COUNTERING MILITARY RECRUITMENT
Articles: Counter-Recruitment: General
Students, vets combat Iraq occupation
Josh Sykes, Fight Back News
March 2008
Asheville, NC - Members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) atthe University of North Carolina Asheville and the Asheville chapter
of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) staged an exciting
counter-recruitment action here, Feb. 5, that brought the war home to
students at UNCA.
It was a quiet day in the Highsmith Student Union and handful of SDS
members were tabling with anti-war and counter-recruitment literature
across from the U.S. Marine Corps recruiting table while students
were eating lunch. Suddenly, two members of UNCA SDS and two members
of IVAW-Asheville burst into the hall, dressed in desert camouflage
and shouted orders to a group of students who were playing the roles
of Iraqi civilians.
According to the 'joint statement' released by UNCA SDS and
IVAW-Asheville, "The 'soldiers' shouted commands (with profanity) to
the 'civilians' to get on the ground, forced them down, interrogated
them, zip-tied their hands, placed sacks over their heads, and took
them away." Jason Hurd, the president of IVAW-Asheville said, "Raids
like this one occur daily in occupied Iraq." As this took place more
than 75 students looked on, crowding the balconies and halls to see
what was happening. After the mock raid was over Hurd told the crowd
that if they signed a contract with the Marines they would very
likely be doing something just like this.
The statement says that the action was, "a statement against war and
militarism as well as an indictment of the criminal regime here at
home. Our government exploits U.S. soldiers who come predominantly
from working-class and oppressed communities. Only the rich profit
from this war. Therefore, we express solidarity with all U.S. service
members; we see them as our natural allies in the fight against all
oppression."
"Unfortunately, " the statement continues, "we realize that our
government trains military recruiters to use deception as a means to
maintain America's wars. For instance, military recruiters downplay
the probability that new recruits will serve in combat. Furthermore,
recruiters over-emphasize college money, job training and other
veterans benefits to gloss over every service member's primary
function: to fight and win America's wars. Recruiters conveniently
leave out details concerning combat service which may frighten
potential recruits; instead, recruiters emphasize fun, travel and adventure."
"In the real world, veterans age 20-24 are twice as likely as their
peers to be unemployed. Only 5.6% of returning veterans use the
college money available to them. On average, these funds only cover
half the cost of public university tuition or one-fifth the cost at a
private college. 75% of African Americans and 67% of Latinos
experience racism while serving. 28% of women report being raped
while in the service, and many rapes go completely unreported. Only
12% of males and 6% of females make use of skills they learn in the
military. Finally, U.S. war veterans are twice as likely to kill
themselves as ordinary civilians."
Angela Denio, a UNCA SDS member and participant in the 'raid' was
quoted in the statement as saying, "This war is a complete injustice
perpetrated against the people of Iraq. The anti-war movement must
rise in solidarity with the Iraqi people and their just struggle for
national liberation."
The Iraq Veterans Against the War are hosting their Winter Soldier
event March 13-16 in Washington D.C. There, echoing an event held by
Vietnam Veterans Against the War in 1971 during the Vietnam War,
veterans will speak out and give testimony of their experiences in
Iraq and Afghanistan. IVAW members and supporters will be hosting
house party events to watch it live on satellite television and over the web.
Students for a Democratic Society is calling for national days of
action on campuses around the country March 17 - 21 t to mark the
fifth anniversary of the war. Last year over 80 schools participated
in the SDS call to action. As we go to press, 66 campus groups at
high schools and colleges around the country have signed on to this
year's call.
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