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G.I.s Continue The StruggleBy VVAWG.I. Resists Riot Duty (Fort Kobbe, Canal Zone) Pfc. Stanley Kuzminski is awaiting court-martial at Ft. Kobbe in the Canal Zone for disobeying a direct order. It all started in Oct., 1973, when he applied for discharge as a conscientious objector and his claim got tangled up in red tape. In his own words: "My company and another company were scheduled to give a demonstration on riot control for the Undersecretary of the Army. (Ed. Note: this was prior to Kissinger's visit to the Canal Zone to negotiate a treaty that was supposed to return the Canal Zone to the Panamanian people. The Army's riot training was intended as a precaution against a recurrence of what happened 10 years ago, when 21 protesting students were killed by American soldiers). "My company plays the part of a violent mob that is dispersed by riot troops. There is sniper fire, agitators, casualties, the whole bit...On the 17th of January the battalion was notified that the demonstration would be held the 22nd. On the 18th, I was ordered to go to the rehearsal with my company." "Before the first rehearsal, my platoon leader approached me and told me I was going to participate. I told him that I couldn't because it was against my beliefs and a violation of my rights. He said it was not against my beliefs and rights because I would not be carrying a gun. I then argued that this was a part of riot training, which is combat-oriented training...I was given a direct order to participate. I didn't actually participate...I just walked along behind the crowd with my hands in my pockets. When they were dispersed and were supposed to run, I walked...On Monday the 21st, I was again ordered to go to the riot and participate. I went to the riot, but I refused to participate." Kuzminski was then ordered a summary court-martial, which he refused on the 31st, and is now waiting on the Army's next move. At this point, the Army may decide to drop charges. If they don't, he can expect a special court-martial. His CO claim is still hanging somewhere in the bureaucracy, and he is facing 6 months' confinement and a Bad Conduct Discharge. Stanly has no access to any civilian attorney in the Canal Zone, though an ACLU lawyer in New York has agreed to work with him and his JAG lawyer by long-distance phone and mail. He needs support from the civilian community. For further information, contact: CCCO, 407 S. Dearborn, Chicago, Illinois, 60605. SGT. FIGHTS HAIR REG. (Alconberry AFB, Hunts, England) Air Force Sgt. Dan Pruitt was convicted by a court-martial on January 28 of eight counts of refusing to cut his hair. Pruitt, who considered hair length and personal appearance to be the concern only of the individual GI, was sentenced to four months' imprisonment, a bust in rank, and a Bad Conduct Discharge. Supporters of Dan Pruitt wanted to attend his trial, but the judge, Major Wright, allowed only 18 spectators and newsmen into the tiny courtroom and refused to move into a larger room. Although many airmen were put on extra duty to stifle support for Dan, stickers reading "Fight the Hair Reg: Support Dan!" were visible all over the base. Civilian members of London VVAW/WSO contacted the media and circulated petitions, collecting more than 800 signatures. Dan appeared on TV before his trial and gained a lot of supporters throughout England. During the trial itself, one airman was busted for "distributing unauthorized literature" because he was handing information sheets to newsmen. Another was charged with "improper dress" because he had a "Support Dan" sticker attached to his uniform. Dan's lawyer, former Air Force resister Tom Culver, argued that the hair regulations were unconstitutional and abridged Dan's rights of self-expression. He further pointed out that WAFs were working in Dan's career field, and that since there was no job discrimination between men and women in that field, there should be no rules for personal appearance that only applied to one sex. Wright ruled that equal employment was not a general "unisex rule," and that the Air Force's hair regulations were legal. He then made a cute comment suggesting that Pruitt might not know "whether he was a man or a woman." This flippant, sexist remark will be one of the bases on which Pruitt's lawyers will ask for a reversal of conviction on appeal. Dan's case has greatly increased interest among GIs in England in the fight for GI rights. Several of them have joined VVAW/WSO, which has many members who are veterans and draft resisters, as well as U.S. and British civilians; this linking up of GIs, vets, and exiles can only strengthen the growing amnesty movement and promote discussion of how GI Rights and universal, unconditional amnesty are part of one and the same demand: Freedom for all of our brothers and sisters! CONTACT: Union of American Exiles in Britain (VVAW/WSO), 2 Turquand Street, London S.E. 17, England. A.F. RACISM EXPOSED (Ent AFB, Colorado) A black airman, a VVAW/WSO member, is facing serious charges at Ent AFB as a result of rampant racism among the security police at the base. A1C Charles Beaman will be court-martialed on March 18 on charges of assault on a policeman, failure to obey a direct order, threatening words, and disrespect to a superior officer. The charges stem from an incident that took place on December 11, 1973. On that day a female member of the Security Police (SPs) stated that a black GI had made an obscene gesture toward