The Best Damn Email I Have Ever Recieved

Dear Sergeant Kokesh,

I just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that I support you and your actions from the bottom of my heart. I enlisted in the Marine Corps out of a desire to do my civic duty and help America be a better place. Instead I have found myself a pawn to the Bush administration's ignorant, gluttonous, and uncaring fiscal goals.

Like you, I continue to believe that the Marine Corps is a decent and wholesome organization. It helps boys become men. However, I have come to realize it also turns boys into cattle, to feed a third parties profit. I have several years left on my contract, and I wonder daily when my number will come up.

Please, never lose faith, and continue to fight the good fight. You've got fellow Marines depending on you.

LCpl XXXXXXX



Just so it's clear, this young Marine did include his name, location, and unit in the email, but requested that they not be published online. This is the kind of Marine the peace movement needs to be reaching out to. They are out there. I replied that is was not just heartening to hear that he supports me, but that the sentiments IVAW is expressing are shared by those who are still among "the troops." I hope that this email will be a galvanizing force in the movement, even if that is only the veterans movement. I intend to frame it and hang it next to my door when I get a door to hang it by.

Chris Capps Joins the Crew in Germany!

Chris Capps, a fellow IVAW member who I first met at our east coast strategy retreat, joined us on our tour yesterday after an interesting adventure with the Army. He even gave a statement at the press conference. Here is the email he sent to his friends describing what happened:

This is Chris Capps. Last tuesday I turned myself in at Ft. Sill Oklahoma
from being a deserter. Friday I was finshed outprocessing out of the army. I
have been placed on indefinite unpaid leave until they mail me my DD-214. I
am now in Ansbach germany helping the peace movement here.

-chris capps

Chris Capps is an Iraq veteran and deserted to avoid deployment to Afghanistan. Technically, a member of the US Military can be sentenced to death for desertion, but it hasn't happened in decades. It's true, the Army is getting soft! But his story serves as an important example of how easy it can be for troops to get out with reasonable punishment. We are glad to have him back in the real world.