse to see. We have churches on every corner and we are the most UN-Godlike cretins in the world.

We are a dysfunctional country hovering under a canopy of denial. We kill, we steal, we desecrate and we do this as the words, "God Bless America" fall out of our mouths. Now I understand why people burn the American flag. I'd burn one right now if I had one. I am embarrassed and ashamed to be an American.

Strangely it is the ones who are not in denial that face the pain of our actions. Even though I did not support this war, did not support Bush and have protested and done my part to try and make things right I still feel responsible. Am I alone in this?

And all the while so many good people are wracking their brains and working like Hell to try and stop this horror the Muslim hating war cheerleaders are sitting pompously with not a care in the world. (How strange that saying is: "Not a care in the world").

And then I think that in time we can get out of this mess and, "Rome wasn't built in a day". And it is followed by another thought. The US could destroy Rome in a day.

God help us.

[Tinoire]

71. Don't sob :) Come meet Monica and Kevin Benderman here at DU

To Stop a War - Welcome SGT Kevin Benderman and his wife Monica to DU!!!

They've been posting all afternoon :)

[Roxy66]

72. This is so amazingly scary and sad for our country....I pray for those

children

[loveable liberal]

3. done. n/t

[Karenina]

4. Kick!

:kick:

[Disturbed]

5. Amerika is in deep trouble.

When the Military dishoners itself and prosecutes real patriots.

[shadowknows69]

6. we need to set up a legal fund for soldiers like this.

No slight on our own Andy Stephenson and his plight but if we can raise 50k for someone's health care (disclaimer: I personally couldn't afford to donate to Andy) then we need to put our money where our mouths are and help fund issues like this that are bigger than any one man. We need to be able to buy some national media time for these soldiers to come forward and speak their minds. As I said my current finances barely keep me and my wife eating but I have a production company and I would gladly donate the labor involved to make a PSA commercial if someone else had the money to run it somewhere.

[Tinoire]

13. Agreed! I wish I had the money for your excellent offer!

Hopefully someone will be interested. Have you made it to the Bendermans? THAT would be awesome!

[shadowknows69]

15. Bendermans?

self edit due to monday stupidity. the name didn't click despite the fact I just read the article.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

7. done and i am forwarding this article to everyone on my list

[Swamp Rat]

8. Merci Tenoire!

:hug:

[ulysses]

9. thanks, Tinoire.

:thumbsup:

[G_j]

10. thanks (& nominated)

working on a letter now,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=6026

Friday 13th May 2005 (09h42) :

The people vs. Bush’s war : Put the war on trial

TESTIMONY FROM: Pablo Paredes, Monica Benderman, Howard Zinn, Dr. Salam Ismael, Jo Wilding, Justin Alexander, Monique Dols, Dahr Jamail, Bill Davis

[seemslikeadream]

11. I'm here

Will do everything I can.

Thanks
Tinoire

[Tinoire]

12. Thank you! All of you!

Benderman is the true patriot soldier- the kid I want to support so that others have the courage to come forward and say NO.

:loveya: all!

[seemslikeadream]

14. "The Soldier Cynthia McKinney called an American Hero needs YOUR help!"

[bobthedrummer]

16. Kick.

:dem::kick:

[Catrina]

17. A legal fund for soldiers

like Kevin Benderman and others who do not want to fight in illegal and unjust wars, is a great idea, imo.

Cynthia McKinney is the best ~ thank god she is back in Congress, we so need more representatives like her.

I did post this information in another thread, but if anyone wants to speak to Kevin Benderman or his wife, Monica, they are regular participants on this forum which is hosting, temporarily, the old Alternet forums.

They both have been contributers to the discussion on the troops for many months now, http://cafeutne.org/partners/bin/motet?show+-ukjLZS+-h+NeverGiveUp.TheWar+8+-10-

[Tinoire]

25. Thanks for that link! I'll ckeck it out tonight. What an amazing couple!

n/t

[bobthedrummer]

27. Welcome to DU, Catrina! Thanks for the link!

:hi:

[chlamor]

18. nominated

Sent two e-mails yesterday. Additional charges are being brought against Kevin.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

19. DONE!

:hi:

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. Done

Dear Sgt. Benderman,

Thank you for standing up against this war and for recognizing that we made the wrong choice to invade Iraq. (Our claims of running an humanitarian mission were belied all along by our use of civilian-unfriendly cluster bombs, land mines and Depleted Uranium.)

