I got yet another email today from my friend Chuck Fager, who runs Quaker House in that hotbed of the US military culture, Fayetteville, NC. He’s asking for our help. Mainly, but not only, letter-writing.
Here’s what he writes:
- Dear Friends–
Once again, we ask for your help in supporting a military Conscientious Objector, who is in jail for sticking to his beliefs.
The GI in question is a Marine, Joel Klimkewicz. He’s been in the brig at Camp Lejeune, NC since mid-December. He’s serving seven months for refusing an order to pick up a weapon. He’s also being given a Bad Conduct Discharge, one of the military’s worst punishments, usually reserved for serious felonies.
- More background about Joel’s case is below. I visited Joel in the brig on January 8, and found him in good spirits, and with visitors from his local Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church. He’s not alone. The national leadership of the SDA church is also working to have Joel’s sentence cut short and get him out of jail. There has been press interest in Joel’s case, and there may be more.
But Joel still needs help. His military paychecks have stopped, and he has a wife and daughter to support. The SDA church efforts to free him need public support.
After you’ve looked over the articles below, here’s what you’re asked to do:
Write TWO letters. One to Joel, at the brig. Address the other one to two Marine Generals: the Commandant, Michael W. Hagee; or the Commander of the Second Marine Division, Richard Huck. The addresses are below.
Thanks for your support — and if this case speaks to you, please pass it on.
Peace,
Chuck Fager, Director
Quaker House, Fayetteville NC
910-323-3912
chuckfager@aol.com
www.quakerhouse.org
DETAILS
FAX numbers are included for the generals. In the letter to the generals, here are some points to mention about Joel Klimkewicz’s case:
* Joel did not try to get out of the Marines. He only requested noncombatant status based on clear religious beliefs, which are supported by his church.
* Joel volunteered to go to Iraq and help clear mines, a very dangerous assignment.
* The Bad Conduct Discharge is excessive overkill — it unfairly puts Joel in a category with robbers and rapists, when all he did was peacefully follow his religious beliefs.
* Such mistreatment of a sincere, loyal soldier is un-American, anti-religious, and brings discredit on the Marine Corps.
* Ask them to release Joel immediately AND upgrade his discharge to Honorable.
To increase the impact of your letter, send a copy to your member of Congress and/or US Senators with a cover note.
And to repeat: if this case speaks to you, pass this information on to others.
Friends and others have done a great job of showing support for military COs facing official persecution. As the apparently endless ‘war on terror’ goes on, here’s a chance to do so again.
Joel’s address:
Joel Klimkewicz
Bldg 1042 PSC 20140
Camp Lejeuene NC 28542
Marine Generals:
Marine Commandant Michael W. Hagee
CMC PA HQMC
3000 Marine Corps
Pentagon 4B548
Washington DC 20350-3000
FAX: 703-697-5362
Second Marine Division Commander
Richard Huck
CPAO Bldg 67
Camp Lejeune NC 28542
FAX: 910-451-5882
ARTICLES:
Detroit Free Press January 7, 2005
BRIAN DICKERSON: Punishment for Marine bears idiocy, from The Detroit Free Press, January 7, 2005
DARRYL Q. TUCKER, Newly Found Faith Lands Marine in Jail, from the Saginaw (Mchigan) News, December 31, 2004.
Please take a moment to do this if you can. It can make a real difference.