By Jake Bridge
Guest Writer for Wake Up World
Marine Corps Officers don’t file for Conscientious Objector (CO) status. It’s just “not done”. But, as a First Lieutenant in the US Marines, I filed for Conscientious Objector status in June of 2014.
Why? On May 20, 2014 I woke up and remembered what it is to truly be alive. The feeling was wonderful and I felt connected to everyone and everything. The only hitch was I was two and a half years into a four year contract as an officer in the Marines. All of a sudden I found myself an advocate for peace in an aggressive and violent military branch, with no easy way out; and I could no longer reconcile my role in the military with my own spiritual wellbeing.
Now that my CO application has been approved, I have decided to tell my story and let others in a similar position know that this kind of thing is happening. For now, the best I can do is live my life as I would have others live – or as the Corps puts it, “Set the example” – and live the Marine Corps’ core values of honor, courage, and commitment.