I support you for being a conscientious objector and having the spine to stand up for your principles. I hope that your actions will have a ripple effect and will eventually bring our troops home from the disaster that was the search for non-existant weapons of mass destruction.

Sincerely,

GPV

[elvisbear]

21. Kick

:kick:

[Green Mountain Dem]

23. Done..

Thanks for posting.

[Az_lefty]

24. "he served a tour of duty in the Occupation of Iraq"...

putting things in the proper perspective.

[Tinoire]

26. Thanks to everyone again! This is great & why I love DU!!

:loveya:!!!!

[monicab]

28. THANK YOU

It took a minute to find you all.. but I wasn't going to give
up.  Kevin and I want to thank you for your comments, and for
your support.  The emails we receive are only an inkling of
the support we have... and yet all of those emails are amazing
enough!!  You all give us so much strength and energy.  Kevin
is absolutely certain he has made the right choice, and will
fight what the military throws at him with everything he has. 
:-)  In a purely non-violent manner, naturally.  THANKS...
.for everything.  Monica Benderman

[merh]

29. Welcome to DU!

Welcome Monica! :pals:

We'll keep this thread kicked and try to get others to participate. I'll be drafing emails later on this evening and sending them out.

You and Kevin are in my prayers. :hug:

[monicab]

30. :-)

Thanks again. I have a feeling that Kevin and I will enjoy it here. We do have a lot to say, though... :-) but we're pretty confident that most of it is good.
Thanks again for the awesome support. I want to be sure to mention.. Kevin recently submitted an entirely new CO packet, with all new letters of recommendation. We are proud of the fact that out of 25 letters submitted with his new packet.. 4 of them came from Iraqi citizens. They are warm, good people, and we have so much respect for them. With everything they are going through, they still have time to stay in touch with us, and give us strength. How about that? Amazing. People reaching out for people... all because we want something so simple.. PEACE.

[Catrina]

31. Tinoire and Bobthedrummer

You're welcome ~ I also posted this thread on the other forum hoping Monica and Kevin would stop by and see the wonderful comments you all made, and incredible support that is obvious in all of your posts.

I have been lurking here since the debates, and the election and have been awed by the people here, the love you all have your country, and the strength, mixed with heart, that I have observed.

I saw the incredible effort you all made on behalf of a fellow DUer who was sick and was overwhelmed. That doesn't happen very often.

Today, when I saw that Tinoire had posted Kevin's story, I felt certain DUers would recognize right away, that he is a true hero.

As I said, I came to know Monica and Kevin when they came to our site, and I can only say, they are two of the most courageous, kind, intelligent and thoughful people I have come to know. And they, and other brave soldiers like Kevin, need all the support they can get at this difficult time.

After the hearing the other day, when the judge threw out the prosecution's charges, and then when the judge in the Pablo Paredes case, said what he said, it seemed to me, that maybe things are changing, just a little, because sometimes, just when you're ready to give up, something good happens, and it gives you the energy to keep going. As Monica said that day, 'the winds are changing' ~ maybe, I hope so!

Hi, Monica, I'm glad you stopped by ~ :-)

[Tinoire]

35. Thank you so much! Both Kevin and Monica are heroes.

Hi Catrina! You're right about the hero part. Both Kevin and Monica are heroes. It takes a lot of courage and integrity to stand up the way both have. Kevin and Monica make me proud to be an American again!

Welcome to DU! I hope you'll stick around and I promise to come check out your site.

Thank you for letting Monica and Kevin know that they have more support :)

:toast:

[merh]

45. .

:patriot:

[Tinoire]

34. Monica Benderman! WELCOME to DU!

What a pleasure to see you. Please know that you and your husband are in my prayers.

I was just now showing this thread to someone at work because we were discussing the war and how brain-washed so many people are into supporting it. I opened DU & came to this thread to show him a picture of the Bendermans as I announced "not everyone is brainwashed" and here you are!

