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Canada To Deport Army Deserter

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The Associated Press

Published: August 14, 2008

TORONTO - A U.S. Army specialist who fled Fort Bragg for Canada after learning his unit was going to be deployed to Iraq was ordered deported Wednesday.

Jeremy Hinzman, 29, is likely to be court-martialed when he returns to the United States and could face up to five years in prison. Hinzman said Canada's Border Services Agency ordered him to leave the country by Sept. 23 and he would be handed over to U.S. authorities.

Before he fled Fort Bragg, N.C., in January 2004, Hinzman had already served a tour of duty with the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan.

He served in a noncombat position because before his unit left in 2002, he applied for conscientious objector status.

In December 2003, the unit was ordered to Iraq, but he left for Canada with his wife and son shortly thereafter. He had served three years in the Army and was one of the first U.S. deserters from Iraq to seek refugee status in Canada.

He said he refused to participate in what he calls an immoral and illegal war.

"I'm disappointed, but I think that every soldier that has refused to fight in Iraq has done a good thing and I'm not ashamed," Hinzman said.

Hinzman enlisted voluntarily and said he joined the Army for a variety of reasons, including the college fund, the adventure and the stability. After joining, however, he realized he could not bring himself to kill anyone.

About 200 American deserters are thought to have come to Canada trying to avoid service in Iraq.

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