Oregon Soldier Detained After Refusal To Return To Iraq

[deadparrot]

EUGENE, Ore. -- Eugene police say a 21-year-old Eugene woman who refused to deploy with her Army unit to Iraq for a second tour has been arrested and will be returned today to Fort Lewis, Washington.

Eugene Police spokesman Sergeant Rich Stronach said Specialist Suzanne Swift, who is 21, was detained at the home of her family Sunday night.

She was listed as AWOL late last year.

Her mother, Sara Rich, says her daughter served in Iraq with a military police unit in 2004 and endured name-calling and constant sexual harassment.

http://www.kirotv.com/news/9361744/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=southsoundnews

[Judi Lynn]

1. AWOL soldier returns to Fort Lewis

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 · Last updated 2:51 p.m. PT

AWOL soldier returns to Fort Lewis

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

EUGENE, Ore. -- After deserting her Army unit in January to avoid a second tour of duty in Iraq, Eugene solider Suzanne Nicole Swift was to be returned to Fort Lewis, Wash. Tuesday.

Eugene police arrested Swift, a 21-year old specialist with a military police unit, Sunday at her mother's house. According to Eugene police spokesman Sgt. Rich Stronach, Swift was taken to the Lane County Jail, where she was expected to be handed over to military police and returned to the Army base near Tacoma.

Fort Lewis Army spokesman Joe Hitt confirmed that Swift would be returned but declined to elaborate. He said that her company commander will determine the punishment and that no decision had been made.

Swift's mother, Sara Rich, said her daughter was packed and ready to leave. But just days before the redeployment she had her car keys in hand and broke down.

"She turned to me in the kitchen and said, `I can't go back there.' I said, `Good, don't do it,' " Rich said.
(snip/...)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_OR_AWOL_Soldier.html

[ohiosmith]

2. Good for her.

[central scrutinizer]

3. here's another link from the local fishwrap

http://www.registerguard.com/news/2006/06/13/a1.arrest.0613.p1.php?section=cityregion

"She had been through so much, but she didn't want to freak me out," Rich said.

Then Swift was asked to sign a waiver agreeing to return to Iraq early, in January, 11 months after returning to the United States. It was the last thing Swift wanted to do, Rich said. Having seen the war first-hand, she had profound doubts about it, and had told her mother she thought the war lacked purpose and that no one had benefited from the U.S. presence in Iraq.

While she was in Iraq, she wrote to Rich about being repeatedly sexually harassed by Army staff and was always anxious about being assaulted, Rich said. She didn't complain because she thought it would make things worse, Rich said.

Days before the redeployment in January, Swift was packed and ready to go, but then broke down, car keys in hand, Rich said.

"She turned to me in the kitchen and said, `I can't go back there.' I said, `Good, don't do it,' " Rich said.