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S.F. War Protestors Rally For Soldier

Sunday, May 13, 2007

By Katie Hammer

May 13 - KGO (KGO) -- War protesters rallied Sunday in San Francisco in support of a U.S. soldier just released from prison. He served six months for refusing to deploy for a second tour of duty in Iraq.

Augustin Aguayo says he never could have prepared for the death and devastation he saw in Iraq. He says once he got there he no longer believed in war. Now for the first time he is speaking out and talking about his decision to oppose war.

On crowded church steps in downtown San Francisco, 35-year-old Augustin Aguayo spoke to peace activists about the moment in Iraq when he realized he no longer believed in war.

Augustin Aguayo, opposed to war: "I realized deep within me that I couldn't hurt anyone, that I couldn't take life."

Aguayo returned to California last week after serving six months in a military prison in Germany. He was sentenced to jail time after failing to deploy for a second tour of duty in Iraq. The father of two signed up to be an army medic in 2003. He said he had big dreams of a bright future.

Augustin Aguayo: "I went to my recruiter and I said to him what can I do for the Army?"

It wasn't till he arrived in Iraq that he changed his mind about war. He filed for conscientious objector status and was denied. A ruling that doesn't surprise ABC 7 Legal Analyst Dean Johnson.

Dean Johnson, ABC7 Legal Analyst: "In general you have to show a long development of a moral and religious commitment against war."

Aguayo is pursuing his fight, and has filed a lawsuit against the military. In the meantime he is taking his message of peace to the streets of San Francisco, and is finding support in people like Karen Meredith who lost her son in Iraq.

Karen Meredith, mother of fallen soldier: "I know Ken and the other 3,393 other troops will never be forgotten because of this commitment to peace. We hasten the day that we will bring the troops home and let the U.S. and Iraqi people begin to heal their hearts and their bodies and their countries."

Aguayo filed his suit against the military last week. ABC7's Legal Analyst Dean Johnson says it's unlikely he will be successful. Jonhson says Aguayo doesn't have enough proof that he had a commitment against war for an extended period of time.

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