Kevin has made the right choice and so have you! Thank you for being there to support him. We're here for you.

I am so proud of you. So proud of him! Please tell Kevin that there's a retired E-8 rooting for him.

The things you wrote and the things he wrote tugged at my heart. I was astounded by your writing. Please don't ever stop writing and getting the word out. Let us know what we can do to help you.

I'm thinking we should officially introduce you to DU right after this brouhaha about the Koran dies down a bit...

:hug:

[G_j]

37. thank you so much!!

I can't even begin to convey the gratitude and respect I have for you folks. Please know how much love there is out here for you.
What you are doing, you do for us all. You are standing up for the values of compassion and mercy that so many of us try to convey to our children, our neighbors, our country, the world. Thank you for setting a welcome example. Thank you for your courage.

[newyawker99]

64. Hi monicab!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ulysses]

32. I just pmed this thread to IrateCitizen.

IIRC, he started a group to help CO applicants after his own experience. Maybe he can help.

[Catrina]

33. Thank you

What a great, idea, Ulysses ~ I will check his site, I'm not familiar with it ~ :bounce:

[Catrina]

36. A question for Shadowknows69

Your idea sounds great ~ you said my current finances barely keep me and my wife eating but I have a production company and I would gladly donate the labor involved to make a PSA commercial if someone else had the money to run it somewhere.

My question is do you know how much something like that would cost?

I have been surprised at the publicity Kevin's case has received, Pablo Paredes' also. At least in the print press ~

Rep. Cynthia McKinney placing Kevin's case in the Congressional Record definitely helped, and what a great thing, so that future generations can see that not every just went along ~ thank you Cynthia!

[G_j]

38. kick

[Catrina]

39. Thank you, Tinoire :-)

If you do go to the site, check out the interview with Monica and Kevin which has a link at the top of the page I linked to.

:patriot:

[Tinoire]

40. I'll certainly do that!

Thank YOU Catrina! And THANK YOU to Kevin and Monica Benderman!

[Swamp Rat]

41. ... et merci beaucoup Tinoire!

;)

:kick:

[monicab]

42. good morning

WOW!!! Such an awesome site.. and so many good people.

We will keep on writing - for some reason we think it's what is supposed to happen in Kevin's case. We think people should know what things are like from a soldier/family perspective, and that the handling of soldiers issues should be addressed to the public, after all, isn't it the public that our soldiers work for? On the other side of the coin, there really is a need for the public to support the soldiers, not the war effort, but the soldiers who are questioning what is happening, and the soldiers who are trying to resolve the issues of their conscience. They can't do it alone - the military machine isn't going to let them. If you go back through our posts on the Never Give Up forum that Trina offered, you will see many stories of soldiers who want to speak out because of the injustices they have received. Not all soldiers have integrity, but many do, and just feel alone, right now.

As far as funding - we don't need much more from Kevin's defense fund, to handle his defense expenses. Once those needs have been met, the remainder will stay in the fund, and we will turn it into a non-profit foundation for soldiers who also have legal need due to CO issues. Our civilian attorney was chosen because he understood what we were trying to do. He made his retainer agreement reasonable, and he has offered to be available for any other soldiers as well, knowing that they will need good legal support, but are most definitely NOT rich.

THANK YOU again... we can't begin to tell you what all the support we are learning of really means. Have no doubt - we want our country back!!! Monica and Kevin

[Tinoire]

43. What is the correct URL for that site? I couldn't get in

Yes this truly is an awesome site and I'm eager to go to site where you and other soldiers have been speaking out but I got one of those little grey password boxes with no option for registration. I'm really curious to hear more, straight from the soldiers mouths because I have serious problems with the argument that we must support our troops by supporting the war and the occupation and not criticizing this immoral misuse!

Where do things stand for Kevin now or is it better not to talk too much about it? God bless your attorney by the way!

Peace

[monicab]

44. update

I will defer to Trina to get the correct URL for the NeverGiveUp forum. I'm not sure how to do that correctly.

As far as Kevin's case - the new Article 32 hearing will reconvene on May 26th, with the defense presenting several witnesses, as I believe the prosecution has completed their part.