her. A black airman was arrested; Beaman and a number of other black GIs were present and observed the arrest. Half an hour later, Beaman was driving his car on the base when SPs stopped him and forcibly dragged him from his car after he refused to get out. He had been given no reason for why he was being stopped, and thus he was within his rights to refuse to get out of the car. After being yanked out, he was searched, ordered to park his car, and told he was being taken to the Ent security complex. He refused to go along with the "orders," and when he was grabbed by an SP, he struck back in self-defense. The next thing he knew, he was lying on the ground, being stomped by SPs. He was then held for two hours, during which time he was stomped on again when he refused to hand over his identification. After he was released, he went to the clinic, where he couldn't get treatment; he reported this to the clinic's commanding officer, who was totally uncooperative and got into an argument with Beaman. This led to the "disrespect" charge against Beaman. This incident is only the latest in a series of events involving white SPs at Ent and their harassment of Beaman and other black GIs. Beaman and some friends were stopped for a traffic ticket by some SPs in July, and were subjected to verbal racial epithets before being confronted with the SPs' drawn guns. Beaman complained, but no action was ever taken against the SPs. The pattern of harassment on black airmen at Ent has its roots in the nature of the base and its security force. All of the SPs involved in these incidents have been white, since most of the SPs at Ent are white. Also, the Ent brass are particularly afraid of any militant actions by GIs who want their rights respected. Ent is a top-security, hush-hush base where a lot of classified work takes place. The authorities there want to make sure that blacks on the base "know their place." CONTACT: Charles Beaman Defense Committee (VVAW/WSO), Box 6133, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80934 (303) 632-6825. TRIAL SET FOR MARCH; SMITH HASSLED IN PRISON (Fort Leavenworth, Kansas) The Army has decided to court-martial Melvin Smith for the shooting of a first sergeant in Quang Tri, Vietnam, in 1971. Smith was suffering from a grave head injury and deep emotional stress when he randomly fired a weapon in a mess hall, wounding three men, one fatally. Despite overwhelming evidence that he was insane at the time, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. He won a reversal on a technicality last September, and has been informed that he will face a second general court-martial on March 11 or 13. It will be held at Leavenworth. Meanwhile, the prison brass has been going to great lengths to try to suppress information about, and support for, Melvin's case. As publicity around it began to grow, the prison authorities began tampering with mail into and out of the prison. When a recent letter from Melvin to VVAW/WSO was printed in the VVAW/WSO GI NEWS, a copy of the paper was stolen by the prison brass from the prisoner for whom it was intended. The Director of Custody then confronted Melvin with it and wrote Smith up for a "Disciplinary Hearing." It probably means that he will be sent to isolation; as it is, he has been confined to his quarters and is not free to visit with his brothers. The Director also informed Melvin that all of his mail ? in and out ? was being read and Xeroxed before it went on its way. The authorities have suggested to Melvin that he had better shut up or "things will get worse for him." In another letter, Melvin answers the brass: "Matters can't possibly get any worse for me than they have over the years I have been part of a corrupt system known as the U.S. armed forces!....If public recognition and support are so ineffective, the so-called omnipotent administration wouldn't mind my exposing lies and speaking the truth for what it's actually worth... There is much power in the beautiful kind of eloquence known as protest!" Melvin Smith goes to trial in less than a month. He needs support and help, both in terms of his trial and in terms of his day-to-day struggle at Leavenworth. He has been singled out by prison authorities because they consider him to be the "ringleader" of black protest at the prison. Petitions are available from NOSCAM-Chicago; the will be sent out upon request. Donations, which are desperately needed, may be sent to the Melvin Smith Defense Fund, c/o Independence Bank of Chicago, 7936 S. Cottage Grove, Chicago, Ill. 60619. Melvin also needs publicity in any paper that can be interested; any help that can be given is greatly appreciated. In terms of being harassed at Leavenworth, it would be extremely helpful if supporters would write letters of protest to the Commanding Officer, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 66027, asking that all harassment and mail tampering stop, and that Melvin Smith be given a fair and just trial. (The full text of Melvin Smith's most recent letter will be printed in the next VVAW/WSO GI NEWS. He has asked that it be published, despite the fact that he has been threatened.) News on these pages was compiled by NOSCAM, the VVAW/WSO National Office GI Project. This office coordinates active-duty chapters, new VVAW/WSO members and chapters, GI Movement news, and all other GI Movement activities. Contact one of the NOSCAM offices for more information: NOSCAM-Dayton NOSCAM-Chicago
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