FILM-RELATED WEBSITES
Soldiers of Conscience: Filmmaker Website
The film's website includes more details on the making and the distribution of the film.
Luna Productions
The website of filmmakers Catherine Ryan and Gary Weimberg provides more information about their films and background.
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Affiliated with Veterans for Peace, the membership of Iraq Veterans Against the War consists of men and women who have served in the us military since September 11, 2001. Camilo Mejia is co-chair of the board of directors. The organization's website offers first-person testimonials from Iraq veterans who are opposed to continuing the Iraq war, including several posts from Joshua Casteel.
"Thoughts of a Soldier-Ethicist"
Lt. Col. Pete Kilner's blog includes posts about his reflections on the morality of war.
Democracy Now!: Conscientious Objector Witnessed Abuse, Killing of Iraqi Detainees at Abu Ghraib
In this interview with Democracy Now!, Specialist Aidan Delgado, featured in Soldiers of Conscience, explains his military history, the reasons for his conscientious objector claim and what he observed at the Abu Ghraib prison complex. (December 17, 2004)
WEBSITE RESOURCES
Peace Resources
Nobel Peace Prize Laureates
This website offers a complete listing of all Nobel Peace Prize laureates from 1901 to 2007.
United Nations International Day of Peace
Established by a U. N. resolution in 1981, the International Day of Peace was first celebrated on September 21, 1982. This website provides a primer on peace building and an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create acts of peace on a shared date.
United for Peace & Justice
This national coalition brings together a broad range of organizations throughout the United States to help coordinate work for peace and justice. The website includes a member directory that lists peace organizations around the world.
United States Institute of Peace
This independent, nonpartisan institution was established and funded by Congress. The institute's website offers a list of publications and information about numerous affiliated centers that focus on peace-related issues.
Faith Resources
BBC: Religion & Ethics
This website offers some introductory information on a selected range of world religions and their central teachings and beliefs.
Harvard University Pluralism Project: Interfaith and Faith Peace Organizations
The Pluralism Project at Harvard University seeks to engage Americans with the realities of religious diversity and provides site visitors a breadth of resources, ranging from research conducted by the Pluralism Project to links that lead to other interfaith and peace-related organizations.
Religions for Peace USA
This coalition is composed of leaders from more than 60 us religious communities. Visitors to the site can find resources about other faiths, read book reviews and learn about the different programs the organization sponsors.
Christian Peace Witness for Iraq
This ecumenical, ad hoc group of partners from various Christian denominations works to raise a Christian voice for peace. The group's website includes a listing of peace fellowships from various Christian denominations.
Jewish Peace Fellowship
Founded in 1941 to support Jewish conscientious objectors to the military, the Jewish Peace Fellowship works to help educate local draft boards on the theological basis of the Jewish position on conscientious objection. The website includes links to publications and to other peace resource organizations.
For Soldiers, Veterans and Those Considering Military Service
Veterans
Department of Veterans Affairs
The website of the national government agency includes information about benefits -- including health care services -- for veterans of the us military.
Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans
Funded by the Iraq Afghanistan Deployment Impact Fund, this partnership of more than 45 organizations works to improve access to and the quality of services for Operation Iraqi Freedom / Operation Enduring Freedom military, veterans and their families.
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
The first and largest group dedicated to the current service members and veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and their civilian supporters, provides news about pending legislation, policy changes and benefits as well as photos and videos from current and former troops, links to resources and more.
Swords to Plowshares
This organization of veterans helping veterans focuses on health and social services, housing, employment and training, and legal support for those seeking benefits. Their website provides a detailed explanation of the services they offer as well as a section on resources for veterans.
Veterans and Families
The website of this nonprofit community service and support organization has a host of resources that address post-traumatic stress disorder, and also offers career transition tools and a Homecoming Preparedness Guide in PDF format.
Military Ethics
Ethics Update
Edited by Lawrence Hinman, a professor at the University of San Diego, this website has an extensive collection of multimedia resources on the ethics of war, peace and terrorism, including links to articles by Major Pete Kilner, who is featured in the film.
International Society for Military Ethics
Formerly known as JSCOPE (Joint Services Conference on Professional Ethics), the International Society for Military Ethics has amassed a rich archive of conference papers related to questions of morality and war.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: "War"
This online resource strives to be a "dynamic reference work," providing open access to an encyclopedia of philosophical topics. Entries are maintained by an editorial board of experts. In this paper, Brian Orend discusses the ethics of war and peace, including the Just War theory.