The bogus finance issue will be addressed at that point. It is clearly an administrative error, and one, if not designed by the command, at least erroneously caused by the command. 5 out of 20 soldiers in Kevin's unit received extra pay by mistake... it was entered into the accounts as retroactive, so while they claim that they received it FROM Jan. 7th... Kevin and the others would have no notification of the extra money until the 1st of March. Interestingly.. Kevin is the only one of the 5 being charged with "larceny" in their accounting fiasco. The money started being deducted from their accounts in April.. so we just don't get the game. Except that it's most likely meant to divide supporters. You would think that life, especially one of their own... a soldier with almost 10 years of absolute clean service.. not one counseling statement in 10 years.. would matter a little bit more to them.

[Swamp Rat]

49. I will be with Kevin in spirit on that day

[bobthedrummer]

46. KICK!

Welcome to DU, Monica! Kevin-thank you for your service, be assured that we will be supporting you.
:dem::kick:

[Catrina]

47. Oops, sorry Tinoire

I forgot that you have to be registered to get into the site, my mistake, it's a simple process though. I don't have enough posts to email you the directions, and am not sure if it's okay to post them here ~ so I'll wait for instructions ~ :-)

Monica, it sounds as though Kevin has great attorney, he too deserves credit.

There is one thing I'm not clear about. Kevin was denied CO status, I know, and that led to the court maritial. Since the judge made the decision that the charges were biased, I understand that the prosecution then levelled more charges. It certainly looks like they are grasping at straws, with those new ones, and I wouldn't worry about dividing supporters, I think it's pretty obvious what's going on.

But my question is, if those are the only remaining charges, and they are dismissed (which I am praying will happen), what happens next? Can Kevin then re-apply for CO status, or will that end the legal process? If so, could it start all over again, with the military ordering him to go to Iraq? I've meant to ask that before.

:patriot:

[monicab]

50. CO status

Thanks to everyone. This is all so confusing, I know, Trina.. I will put it in a summary to help.

Back in Dec. 2004, Kevin filed for his CO status, because he could not, in good conscience, participate in war any longer, not this war.. and by extension.. no war. His commander refused to accept his application (a violation of army regs.) and his chaplain refused to address Kevin's concerns. This is the chaplain who said he was "ashamed" of Kevin for "not having the moral fortitude to deploy to Iraq." No one in his Battalion would help him with his CO appl. so Kevin tried to submit it on his own. It wasn't accepted. On the day that his unit began to deploy (deployment went on for 6 days) Kevin's CSM (command sgt. major) called Kevin to discuss his CO appl. and after the meeting, he released Kevin to go home to work on his packet. I was at that meeting, and it was conducted in a very unprofessional manner by the CSM (he even alluded to Kevin's "spousal abuse for making me workout at the gym all the time to maintain my figure.") Kevin invoked his rights at the outset, at the bidding of the CSM, and while he gave no answers, was questioned in spite of invoking his rights. (another violation.) Kevin and I went home, took our son out to dinner, answered a call from another soldier's wife, and when Kevin's command called him Sun. night, he took the order to report for duty the following morning, which he did. On that day, Kevin was placed in Rear Det. (the unit scheduled to stay back at Ft. Stewart, and not deploy.) Kevin was never given an order to deploy at any time. The next day, his new commander accepted his CO app. and began to process it. The new Chaplain(Div. command here at Ft. Stewart) found Kevin to be completely sincere in his appl. and wrote a memorandum to that effect. On Jan. 16th, this same command brought charges of Desertion and Missing Movement against Kevin. On Feb. 7th they had the first Art. 32 hearing to address those charges, and on Feb. 8th they held the hearing to interview Kevin for his CO appl.(this was conducted by an MI officer, not a chaplain.) The Inv. Officer (IO) of the Article 32 has since been recused, but she is the one who said the CM should proceed. The IO of the CO appl. hearing said that Kevin was not sincere, and proceeded to spend the next month arguing with Kevin's attorney in a series of rebuttal memorandums. The CO appl. was finally filed on Apr. 6th, and the response was returned from Wash. DC on Apr. 22nd.

