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milestogo

(21,307 posts)
Fri Jul 4, 2025, 06:44 PM Jul 4

Calls to GI Hotlines Rise as Service Members Consider Defying Trump's Orders

Conscientious objector applications surge under Trump as military members fear becoming “the saber that he’s rattling.”

By Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg , Truthout
Published July 4, 2025

As the country tumbles towards fascism, some members of the U.S. military have struggled with a choice: defy illegal orders, or participate in the dismantling of American democracy. In June, over the objections of local leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, President Donald Trump called up the National Guard and the U.S. Marines to quell protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids. That month, calls to the GI Rights Hotline spiked. The hotline provides information on military discharges and related issues; all calls are confidential. The hotline, which is jointly administered by a large consortium of nonprofit organizations, connects callers with both paid resource counselors and experienced volunteers.

The consortium includes groups like Quaker House and The Center on Conscience & War, which assists service members with applications for conscientious objector status, and has seen a similar uptick in requests for help. So far this year, the center has helped 30 service members submit applications — more than they typically submit in an entire year. A high percentage of these applications are usually successfully accepted, according to the center.

Steve Woolford, a counselor with the hotline, told Truthout in an email that his office, which is just one of the multiple sites that staff the hotline, received over 300 calls in June, a 94 percent increase in calls from the previous June. “Overall callers have shared serious concerns that the president is moving the country away from a representative democracy altogether,” Woolford told Truthout in an email. “These callers believe that the military will determine what the United States becomes by deciding which side to follow. For them, having service members refuse to turn their backs on the constitution is the safeguard against martial law and dictatorship.”

U.S. Air Force airman Juan Bettancourt said his colleagues in the armed forces have expressed similar concerns. Bettancourt is expressing his own views and not speaking on behalf of the military or the Department of Defense. “They are absolutely petrified of being put in a position in which they are the vehicle to advance further authoritarianism, and the proto-fascism that we’re seeing,” Bettancourt told Truthout. “There is absolutely that fear that they’re going to be the pawns in this chess game that brings about the further expansion of authoritarianism.”

https://truthout.org/articles/calls-to-gi-hotlines-rise-as-service-members-consider-defying-trumps-orders/


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Calls to GI Hotlines Rise as Service Members Consider Defying Trump's Orders (Original Post) milestogo Jul 4 OP
One hopes US soldiers have seen videos of Russian soldiers who refused to fire upon their mothers & grandmothers Attilatheblond Jul 4 #1
The problem is that so far, none of the orders have been illegal. They've all had legal reviews and are lawful.. COL Mustard Jul 4 #14
I don't see why not. They defied the Covid shots. Baitball Blogger Jul 4 #2
You're going to bash soldiers who resist serving Trump? milestogo Jul 4 #4
Quite the opposite. Baitball Blogger Jul 4 #6
Interesting llmart Jul 4 #3
Not necessarily. milestogo Jul 4 #10
Well, obviously I know that. llmart Jul 4 #11
Jesus Chrlst orangecrush Jul 4 #5
GOOD LymphocyteLover Jul 4 #7
Wow, good for them! ananda Jul 4 #8
This is why they removed Figarosmom Jul 4 #9
I hope they don't remove the GI Hotline MadameButterfly Jul 4 #12
That was my first thought, MadameButterfly. They will stop at nothing to destroy our democracy. wordstroken Jul 4 #13

Attilatheblond

(6,704 posts)
1. One hopes US soldiers have seen videos of Russian soldiers who refused to fire upon their mothers & grandmothers
Fri Jul 4, 2025, 06:49 PM
Jul 4

Back in the day, the Soviets thought might made right. They were wrong then and we hope the America oligarchs are wrong now.

Do NOT follow illegal orders. No matter what pols, media, and Kid Rock says, the oath is to the Constitution, not Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Peter Theil.

COL Mustard

(7,509 posts)
14. The problem is that so far, none of the orders have been illegal. They've all had legal reviews and are lawful..
Fri Jul 4, 2025, 09:19 PM
Jul 4

Individual service members may not like them, but every one of us who put on the uniform took an oath, and that oath requires us to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It doesn't give an out for "I don't like Order X so I'm not going to do it". If you doubt what I'm saying ask former LTC Terry Lakin, who thought he could refuse to deploy to Afghanistan because he was uncertain about Obama's status. He thought wrong.

llmart

(16,640 posts)
3. Interesting
Fri Jul 4, 2025, 07:44 PM
Jul 4

I'm wondering if a lot of those calls are coming from Hispanic members of the armed forces.

Figarosmom

(6,984 posts)
9. This is why they removed
Fri Jul 4, 2025, 08:35 PM
Jul 4

The military web page on their duties and what is legal and illegal for active service members.

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