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Deserter Ready To Turn Himself In
More than a year after sneaking away from his unit at Fort Bragg, an Army sergeant said Friday he'll turn himself over to military custody.Ricky Clousing, 24, planned to go to authorities at Fort Lewis, south of Seattle, after his news conference Friday at the University of Washington. Less than six months in Iraq, seeing the "daily physical, psychological and emotional harassment of civilians" had left him confused and disenchanted with the United States' role in the war, Clousing told The Associated Press in an interview a day before his official announcement. "My experience in Iraq really made me second-guess my ability to perform as a soldier and also forced me to question my beliefs in associating myself" with the Army, the Sumner man said. Officials in Fort Bragg, N.C., did not return an Associated Press call for comment on the case Thursday. Fort Lewis officials said they did not know about Clousing's case and could not comment. Clousing said he won't participate in what he considers to be a "war of aggression" that has "no legal basis to be fought." Clousing sneaked out of Fort Bragg in June 2005. Beginning last fall, his lawyers said, they contacted Fort Bragg and later Fort Lewis to try to negotiate a discharge. But neither installation claims responsibility for him, said attorney Lawrence Hildes of Bellingham. Finally, Clousing decided to just show up at Fort Lewis... Hopefully 4 years in Leavenworth will clear up the issue for him. Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-08-11 |
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