Category: Katherine Jashinski

The last few months have changed my life forever. From Soldier, JVB Protective Service Agent, and Sniper in the middle of an occupation war, to anti-war veteran within days.

I grew up in the custody of the state of Kentucky with little contact with my biological parents since I was 13. I had no family support system and ended up on the streets, doing what street kids do.

Last month Army Spc Eleonai “Eli” Israel, while stationed at Camp Victory in Baghdad with JVB Bravo Company, 1-149 Infantry of the Kentucky Army National Guard announced that he would refuse any combat role in Iraq.

fyi-for the last 3 weeks i was incarcerated i didn’t receive any mail at all because the postal clerk thought that i was trying to deceive her and orrespond with media personnel, which was against brig rules. it’s a long story, but i’m sure a lot of you had mail sent back to you because of it.

Katherine will return to school at the University of Texas at Austin and continue her work with the newly founded Austin GI Rights Hotline.

Army SPC Katherine Jashinski, the first woman to publicly declare resistance to participation in the Iraq War, read this statmement near the gate to Fort Benning, Georgia on the morning of November 17, 2005.