Next, it was time for the CM to proceed.. May 11th started the hearings with motions being argued. It was at that point that the IO for the hearing was recused. This made the command angry, so they came up with this bogus finance charge. Kevin thought about appealing the CO decision, but we decided that it would be exactly what the command expected, and had already anticipated, so to throw them off, he asserted his rights according to the army regs.. and simply filed a brand new application, with new evidence and new testimony. Now they will have to consider the application from square one, unless they determine that the evidence is no different than the last application. In that case, we will appeal the first.

So... we don't know what comes next. The thing is, we are dealing with a large group of people, none of whom are telling the truth. It's hard to know what they are going to do next, when they don't know what they have already done. We can only wait, and be ready. We have the truth, it does not change... it can't change. We will just ride this out, and trust that our faith is in the right place, and it will win in the end. We can't thank you all for the incredible strength you give us by your support. It means so much.

Thank you.
Monica and Kevin

[proud patriot]

48. glad to help n/t

[Catrina]

51. Thanks, Monica and Kevin

I wasn't sure about whether you could appeal the decision on your CO application. What a shame that they cannot deal honestly and straighfordwardly with the soldiers who have served so well. I wonder what they believe will be accomplished by this?

I also wonder if they realize (or even care) about the image they are creating of the military. It's people like Kevin and Pablo and others who give the military a good reputation. They should be valued for that.

It seems it could be a long process, but I have a feeling that support will only grow for Kevin, the more time passes.



:patriot:

[G_j]

52. kick!

[monicab]

53. Thank you

Hello everyone here and I would like to say thank you for all the support and kind words that everyone is extending Monica and me.

I feel that we have to tell the truth so that it is out there for everyone to see and to use as they will.

I have seen the truth of war and I know first hand that it is a lie that is told to people that it is great and glamorous, if there was a way to make people really understand just what it really does to people and how it turns our young men and women into soulless automatons that can kill without thought to the harm that it does....

I am not ever going to participate in war again as I feel that we could be much further along as humans if we would spend as much effort on progressive thought and actions as we do on death and destruction, don't get me wrong, I don't mean to sound like I am preaching to you and I am not but there are a great many people that have yet to see the truth and are still caught up in the mistaken belief that we have to have war.

War is a destroyer of everything that is good about our world, including our young that are told that war is honorable, the waste of resources that could be better used in areas such as, housing education, medicine, job training, and countless other more productive endeavors.

It is going to take all of us working together to make these changes but I feel that it will be effort wisely spent. I know that many of you have been doing this for years and are way ahead of me in this effort and I have a lot of catching up to do but I am going to spend much effort now that I have seen the truth.

Kevin M Benderman

[G_j]

54. Kevin

It is hard for me to convey how important I believe what you are doing is. You are opposing a very powerful current, yet by this very opposition you are changing it. I have no doubt that there will many others to follow, and your courage and example will help them immensely.
I registered as a CO during the Vietnam war, but I don't think it took the courage that it must have taken for you. I had lots of support and the tide was already strongly turning. You are at the advance guard of a movement that WILL grow.

I recently read an article in a local paper about a Vietnam Vet who thirty years later was struggling terribly with PTSD. He went on to say how all the other Vets with PTSD that he knew were finding it impossible to function faced with the current news.
Thirty years and further from this day we will be living with similar tragedy and suffering. I cannot even comprehend what the consequences will be for the thousands of traumatized Iraqis.
This terrible, destructive cycle MUST be broken.
So once again, thank you!

in solidarity, peace & love, G_j

[Eloriel]

55. Kevin and Monica

Another "thank you" for what you are doing. I can't find words to convey what it means to me and indeed to the world, but I found some others' words eloquent.

Maybe I'll just give you a couple of my favorite Gandhi quotes. Not sure why that popped into my head, but here they are:

First they ignore you
Then they laugh at you
Then they fight you
Then you win. -- Gandhi



When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Always. -- Gandhi


One more seems apt, but not from Gandhi:

Each of us is put here in this time and this place to personally decide the future of mankind. Did you think you were put here for something less?" -- Chief Arvol Looking Horse


Needless to say, I heartily approve of your personal decisions about the future of mankind, and profoundly thank you for making those personal decisions so sweeping and impactful. You KNOW that when one exhibits courage, it makes it so much easier for others to do the same. It primes the pump.

