Pablo Paredes

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Pablo Paredes (b. 1981, The Bronx, New York) was a Petty Officer Third Class and weapons-control technician in the United States Navy who refused to board the USS Bonhomme Richard as it deployed to the Persian Gulf December 6, 2004 as part of the Operation Iraqi Freedom. After a unauthorized absence, he returned to the Navy on December 18, 2004 ^[1]. The same day he made a statement to local press saying that he was fully aware of the possible repercussions of his decision. ^[2] He is the first and only to date member of the United States Navy refuse deployment and makes the United States Air Force the only branch in which no one has refused duty. During his 2002 tour in Japan Paredes encountered several people outside of the military who where highly critical of the US military interventions, at this time the US was only involved in Afghanistan. After his returned to the United States in 2004, Paredes tired unsuccessfully tried to switch to the military police in order to avoid involvement in the war. Paredes then applied for discharge as a conscientious objector on January 4, 2005 but was denied by the Navy in July of that year. After his refusal to join his ship he was brought up on two charges, violation of Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 86, absence without leave and Article 87 Missing movement and eventually found guilty on both counts by Courts Martial on May 10, 2005. The sentencing came the day after his conviction and included two months restriction, three months hard labor without confinement, and reduction in rank from E-4 to E-1 and a dishonorable discharge. September 19, 2005 Paredes filed a law suite against the United States Navy in Federal District Court. The petition says that the Navy improperly rejected his application for discharge as a conscientious objector and asks the Court to order the Navy to give Paredes an honorable discharge. ^[3]. The request was denied by both the courts and the Navy and Peredes has submitted a rebutal and is awaiting the final decision of the courts.