Iraq War Objector Returns to Guard Unit

A soldier who refused to return to duty in Iraq reported to his unit in Florida on Tuesday and said he would go to prison rather than take part in “an oil-driven war.”

Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia, who is seeking to be declared a conscientious objector, met with officials at his Florida National Guard unit after repeating his determination not to return to the Middle East and fight.

“I’m prepared to go to prison because I’ll have a clear conscience,” Mejia said.

Guard spokesman Jon Myatt said Mejia had been classified as a deserter because he had been missing from his unit for more than 30 days.

Myatt said a warrant to arrest Mejia could be issued if he failed to appear today at Ft. Stewart, Ga., from which his unit is deployed. He said the 28-year-old Mejia had not been charged.

Mejia said he had been treated with “respect and dignity” by the military and he intended to report to the Georgia base.

Mejia, a Miami Beach resident, could face up to one year in prison for being absent without leave and up to five years if convicted of desertion, said Tod Ensign, director of Citizen Soldier, a New York group organizing Mejia’s defense.

Mejia was in Iraq for about five months last year, until October when he came home on leave and did not return to duty. He surrendered Monday at an Air Force base in Massachusetts and was ordered to report to his guard unit.

“The justification for this war is money and no soldier should go to Iraq and give his life for oil,” Mejia said Tuesday.

When he reported to the Florida armory, he was accompanied by his mother, an aunt and Spc. Oliver Perez, who served with him.

Perez said Mejia was “a brave leader” and should not be prosecuted.

“I fought next to him in many battles,” Perez said. “He is not a coward.”

Mejia’s lawyer, Louis Font, said he faxed papers seeking conscientious objector status to Ft. Stewart.

In the filing, Mejia said he was particularly upset over an incident in which his unit was ambushed and civilians were hit in the ensuing gunfire, and another in which he said an Iraqi boy died after confusion over which military doctor should treat him.

He also criticized his superiors for “instances of abuse of power, bad leadership and total disregard for the well-being of soldiers and civilians.”

Maj. Darryl Wright, a base spokesman, confirmed receiving the papers but refused further comment. “In all fairness to the soldier, we don’t want his case tried in public until we get him here,” Wright said.