Jeremy Hinzman

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Jeremy Hinzman

Jeremy Hinzman is a former United States Army soldier who began to attend Friends meetings in North Carolina, became a pacifist, deserted the army, and is currently seeking refugee status in Canada. He is believed to be the first U.S. soldier seeking refuge in Canada from the Iraq war.

1 Military service
2 Flight to Canada
3 Related pages
4 External links

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Military service

Jeremy enlisted in the army in 2001, eventually being assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The next year, he and his wife Nga Nguyen began attending the nearby Fayetteville Friends Meeting^[1], and later that year their son Liam was born. His son's birth and his new pacifist beliefs were among his cited reasons in his application that summer for conscientious objector (CO) status.^[2]

In the meantime, his united was sent to Afghanistan in late 2002, where he took a non-combat role until his CO application was processed. It was eventually denied, and Jeremy continued service in his unit as an armorer.^[2]

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Flight to Canada

Jeremy deserted later when his unit was about to be sent to Iraq, fleeing with his family in January 2004 to Ontario, where he found support from Toronto and Hamilton-area Friends.^[1]

In March of 2004, his claim was denied on the grounds that he is not a conscientious objector because he is not opposed to war in all forms. He appealed the decision to the Canadian Federal Court, which upheld it, but the case has been referred to the Federal Court of Appeal.^[3]

If ultimately unsuccessful, he could be deported back to the U.S., where he would likely face a court martial. The death sentence remains a legal option for desertion in "time of war," but a sentence of 1 to 5 years, dishonorable discharge and forfeited pay is more likely.^[4]

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