A Marine opposed to "interventionist" U.S. foreign policy sought conscientious objector status Friday and was transferred to a unit that won't be deployed to the Persian Gulf for operation Desert Shield, his lawyer said.
Cpl. Jeffrey Paterson, stationed at Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station on the island of Oahu, said he would not fight to protect oil prices and opposed "interventionist" policies in the Mideast.Paterson, 22, of Hollister, Calif., is reportedly the second Kaneohe Marine to seek conscientious objector status.
Eric A. Seitz, Paterson's attorney, said the soldier's application was accepted for processing Friday, but that a decision could take "some time."
Paterson, who had worked as a supply clerk and in field artillery, was transferred to a non-deployable unit, Seitz said.
Paterson, who has seven months left in the Marines, said he joined a group that objects to U.S. "interventionist" policies about two years ago.
"All wars are in the objectives of leaders and corporations and not the people," he said.
He said he hoped the attention would make the Marines "want to get rid of me as soon as possible."