Please help us get the word out by passing on this message to your friends and networks in OK, TX, AR, KS, NM and thereabouts.
TRAINING WORKSHOP ON GI RIGHTS REGARDING DISCHARGE FROM MILITARY
Oklahoma City, April 20-22
On the weekend of April 20-22, the Oklahoma Committee for Conscientious Objectors is holding a training workshop for our GI Rights Hotline (full details in the press release below).
As you know, the rates of active duty military personnel seeking discharge is rising every day. You may not know that Ft. Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma, is one of two main processing centers for discharges. So our area gets more than our share of active duty military seeking information and support. Our hotline was established to serve this urgent need.
Don’t be shocked, but the military does not provide complete or accurate information to its troops as to under what circumstances discharge can be sought — and obtained. That’s where we — and you — come in!
Please consider taking this training and becoming familiar with issues of military law pertaining to types of discharges, the process of filing, courts martial, etc. The training will be conducted by very experienced lawyers from the National Lawyers Guild Military Law Task Force and will give a good overview of the regulations and requirements involved.
Our main purpose for the training is to put our hotline into full operation, with well-informred volunteers. But even if you don’t think you have the time to staff the hotline, the training would be invaluable to you if you want to be able to talk to those in the military, their families, friends.
We also are inviting those from outside Oklahoma to attend the training, so you can provide a similar service in your community.
If you are an attorney, social worker, therapist or religious, you need this workshop to address the needs already being raised by your clients and members.
If you are a concerned citizen who just wants to help soldiers and guardsmen learn the truth about their options, you will find the training invaluable.
While the entire three sessions of the training is highly recommended, you may be able to miss some of the sections, depending on your background and experience. Scholarships are available, so money should not be an issue for anyone interested.
If you have any question, contact Rena at info@okobjector.org or 405-615-2700.
_____
NEWS RELEASE
Workshop will train volunteers for GI Rights Hotline
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Committee for Conscientious Objectors will sponsor a regional GI Rights Hotline training workshop in Oklahoma City from April 20 -22.
The workshop will equip volunteers to serve as counselors to inform active-duty soldiers of their rights — including the right to conscientious objector status – and provide information and assistance to those who wish to leave the military.
Featuring trainers from the National Lawyer’s Guild Military Law Task Force, the workshop is open to anyone who seeks to help service members learn about their legal options. Participants in the Oklahoma City area who complete the workshop will be qualified to work on the local hotline, while out-of-towners will be encouraged to create or support similar services in their own communities.
“Considering War and Personal Conscience” a forum at Mayflower Congregational Church on Friday, April 20, at 7 pm, will kick off the workshop weekend. The forum is open to the public and will serve as an introduction to the workshop for its participants. Veterans and conscientious objectors will be part of the panel. Intensive training sessions are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Oklahoma City University’s Walker Center.
Legal background is not required for participation; the workshop will address the primary legal issues that come up with callers and present guidelines for when a lawyer experienced in military law should be consulted.
The lead trainers of the workshop are Luke and Marti Hiken, both of whom work with the Military Law Task Force and have many years of experience in GI Rights services and training. They will be joined by Oklahoma City lawyer James Branum, who specializes in military law. He is also a co-founder of OCCO.
Costs for the workshop are set on a sliding scale, based on ability to pay, from $25 to $100. This does not include meals or accommodations. Scholarships are available and donations are welcomed to help cover the costs of those who cannot afford to pay. The deadline for pre-registration is April 16. Participation is limited, and the workshop organizers recommend early registration. If space is available, same-day registration will be available
For an application form, send a self-addressed, stamped #10 envelope to OCCO, c/o Joy Mennonite Church, 504 NE 16th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73104. A copy is also available on OCCO’s website, www.okobjector.org.
The workshop is being funded in part by a grant from the A. J. Muste Memorial Institute, which supports organizations that promote the principles and practice of nonviolent social change.
For more information, call 405-615-2700, or go to www.okobjector.org.