Courage to Resist. July 26, 2007
On the eve of a court martial last week for resisting redeployment to Iraq, Army medic Eugene Cherry was granted a general discharge. The Fort Drum, New York soldier with the 10th Mountain Division faced a bad conduct discharge for going AWOL to get help for post-traumatic stress disorder after the Army failed to provide him with adequate treatment. Instead, Eugene is now out and will be able to keep most benefits, including lifetime medical from the VA.
According to the New York Times , “Mr. Cherry’s supporters suggest that the publicity, as well as his good record before he went absent without leave, helped persuade the military to cease prosecution and grant him a discharge.” Support for Eugene was organized out of the Different Drummer Internet Café located near Fort Drum.
- Spc. Eugene Cherry forced to go AWOL to get PTSD help. Associated Press. May 14, 2007
“Courage to Resist is a model for what support of resistance can and should be, and of the ways that collective and individual actions can reinforce each other…”