Conscientious Objection and GI Rights
BBC: Head-to-Head: Refuge for Deserters?
In this point-counterpoint argument, American National Guardsman Corey Glass, who went AWOL and sought asylum in Toronto, debates Canadian commentator Jonathan Kay about his decision to desert the National Guard. (June 11, 2008)
Conscientious Objector Regulations
This downloadable version of the military's official conscientious objector policy is available in PDF format from the San Diego Military Counseling Project.
Center on Conscience & War
This counseling and advocacy organization for conscientious objectors provides a variety of online resources relevant to conscientious objection including a self-help guide for military conscientious objectors. The center also seeks to improve us law pertaining to conscientious objector rights.
Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors
The website of this organization for conscientious objectors and their supporters includes guidelines for applying for conscientious objector status, as well as a useful archive of documents related to war resistance by members of the armed forces.
About.com: History of Conscientious Objectors
Historian Tom Head provides a short history of conscientious objection in American history.
G.I. Rights Hotline 1-877-447-4487
The G.I. Rights Hotline is a network of nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that provide service members with information about military discharges, grievance and complaint procedures, civil and legal rights as well as resources for medical and psychological help.
To call from outside the United States (or wherever toll-free numbers don't work), please dial: 907-374-2822 or email: girights [at] girights.org
Men Against Fire: The Problem of Battle Command in Future War
by S.L.A. Marshall
Google Books offers a selection of pages from official Army historian S.L.A. Marshall's book about the fire level of American troops in World War II.
The New York Times: "War Dodgers"
Jeremy Hinzman was one of the first us soldiers to seek refugee status in Canada due to his objections to the Iraq war. This New York Times article follows his struggle to remain in Canada. (March 23, 2008)
Mental Health and Counseling
Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (Veterans, Press 1)
This 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention service is available to anyone in suicidal crisis.
National Center on PTSD
The Veteran's Administration site has information on post-traumatic stress disorder for veterans and their families as well as for medical professionals and social service providers.
Give an Hour
This nonprofit organization offers free mental health services, through a national network of providers, to us military personnel and families affected by the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Soldier's Heart
A veterans' return and healing project that addresses the emotional and spiritual needs of veterans, their families and communities. The website has information about veteran retreats, clinical consultations and a mentor program.
The Coming Home Project
A nonprofit organization of veterans, psychotherapists and interfaith leaders seeks to provide veterans and their families information about psychological counseling and support, stress management tools and local forums.
Vets4Vets
This nonpartisan organization's website connects Iraq- and Afghanistan-era veterans and provides an opportunity for peer counseling to aid the healing process.
PBS and NPR
PBS
The Good War (and Those Who Refused to Fight It)
The website of this PBS documentary about World War II conscientious objectors includes a brief history of pacifism in the United States and a useful set of links to websites related to peace and conscientious objection.
History Detectives: "WWII Conscientious Objectors"
The History Detectives features conscientious objectors during World War II and the challenges they faced.
NOW: "A Closer Look: Conscientious Objection"
NOW talks to two soldiers who went AWOL and eventually left the army, but who took two very different paths. (August 24, 2007)
The Perilous Fight: America's World War II in Color
Witness World War II through rare color film, read letters from a nation redefining itself and learn more about conscientious objectors during that time.
NPR Stories
Morning Edition: "Army War Critic Wilkerson Awaits Sentence"
Steve Inskeep interviews Army Specialist Mark Wilkerson, who was sentenced after pleading guilty to leaving his Army unit. Already a veteran of one tour in Iraq, Wilkerson had applied for conscientious objector status. (February 22, 2007)
Morning Edition: "Avoiding War Service a Minor Problem for Military"
The all-voluntary military handles many fewer cases of conscientious objectors today than it did during the Vietnam era, when a draft was in place. During that time, as many as 50,000 Americans fled to Canada to escape the war. Current numbers are in the hundreds. (September 1, 2006)
NPR: Slate "Explainer: Claiming Conscientious Objector Status"
Slate senior editor Andy Bowers explains the process by which a soldier might claim conscientious objector status. (March 17, 2004)