PeaceRoots.org

Where The Killing Stops: Soldiers Turned Peacemakers

Session moderator Jeff Schutts began the session by saying, “We know from history that the true changes come when soldiers refuse to fire on others.” Kyle, a tattooed spiky haired 22-year AWOL soldier, who has been living in Canada, was the star of each session. His sincere tortured way of telling his story was very powerful.

Kyle’s story: He joined the Army at age 18, because he was a foster kid that didn’t do well in school. He was engaged, wanted to have a family and be someone. While at Job Corps a recruiter pursued him, and Kyle thought, “This guy is so professional. I can get $5,000, go to college and be professional like the recruiter.

Kyle first became disillusioned when the Army wouldn’t let him out of boot camp to go to this Grandfather’s funeral. Then his fianc, who was pregnant with their child, was having medical problems and the baby was in jeopardy. But because they weren’t married the Army wouldn’t give her medical insurance and the baby died.

Depression hit. They gave him Paxil and Ativan and told him to “suck it up.”

Soon in Iraq, he was a gunner accompanying the generals and big wigs. After 3 months in Iraq, a buddy asked to take the 50 cal. machine gun one day and without cause the guy shoots the legs of an innocent civilian who is sweeping along side the road. Kyle asked for an investigation and was refused. Basically they military tried to convince him that the shooting was provoked and not to say otherwise.

Kyle was sent to a mental facility, because he told them he didn’t agree with their training. Kyle found a woman on the Internet in Canada and when he was on leave in the US, made his way north. Although that relationship didn’t work out, Kyle met Jeff and has been assisted ever since by the War Resisters Campaign in Canada. He also maintains that he has a strong connection through the Internet with many of the soldiers that he was with in Iraq and they support him. He is grateful for the kindness and assistance of Canadians, and speaks out to assist the War Resisters Support Campaign to get support and to bolster his own case with their government.