Very exciting news from Fort Benning Georgia!
As thousands gather to call for the closure of the notorious School of the Americas (SOA/ WHINSEC),
Army National Guard Specialist Katherine Jashinski will, Thursday morning, publicly announce her refusal to be deployed to the Middle East.

See press release below for more details and forward to your contacts!

GI resisters, conscientious objectors, and dissent within the military deserve our support as they stand up for human rights and dignity, democratic rights, and international law.
Widespread public support and pressure can help protect these courageous individuals from feelings of isolation and from repression of them and their rights. The fact that soldiers, veterans and military families have re-inspired the US antiwar movement and successfully countered the story of the war on terror is incredibly hopeful!

Be on the lookout for more from Courage to Resist on how to support Katherine and all those who refuse to fight in illegal and immoral wars.
http://www.CouragetoResist.org
For more on what’s happening at Fort Benning this week,
http://www.SOAW.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 16, 2005
Woman GI Publicly Stands Against War as She Faces Immediate Deployment to Middle East WHEN: Thursday, November 17, 11:30 AM WHERE: Front Gate of Ft. Benning, Georgia on Fort Benning Road WHAT: Public Statement of Conscientious Objection by Female GI on eve of her deployment to Middle East Fort Benning, GA ­ Army National Guard Specialist Katherine Jashinski, on active duty with the 111th ASG since January of this year, will make a public statement against war as a conscientious objector in the face of orders to participate in weapons training and deploy to the Middle East. She will be joined by several members of Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace. Jashinski applied for a discharge as a Conscientious Objector in 2004. The Army recently denied her claim and ordered her to weapons training and deployment this week.

Speakers at the press conference include Aidan Delgado, an Army Conscientious Objector and member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. Iraq Veterans Against the War supports the right of every soldier to follow their conscience. Today's revelation that chemical weapons were used against citizens in Falluja is evidence that the war is illegal and immoral.

Jashinski's counselor, Persian Gulf War Army Conscientious Objector Aimee Allison, will speak at tomorrow's press conference. Speaking today, Allison stated, "As the first woman GI to publicly take a stand against this war and to declare herself a Conscientious Objector, Katherine's actions are very significant. She is showing remarkable courage."

Jashinski's lawyer, J.E. McNeil with the Center for Conscience and War, will also discuss her legal status and the case. She comments, "Denying Katherine CO status is yet another in a long line of actions by the military to defy its own rules in order to get the numbers of soldiers they need to continue this war."

Katherine is actively supported by Code Pink, a women-initiated grassroots peace group. Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink adds, "I applaud Katherine's courageous stand against the continued U.S. role in bringing violence to the Middle East."

Father Roy Bourgeois, a Vietnam War veteran and founder of School of the Americas Watch will also speak. Jashinki's statement comes on the eve of a national demonstration at the gates of Fort Benning calling for the closure the U.S. Army School of the Americas. "U.S. foreign policy as it exists today is fundamentally out of alignment with Americans values of peace and justice."

Courage to Resist is a small all volunteer group of antiwar activists, veterans, and military families who saw a need to build support for antiwar resistance and dissent within the military. This newsletter and the campaign to support GI resistance has incredible potential and is urgently needed, but it's success depends on you, your group and your community participating.

Please consider:
1) Signing up to participate on our GI Resistance Alert Network to receive Action Alerts about GI resisters who need phonecalls, emails, public education and demonstrations of support.

2) If you know of stories or needs for support of GI resisters and objectors please let us know at courage@riseup.net. You can sign up on our website as either an individual or for your organization.

A better world is possible, Courage to Resist