Can you join the Army as a conscientious objector?

[Beatrix]

Does anyone know if (right now) it is possible to join the army as a conscientious objector? And does anyone know what that means exactly?

Thanks for any info!

[Warpy]

1. Not sure, but I seem to remember

that COs have always done alternate service. During Vietnam, I knew CO hospital orderlies and museum guards. I would think that COs might do like duties in military hospitals, although I'm not sure the militay is desperate enough to take them yet.

[JayS]

6. "military is desperate "

From what I hear there are so many new recruits here that there are no new bootcamps available until December.

[efhmc]

2. No, that is a category for drafted people. The army now is

volunteer and when one volunteer, one is part of the killing machine.

[neverborn]

4. Wrong -- you can apply from inside.

[efhmc]

5. Okay, seems like you know about this, Please explain.

Do you mean one can join and then apply? Are you joining under false pretenses?

[Journeyman]

3. Three Medal of Honor recipients were Conscientious Objectors. . .

Alvin C. York in the Great War, Desmond T. Doss in World War II, and Thomas W. Bennett in Vietnam. . . all are on record as COs, and all were awarded their Nation's highest honor.

Google their names, you'll find their stories.

[VOX]

7. The law won't accept a "merely personal moral code" for CO classification

It's got to be a religious conviction.

http://www.scn.org/ip/sdmcc/co.htm

"Nothing contained in this title shall be construed to require any person to he subject to combatant training and service in the armed forces of the United Slates who, by reason of religious training and belief, is conscientiously opposed to participation in war in any form. . . the term `religious training and belief' does not include essentially political, sociological, or philosophical views, or a merely personal moral code. Any person. . . whose claim is sustained by the local board shall, if he is inducted into the armed forces. . . be assigned to noncombatant service. . . or shall, if he is found to be conscientiously opposed to participation in such noncombatant service. . .perform ... civilian work contributing to the maintenance of the national health, safety, or interest. . ." -Section 6(j) of the Military Selective Service Act.