People who have never worn our nation’s uniform often find solidarity with those who volunteer to wear it but balk when they are called to serve their country.

In other words, deserters.

It’s been said that at least 8,000 servicemen have gone absent without leave or unauthorized absence since 2003, but these statistics can be deceiving. It should be known that more people were AWOL before the start of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns than during them. This is significant given that, percentage-wise, the number of people leaving illegally is less now than when there was no conflict to fight, according to www.usmilitary.about.com.

Although much attention was given to people who decided to go AWOL during this conflict, former Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia is a bad example of a serviceman unable to use his supposed conscientious objector status as a defense for deserting his unit in a time of war. In 2004, he lost his staff sergeant rank after being convicted of desertion by court martial and received a bad conduct discharge.

San Diego became acquainted with a sailor who was charged with being absent without authority after protesting the war when being called in for duty.

According to www.swiftsmartveterans.com, then-Petty Officer 3rd Class Pablo Paredes showed up at his assigned ship wearing an anti-war T-shirt to protest as the brave men and women aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard prepared to embark for deployment. He was sent away but then turned himself in after being informed of the charges against him. Pardes received three months hard labor, was busted to Seaman Recruit and given a less than honorable discharge.

The assertion that honorable leave for conscientious objectors isn’t an option is just plain wrong. Every person in the military knows how to ask for something, and, in the case of opposition to conflict, a serviceman or woman need only complete an application and go through the appropriate process to receive an honorable discharge. It’s that simple.

Since the war in Iraq began, only a handful of military personnel filed for conscientious objector status, according to The New York Times. To conclude that the war is the impetus for desertion is to ignore the fact that nobody is requesting them, and the request is only made after the serviceman is caught.

The military has but one purpose: To break other nation’s armies – by killing people – in order to preserve, protect and defend the United States. All members take an oath to obey the president and those officers appointed over them. A contract is signed by everyone who serves, and it’s not as if they don’t know they’re being trained for conflict – people are taught how to kill and not to be killed. Anyone who stays with the military for years, or re-enlists and only becomes an objector when called upon to do the dirty work of the military is a coward.

Men and women who desert their posts have legal avenues they can follow in order to not return to combat duty. If he or she chooses the illegal way out, he or she will face consequences.

It’s unfortunate that, while we have college-aged men and women risking their lives to serve their country, while there are people who can be convinced that desertion is admirable and justifiable. Only people who never gave much of themselves, yet receive the protection the military service could possibly feel that way.

Just as I processed men from the Vietnam War during my tour of duty, 30 years from now, a legal officer will court martial people from this conflict. One day, the military will catch up with deserters, and by then it will be too late to claim they were conscientious objectors. Sympathy for deserters may be plentiful on college campuses and in some segments of the American public, but I assure you it is not very prevalent in a military courtroom.

–Steve Yuhas is an international security and conflict resolutions graduate student.

–This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec. Send e-mail to letters@thedailyaztec.com. Anonymous letters will not be printed – include your full name, major and year in school.