GI Rights Hotline profile picture

GI Rights Hotline

GIs-KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! 800-394-9544

About Me

Lewis and Clark Military Counseling Project

The Lewis & Clark Military Counseling Project is an Oregon based counseling service operated as a student-collective and a subset of the student chapter of the National Lawyers' Guild. The project aims to (1) counter the military's effort to swindle, coerce, and deceive the youth of America into entering military service; and (2) provide direct counseling and information to GI's attempting to withdraw from military service.

Some things to remember:

It's wise to:

get civilian counseling before signing anything you're not sure about.

keep a log when seeking discharge or documenting harassment.

make at least two copies of documents--keep one and send one to one trusted person off-base, such as a counselor, attorney, friend, or family member.

Rumors about automatic discharges after six months or whenever are not true.

In the 1947 Nuremberg Trials, the US government held that there was a duty to resist carrying out crimes against humanity, defined as "murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, and other inhumane acts committed against any civilian population, before or during the war; or persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds."

Congressmembers can conduct inquiries and initiate investigations of the military; an aide in each member's local office is supposed to help constituents with problems with the military. See www.congress.org . Talk to a counselor first to find out how to pursue this option.

GIs have the legal right to:

Consult with a congressional office, civilian counselor or service, or a lawyer about a problem.

Appeal any court-martial conviction, discharge denial, or non-judicial punishment.

Say what you think and feel about the military, and participate in peaceful demonstrations, when you're off-duty, out of uniform, off-base, and in the U.S.A. (DoD Directive (1325.6).

Be protected against racial, sexual, and sexual orientation harassment and discrimination (Articles 93, 134, UCMJ).

Be protected from assault by other military personnel (Articles 93, 117, 120, 124, 128, 134, UCMJ).

Request redress from your Commanding Officer for any grievance (Article 138, UCMJ).

Write a formal complaint against your Commanding Officer if you are not granted redress (Article 138, UCMJ).

GIs do not have the legal right to:

Demonstrate on-base or breach law-and-order anywhere. You cannot take part in anything "when violence is likely to result."

Encourage violence or urge others to violate regulations, disobey lawful orders, desert, or refuse to do their jobs.

Call high government officials names, including "fascist," "thief," "murderer," "tyrant," "fool," or "gangster."

Join a labor union (DoD Directive 1325.6).

Sue the military for damages (Feres Doctrine).

Seeking A Discharge:

You may seek a discharge from the military at any time. Regulations which superior officers are required to follow cover every kind of discharge.

You may be able to get out of the military if:
You are opposed to war in general.

Military life or your assignment creates an unusual hardship for your dependents.

You have a persistent medical or psychological problem which makes military service difficult.

You are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

You qualify for another discharge available under military regulations.

Educate yourself first. Talk to the GI Rights Hotline; talk to a civilian lawyer with experience in military law.

For more information:

Central Committee for Conscientous Objection

Bring Them Home Now

Center on Conscience & War

Iraq Veterans Against the War

Military Families Speak Out

National Lawyers' Guild/Military Law Task Force

Proyeecto Guerrero Azteca

Veterans for Peace

Code Pink: Women for Peace

My Interests

Angry, Alarmed, or fed-up with what the military has done to you, or made you do to others? Do something about the way you feel. Your commander might not like it, but many inside and outside the military agree with you. Acting alone can make you a target, but find out what you can do with others to preserve the liberties and human rights, and to stand proud with others who want to do the right thing. Hold on to your humanity. You have the right to keep a copy of this phone number or any other information at any time (DoD Directive 1325.6). Read military regulations and the Bill of Rights. Get help. Contact this organization, or an organization listed here.

Remember that Rights are Not Given--They are Fought for and Exercised.

1-800-394-9544

Overseas: 215-563-4620

It is important to remember, if you are in the military and want out, or you know someone who is in the military who wants out, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

There are people who want to help, and there are people who feel the same way. Please call the GI Rights Hotline or get in touch with us through this site.

I'd like to meet:

First, anyone that needs or could at some point need direct counseling or information on withdrawing from military service. Secondly, anyone interested in spreading the word about the US Military's effort to swindle, coerce, and decieve the youth into enlisting into service.

Before You Enlist!



Straight talk from soldiers, veterans and their family members tells what is missing from the exciting images presented by military recruiters and their marketing efforts. The message is not “don’t enlist” but rather to provide young people and their families a more complete picture of the life-altering consequences of joining the military – especially in wartime. 15 minutes.

Movies:

Before You Enlist!


Straight talk from soldiers, veterans and their family members tells what is missing from the exciting images presented by military recruiters and their marketing efforts. The message is not “don’t enlist” but rather to provide young people and their families a more complete picture of the life-altering consequences of joining the military – especially in wartime. 15 minutes.

On May 17, 1968, nine people walked into a Selective Service office in Catonsville, Maryland, removed 378 draft A-1 files from a filing cabinet, took them outside to a parking lot, poured homemade napalm over them, and set them on fire. They did this, "because everything else [had] failed." The peace activists were Philip Berrigan, Daniel Berrigan, David Darst, John Hogan, Tom Lewis, John Melville, Marjorie Melville, George Mische, and Mary Moylan. They were arrested, tried and subsequently convicted of destruction of U.S. property, destruction of Selective Service files, and interference with the Selective Service Act of 1967. This is civil disobedience at its best--an active refusal to obey certain laws of a government without resorting to physical violence. No one was harmed, and their point was made.

It is important to remember, if you are in the military and want out, or you know someone who is in the military who wants out, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! There are people who want to help, and there are people who feel the same way. Please call the GI Rights Hotline or get in touch with us through this site.

Books:

10 Excellent Reasons Not to Join the Military

My Blog

Info and Resources

GIs-KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! 800-394-9544Help Spread the Word - GI Rights Hotline MySpace Page:http://www.myspace.com/gi_rights_hotlineAngry, Alarmed, or fed-up with what the military has done to you, or mad...
Posted by GI Rights Hotline on Sun, 10 Dec 2006 02:50:00 PST