Marine Jailed for Refusing to Pick Up Gun

[femalemarine_89]

RALEIGH, N.C. - A soldier who re-enlisted with the Marines after becoming a Seventh-Day Adventist has been jailed for refusing to pick up a gun.

Cpl. Joel D. Klimkewicz, 24, of Birch Run, Mich., was sentenced last month in a court-martial to seven months in Camp Lejeune's brig. He also received a reduction in rank to private and a bad conduct discharge.


Klimkewicz was charged with refusing to obey order two years to draw a weapon from his unit's armory for a training exercise in preparation for an Iraq (news - web sites) deployment.


In refusing the order, Klimkewicz told his superiors he was a conscientious objector and cited his new status as a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.


The church supports noncombatant status for its members who serve in the military, but leaves such decisions to a member's individual conscience.


Klimkewicz joined an Adventist church in Jacksonville before he re-enlisted in 2003. He sought conscientious objector status, which was rejected last March.


"Conscientious objector status has to be granted," said Capt. Jeff Pool, a spokesman for the 2nd Marine Division at Lejeune. "Since his package was denied, it was just simply disobeying an order. That is what he was charged with."


The timing of Klimkewicz's conversion and re-enlistment were issues in his case, church attorney Mitchell Tyner said Tuesday. The Marine Corps said he should have known better than to re-enlist after joining the church, he said.


"Marines are not big on this kind of thing," Tyner said in a telephone interview from the church office in Silver Spring, Md. "The whole thing comes down to the timing."


Tyner said Klimkewicz was to be one of 10 troops sent to Iraq as replacements for other Marines. He told authorities he would work removing mines in Iraq, but did not want to carry a weapon.

[Sgt. Smitty]

Why the hell did he join our Corps then? Not too bright this one. Got what he deserved, no room for *******s like him in MY CORPS.

[femalemarine_89]

Thats what I thought when I read the article. The damn thing is he was a part of that church then and if that is how he believed he never should have reinlisted.

[JAG5150]

Maybe he just needs some closed door office hours. This is the last person who should hold the Title Marine. This guy needs to be pushing paper at some accounting firm.

[Sgt. Smitty]

Or pumpin gas

[JAG5150]

Hey the way the government is going he'll be in congress in no time.

[humblysuperior]

>"This is the last person who should hold the Title Marine."<


Really? Do you feel that, say, Lee Harvey Oswald or maybe John Wayne Gacy, to name two people, should hold the title Marine over a guy who said he would be ok removing land mines? Seems to me that would be a perfect place for him as opposed to sending him to the brig. What's the worst that could happen? He gets blown up? Personally, I would prefer the brig over having to remove mines, that is one dangerous job.


S/F, hum

[humblysuperior]

Originally posted by JAG5150
Hey the way the government is going he'll be in congress in no time.

Yep, as long as he is a Republican...


S/F, hum

[Namvet67]

I would like to know who let this guy out of bootcamp. Refuse a direct order? That's the army in him. I guess they didn't get it all out of him in boot.

[B A Hall]

I don't think he deserves to be in our country,Canada wants to hide these draft dodgers let him go to that cold ass country.

[JAG5150]

Actually Humbly makes a good point, let him clear out some mines, that way we can keep our young Marines who do their job safe. At least until he steps on a live one.

[humblysuperior]

Happy Birthday JAG!!!


S/F, hum

[bigwalt]

Since I'm from MI I will personnaly kick his a$$ across the bridge to Canada once he returns to MI! Get him out of my Corps!

[JAG5150]

Bigwalt, I might just have to take a trip and assist you in this mission. Not that you'll need any help but why not it might be a bit fun.

[bigwalt]

Come on down Jag. After we take care of business we can visit some of the local establishments.