 "Photo: Maddie Crum, Daily Texan Staff")
Before going to Iraq for the first time, Camilo Mejia viewed the political controversies surrounding the war as “somebody else’s tragedy.” He remained detached from the events that occurred thousands of miles away from his home in Florida, but when he received his call to duty in Iraq, he decided to uphold the oath he had taken when he joined the military.
So he went.
Mejia, an Iraq War veteran and chairman of the Iraq War Veterans Against the War, promoted his new book, “Road from Ar Ramadi: The Private Rebellion of Staff Sergeant Carlos Mejia” to a crowd of anti-war sympathizers Thursday. After one Iraq tour in 2003, Mejia was asked in 2004 to serve a second tour but refused. He was court-martialed and sent to jail for nine months in 2005.
Mejia and his unit’s first assignment in 2003 was to guard a prisoner of war camp that held Iraqi combatants and civilians.
“Our main task was sleep deprivation — to keep them alive, but to not let them fall asleep,” he said.
They kept the prisoners — hooded with sand bags and their hands tied behind their backs — in a concrete bunker. If one of them fell asleep, a soldier would grab a sledgehammer and bang the concrete wall. The resulting sound simulated a bomb. If that didn’t keep them awake, soldiers were ordered to cock an unloaded pistol to the prisoners’ heads.
When he came back to the United States, Mejia found himself lauded as a hero by his friends and family. He said that while he was in Iraq, he never had the opportunity to process what was happening; he always had to focus on the next moment, on the next attack.
It was when his friends and family asked him about his experiences that he first began to think about what had happened in Iraq.
“‘Did you kill anybody?’ they would ask,” he said.
When the military called him for another tour, Mejia said he faced a moral dilemma.
“I had to decide if I wanted to be a good human or good soldier,” he said.
Five months after receiving his letter, he held a press conference announcing his decision and then immediately turned himself into the nearest military base. Within two months, he was tried and sent to jail.
Active Marine Michael Nordstrom and other members of the Iraq War Veterans Against the War sat next to Mejia during the presentation and would occasionally answer questions from the audience. Nordstrom recently received a letter calling him back to Iraq for a second tour. The letter came this summer, and when Nordstrom opened it, he said he couldn’t stop crying. He plans to follow in Mejia’s footsteps.
“I’d rather hang out in jail than spend 13 more months in Iraq,” Nordstrom said. “I’d rather be able to sleep at night.”
Philosophy junior Joey Meyer came to the presentation with no expectations.
“I had a blank palette, but I thought the talk was effective and was impressed by the warm oasis of support for Mejia,” Meyer said.
Old Buick Tanker and I have the equal right to challenge Mejia's comments as he does to make them in the first place. To say we can con not disagree with him for disagreeing in the first place is idiotic and circular. As for the veterans parade I will be there also and hope that we can all remember the purpose or MISSION of the parade. "To honor the service and sacrifices of this country's veterans and nothing more." No politcal statements needed. Also, as I have included below, it against regualtion for retired service members to wear the uniform in protest, demonstrations, or any other type of public demonstration. That includes pro-mission and anti-mission events. That said, all UT vets feel welcome to join the American Legion Post 76 off of Mopac and the river for breakfast the morning of the parade. Semper fidelis,
Knox Nunnally Retiree Uniform Restrictions.Wear of the member's uniform is prohibited for all retirees:In connection with the promotion of any political or commercial interests or when engaged in off duty civilian employment. Reserve technicians who are also members of the Ready Reserve may wear their uniform at their option while on duty in their civil service status.
When participating in public speeches, interviews, picket lines, marches, rallies, or public demonstrations, except as authorized by competent authority.
When wearing the uniform would bring discredit upon the Uniformed Services.
When specifically prohibited by DoD Regulations.
I've been there and done that (and more) when you were still sh*tt*ng yellow. And I STILL say that you're a punk, a coward, and a bum. And I'll be glad to say it to your face any day. Pissed Off Squid, I'm not sure what you're getting at. You think I'd put down a Vietnam Vet? Wrong. But if you think that Camilo Mejia gave anybody anything other than bunch of jihadi propaganda, you're even more wrong (if that's possible).I say it again, and would gladly say it to his face: Camilo Mejia is a liar and a coward.
Rationalize it however you will.