[monicab]

56. to all

Neither Kevin, nor I are heroes. We don't see ourselves that way. We are people, just plain people who were tired of the way people like us were being taken advantage of. We tried to quietly help those we could, but unfortunately, doing it quietly did nothing. The powers that be at every level like things below them quiet. It helps them to retain the illusion of their power. We tried it quietly.. but we learned that we were given voices, because the help we give will only work if it is given loudly.

The heroes are the people in Iraq who continue to stand strong in their lives. The heroes are the people in this forum, many of whom have been speaking out for years, adding bricks to a foundation so that Kevin and I, Pablo Paredes, Camillo Mejia can come along and stand on that foundation and not waver. The heroes are the people that no one sees, who face the injustices thrown at them, holding on until people like us get so mad at what we see that we finally know there is nothing we can do except use what we are given to show the world how out of control the powers that be really are.

Kevin and I are angry, and become more so daily. We hear so many stories from soldiers and their families. They find us because of our website, or a news article, and hope we can help them. We can't always help them, except to send them to some of the awesome resources we now have, and trust that they will be taken care of by heroes that we have met along the way. I don't know if it's courage that makes us do what we do... or just the anger. We are not pacifists. We believe in Peace.. and we will fight for it. It will be a non-violent fight, but we will be aggressive. We have to be.. it's the only way we won't be angry any longer.

Thank you to all of you for the compliments you give.. but we don't deserve them. We are just doing what we SHOULD do... it's not a great thing.. it's a very simple thing. It just happens to be the unusual thing at this time.

[peace4all]

57. well said

heroes or no, I am glad that many of us are finding ways to tell the truth and do what is right. My heart breaks for the Iraqi people, they did nothing to deserve all these years of suffering. We must find and awaken the conscience of America.

[Tinoire]

58. Kevin & Monica - Bless you both

I don't know how to say thank you enough. Would it be alright with you if this week-end I posted an introductory thread at DU for you so that more people will realize you're here?

[Catrina]

59. If Kevin and Monica

agree, that sounds like a wonderful idea, Tinoire ~ :-)

Eloriel, I too love this Ghandi quote:

When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Always.

I like the 'for a time they can seem invincible' part, because it makes me realize when I get impatient and want to end this period NOW, that it does take time to stop the kind of madness this administration started. Look how long it was for S. Africa and Mandela, eg. But I am impatient, I want to see the 'frog-march' Joe Wilson talked about, sooner rather than later.

Monica, I know you don't consider yourselves heros ~ I know how modest you both are. We live in difficult times, and they will only get better when people have the courage to stand up and say 'no' as Kevin did.

:patriot:

[Tinoire]

60. Can you ask them what day would work for them? Maybe Saturday

and I'll do so...

Peace

[monicab]

61. thank you

we will be available this weekend.. just let us know what, when etc.. we appreciate you, and your willingness to support Kevin.

thank you.

[Tinoire]

62. It's my honor, my pleasure

especially as a retired E-8.

I know what Kevin is giving up. I can only imagine the courage it takes to say NO, to basically turn away from your buddies and say you will no longer be part of their team, that no matter what they throw at you, you are willing to walk away from every benefit you built up because killing innocents is wrong... Oh I can only imagine. When I say Kevin is a hero, I mean that. And he's got one hell of a wife to stand by him throughout this!

Saturday it is then. I'll be on the West Coast Saturday and will do it that morning. I'll send you a PM to work out the particulars.

Peace

[G_j]

63. kick

[Catrina]

65. I'll watch for that also Tinoire

I know this may sound ignorant, but could explain what an E-8 is? :-)

[Tinoire]

67. Hi Catrina

It's a Master Sergeant, non-commissioned rank in the military (Army in my case).

Peace

[Tinoire]

68. Hi Catrina. Please tell Kevin & Monica to check their e-mail

at their defense site.

Peace

[G_j]

66. kick

[Catrina]

69. Okay, Tinoire,

I will post a message for them, in case they have not already received your email ~ and I'll email them also ~ :-)

Thank you for the explanation, and for your service! :patriot: