TO: President Joseph R. Biden Jr.

CC: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Colonel Charles D. Cooley, Wing Commander, Airman Hebert’s Commanding Officer

Dear Mr. President:

Senior Airman Larry Hebert while on annual leave from his duty station in Spain started a fast March 31st in front of the White House calling for a permanent cease fire between the Israeli and Palestinian governments and for stopping US shipments of weapons to Israel. He is from New Hampshire, joined the Air Force in 2018, is age 26, married with two young daughters and has requested discharge when his term of service is up this summer.

In conducting his protest and hunger strike he followed the proper military procedures and our laws.

Mr. President we urge you to please consider doing this:

• Waive the remainder of Mr. Hebert's service commitment,
• Have an expert interview Mr. Hebert as to whether he deserves to be determined a Conscientious Objector (CO),
• If so, designate him as such,
• Grant him an honorable, immediate discharge
• and be done with this case.

Mr. President, both you and many of us who are signers to the below letter, have been in politics for a long time. We know that humans can have strong differences of opinion as to the best actions to take on a given issue.

You have been pulling people together to discuss an issue and find a possible solution to an issue that most sides can agree on. You have been doing this since 1970 as a member of the New Castle County Council.

But you know this does NOT always work and sometimes it is best "to agree to disagree."

Mr. Hebert and you both have a right to disagree on the best solution to how to create a permanent cease fire.

In 1972 when you ran and beat Sen. Boggs, you campaigned on withdrawing from Vietnam, among other progressive issues. You knew that President Richard Nixon did NOT agree with YOU on Vietnam. But he did not try to ruin your life.

Similarly, we the signers of this petition believe that Larry Hebert should be honorably discharged from the military as a Conscientious Objector allowing him to move on with his little daughters and wife to a new career.

We request you order that be done.

We provide you, below, with a copy of the letter to Col. Cooley which a small group of us are original signatories. A number of signers were Conscientious Objectors. The letter provides personal comments from 11 activists.

Lastly, we thank you, sir, for your consideration of our request regarding Airman Larry Hebert's future!

Peace!

TO: Colonel Charles D. Cooley, Wing Commander, Airman Hebert’s commanding officer, 521st AMOW at M-RO-NAVSTA_Coastline@fe.navy.mil

CC: Public Affairs Offices:
Ramstein, 86 Airlift Wing PAO: 86AW.PA@us.af.mil
Naval Station PAO, Rota, Spain: M-RO-NAVSTA_Coastline@fe.navy.mil

Dear Col. Cooley:

The future of Airman Larry Hebert lies in your hands and probably the decision makers in D.C.

We urge you and the DC decision makers to use appropriate law and:

• Waive the remainder of Mr. Hebert's service commitment,
• Have an expert interview Mr. Herbert as to whether he deserves to be determined a Conscientious Objector (CO),
• If so, designate him as such,
• Grant him an honorable, immediate discharge
• and be done with this case.

Some people will complain -- "You should have hammered him."

Frankly, it is far better for the military to be looked upon as being fair than it is to have the military raked over the coals by the media and former military members, activists and high-ranking elected officials asking why thousands more enlisted personnel and officers are NOT obeying their oath to the Constitution, the laws of the United States and the treaties the US has signed prohibiting military members aiding, the military aiding and the USA aiding in genocidal operations.

We all have many important activities to deal with.

But if our military mis-handles Mr. Hebert, we will work together to organize Congressional action in an effort to protect Mr. Hebert from harm.

We hope we will be notified that the military has made a wise choice for the future of both Mr. Hebert and America.

Peace!

Original Signatories:

Buzz Davis, AZ, former 1Lt. U.S. Army 1967-70 S. Korea, Veterans for Peace (VFP), 813 S. Deer Meadow Loop, Tucson, AZ 85745 Cell# 608-239-5354
Marcy Winograd, Organizer, Co-Founder of CODEPINK

David Cooley, MN, former Petty officer 2nd class ADJ-2, US Navy, 1969 – 1973, Vietnam 1972, VFP, 24725 Smithtown Road Excelsior, MN, 55331, Hm# 952-470-0682

Bob Bowes, MA, former Infantry(ABN), ret; USMA 63; Dom Rep ‘65, VN ‘66-‘68, ‘71-‘72, VFP

Robert Anderson, PhD, NM, U.S. Air Force, EOD Vietnam, with Air America, during Tet in Laos, Thailand & Vietnam 1964-68, retired professor & activist, VFP

Gregory Laxer, CN, US Army, 1967-1971 Vietnam, Conscientious Objector, VFP

Cara Ava Bissell, M.S., former SP4 Dermatology Technician, Ft Sam Houston, TX – Dermatology Dept, US Army 1970-1976 including reserve component, Conscientious Objector, retired NYC High School Teacher, VFP

Doug Zachary, U.S. Marines, 1970, Conscientious Objector, VFP

Michael Wong, CA, Army 1969-75, received orders for Vietnam, applied for Limited Conscientious Objector, National VFP Board member

Robert Suberi, MO, Vietnam Veteran 1968-1971, VFP

Personal Statements:

Marcy Winograd

Airman Larry Hebert deserves not only conscientious objector status but a medal for refusing to participate in endless US-funded wars that leave a trail of misery and suffering in their wake.

Let us praise Larry Hebert for his principled stand and issue him an immediate discharge.

David Cooley

Dear Colonel Cooley,

Having served during the War Against Vietnam I was against what we were doing, while my helicopter detachment supplied all the bombs to the carriers for Vietnam and Nixon’s illegal war against Laos and Cambodia. I understand the moral position and action Airman Hebert has taken.

He understands this to be an illegal order/war and the Military Code of conduct requires him to disobey that order, I agree with him, as does the ICJ, and soon the ICC.

You and I share a last name. I hope we both share a strong moral code and duty to the Constitution no matter what political winds are blowing.

Airman Hebert took leave to carry out his fast in DC, and I believe he has filed for CO status.

Hebert exhibits the best character we could want from a patriot!

I humbly ask you recommend a general discharge under honorable conditions. Sincerely, David Cooley

Bob Bowes

Dear Col Cooley, I have confidence that you will realize L. Hebert has chosen the more difficult path in honor of Aaron Bushnell. Both men stand in the ranks of the righteous. Sincerely, Bob Bowes

Gregory Laxer, Conscientious Objector

Dear Col. Cooley: It is my understanding that you are the Commanding Officer of Senior Airman Lawrence Hebert. As a veteran of the US Army, 1967-1971, I have more than a little familiarity with the workings of chains of command and the UCMJ. Thus I believe you are expected to make the initial call on whether any charges are to be brought against Mr. Hebert for his having come out in open (public) opposition to the US's role in supporting Israel's current effort to exterminate the refugees Israel itself drove onto the Gaza Strip (formerly Egyptian territory, stolen by Israel in 1967).

I know you may well be pressured from farther up the chain of command to initiate prosecution of Airman Hebert on some charge or another.

Mr. Hebert is applying for discharge, as I understand his situation, as a Conscientious Objector. It appears that just about everyone else in the world not trapped inside the US/Israel "reality bubble" recognizes that Israel, long considered a staunch ally of the US, is engaged in grave war crimes and attempted genocide against the Palestinian refugees trapped on Gaza. This further sullies our nation's reputation in the world. I can't picture any of our fellow citizens benefitting from this situation--other than the manufacturers and vendors of the weapons being provided Israel (and the Ukraine as well, of course).

I urge you to do your best to expedite Senior Airman Hebert's attempt to exit the US Air Force on grounds of conscience, without prosecution under the UCMJ. Yes, I know, "If the military wanted you to have a conscience we would have issued you one." Very droll, but Col. Cooley, in the real world strange things can happen! A service member can wake up one morning and realize that his assigned mission no longer "sits with him" comfortably. Thank you for reading my missive. . Very sincerely, GREGORY LAXER Connecticut, USA

Cara Ava Bissell, Conscientious Objector

Colonel Charles D. Cooley, give Airman Larry Hebert a general discharge under honorable conditions before ordered to do so by the US President. .My being on active duty after Basic Training(1970), processing to become the Conscientious Objector(CO) that I am, I was asked, “can you kill someone?” I had just completed Basic Training and was at a high point of physical fitness. I answered, “You just trained me to kill people, if someone walks around a corner in the wrong way, that person could be dead at my hands. But it is up to me to keep that from happening as best as I can.” For that, and “all wars should not be” and the myriad of letters from everyone under God, I was granted CO status with the added, “we will send you to Ft Sam Houston, train you as a medic, and send you to Viet Nam”. I replied, “That’s okay, I’ll die for my country, I just won’t kill for it as best as I am able.” Airman Larry Hebert is in a similar situation, applying CO beliefs to our country among other countries of the world conducting war that should not be with literally tens of thousands of deaths and casualties. Colonel Charles D. Cooley, do the right, humane action you have the opportunity to, unlike General Eisenhower, give Airman Larry Hebert a general discharge under honorable conditions before you are ordered to do so by the US President.

Doug Zachary, Conscientious Objector

In 1970 as an active duty Marine, I resisted the USA alliance with the undemocratic South Vietnamese government. On May 15, 1970 I was granted an Honorable Discharge after appealing to the Commandant of the Marine Corps as a Conscientious Objector. I had support from the Officers and many NCOs in my Squadron. .I had graduated at the top of every Avionics class in which I was enrolled,.at a time when many of my closest friends were accepted Undesirable Discharges. I faced the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence and was surprised when I received notice that I was to be discharged (honorably).

I entered University and earned a BS in Political Science and studied International Political Theory. I later earned a MA in Environmental Spirituality.

I was not welcome (for many years) at the annual Homecoming celebration of the Fundamentalist Christian Orphanage in which I had been raised. So be it. I was employed by Veterans For Peace as Membership Coordinator where I lived an Honorable life as a Warrior for Peace.

For Peace and Justice, Doug Zachary

Michael Wong, applied for Limited Conscientious Objector

Senior Airman Larry Hebert is a genuine conscientious objector based on his personal actions and history, as demonstrated by his public hunger strike, and his willingness to do it openly while on active duty.

He has proven that he is willing to take serious risks and accept serious consequences for his actions, without any attempt at evasion or concealment. In any open court or public opinion, his case would stand very strongly, and would be very persuasive.

It would be in the best interests of all - Senior Airman Larry Hebert, the US Air Force, and the Biden administration - to simply acknowledge the facts and grant Senior Airman Hebert a C.O. discharge.

This allows both Senior Airman Hebert and the US Air Force to do the right thing, avoiding an unnecessary public debacle, and an endless legal and publicity battle between the Air Force and the Biden administration on one side, and Senior Airman Hebert and his supporters on the other.

Such a battle would inevitably involve Veterans For Peace, About Face: Veterans Against the War (formerly Iraq Veterans Against the War), Code Pink, and multiple other peace organizations around the country and the world vs. the US Air Force and the Biden administration.

Such a political battle would never end until Senior Airman Hebert is free, as he eventually will be, one way or another.

Better a quick, fact based granting of C.O. status and an honorable discharge for Senior Airman Larry Hebert, as he fully deserves. Sincerely, Michael Wong

(After a year in the US Army, in 1969 Wong received orders to Viet Nam, went AWOL for two weeks, then turned himself in to the Army’s Presidio stockade, refused orders for Viet Nam, and tried to press a Limited Conscientious Objector case (objection to an illegal and immoral war, not to legitimate wars of national defense). The Army rejected his refusal, dropped three felony charges totaling 15 years in prison, and released him back on Viet Nam orders, so Mike deserted to Canada. He returned after the war, pleaded guilty to Long Term AWOL, got an Undesirable Discharge, and later became a social worker with a Master of Social Work degree. As a social worker, he worked in the fields of mental health, developmental disabilities, children's services, and elder services. He retired in 2013. He is featured in the documentary, “Sir! No Sir!” and in the anthologies, “Veterans of War, Veterans of Peace,” edited by Maxine Hong Kingston, “Waging Peace in Vietnam,” edited by Ron Carver, David Cortright, and Barbara Doherty, and “A Matter of Conscience,” by William Short.

Wong is a member of the National Board of Veterans For Peace (VFP) and it's immediate past national vice president, the vice president of the San Francisco chapter of Veterans For Peace (VFP), a member of the Veterans Writers Group led by Maxine Hong Kingston, a co-founder of Pivot To Peace (a coalition of the Chinese and peace communities: https://peacepivot.org/ ), co-chair of the VFP China Working Group, and previously served on the Executive Committee of the “Comfort Women” Justice Coalition (https://remembercomfortwomen.org/ ), which built a statue to honor the "Comfort Women" of WW2 who were enslaved, raped, and of whom 90% died in imprisonment during the war. He works to bring his knowledge of America's current Cold War 2 against China, Russia, and the Third World to VFP at the national level, and to raise awareness of and organize against the dangers of the new Cold War 2, including the danger of nuclear war and increased climate change. He also works with other national peace organizations including Code PInk, ANSWER, and Pivot To Peace.)

Robert Suberi

I admire the young people today who are questioning the accepted narrative regarding American intervention in countries throughout the world.

I admire them because when I was their age I had no political awareness nor did I question what my country was doing with our tax dollars even as they were drafting me into the war in Vietnam. I did as I was told.

It wasn’t until years later that I witnessed how our policies and interventions were effecting people I had come to know and love in South and Central America and more personally in Israel/Palestine.

Aaron Bushnell’s deliberate and thoughtfully documented “extreme act of protest” has inspired a generation of citizens and soldiers, including upper level staffers at the State Department, to recognize their complicity in the horrors inflicted by our government and to courageously speak out.

Airman Larry Hebert is one of those committed souls who are brave enough to take a personal hit in order to avoid the moral injury he would surely sustain by violating his own personal ethics.

Airman Hebert is complying with military procedures by applying for CO status.

By incarcerating him you will be making an “example” of him which will certainly bring more attention to his act of protest. As exemplified by Aaron Bushnell’s supreme sacrifice others will follow.

In recognition of the moral determination of Airman Hebert’s decision I only regret that I missed my opportunity, in my own time, to speak out. Sincerely, Robert Suberi

Dr. Robert Hilliard statement 2024: “WW II Vet to students”

As an Emerson College Professor Emeritus and the College's first Dean of Graduate Studies I have special concern with the recent protest events at the College. I should note that as a veteran of World War II who fought in Germany I saw first-hand what happens when freedom of speech, press and assembly are attacked and restricted. Too many of us have forgotten that 400,000 Americans died in that war to preserve those key rights of a democracy guaranteed in our First Amendment. For full disclosure, I also note that I played a key role in saving the lives of thousands of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. The media cannot exist without freedom of speech and press. Nor can a democracy. Authoritarian leaders, whether in pubic or private entitles, target free speech, press and assembly, including journalists and the media, to maintain control. A communications college should be the leader in upholding our First Amendment rights for all points of view. When one is censored, all are censored. Emerson's recent actions regarding student protesters appear to be a betrayal of its mission and its responsibilities to its students.

Dr. Robert Hilliard November 8, 2023 Op Ed. Dr. Hilliard was a WWII whistle blower against the callused policies of Gen. Eisenhower toward the survivors of Holocaust and slave labor camps.

"‘I learned that human life … takes priority over all else’ HONORING VETERANS

November 08, 2023 BY ROBERT HILLIARD

Robert Hilliard, 98, stands before a photo of himself taken in 1945. “My moral, political and ethical beliefs and actions continue to be ordered by the impact of World War II.” COURTESY PHOTO

Editor’s note: Robert Hilliard, 98, is a combat infantry veteran of World War II. He received the Purple Heart with the Second Infantry Division in Europe at the Battle of the Bulge, and served in post-war occupied Germany with the Second Air Disarmament Wing of the Army’s Ninth Air Force.

In a little more than two years in the Army in World War II I grew far beyond the 20 years of age I was when I left the military. Hackneyed as it was, the recruiting slogan, “Join the Army and we’ll make a man out of a boy,” was true. They didn’t say what kind of a man, but my experiences determined who and what I would be the rest of my life. My moral, political and ethical beliefs and actions continue to be ordered by the impact of World War II.

Most important, I learned that human life, no matter to whom it belongs, is our most important and precious commodity and takes priority over all else. War, the deliberate mass murder by one group of people of another group of people, is therefore the most evil abomination imaginable. There are no “good” wars, although given our current limited stage of human evolution there may be, as with World War II, a necessary war.

I learned that for mutual survival, cooperation, not competition, is necessary, whether in a foxhole or elsewhere. I learned that everyone’s blood is red. In survival for life you don’t make a distinction whether the skin of the person next to you is white, black, red, brown or yellow. I learned that first and foremost, we are all human beings and that ethnicity, nationality and any other external or perceived difference is just that: an outer covering.

Fighting for democracy against Nazi Germany not only gave me a first-hand understanding and view of the results of fascism, but a lifelong commitment to actively oppose fascist ideology and practices wherever and whenever I encounter them. I saw how the “good” Germans didn’t believe it could happen in their country and by their lack of active opposition allowed it to grow incrementally until it was too late. I recognize and continue to oppose the hallmarks of fascism as evidenced in Nazi Germany: banning books, restricting academic freedom, marginalization of people of color, ethnicity, origin, gender and sexual orientation, limiting freedom of speech, press and assembly, denying women control of their own bodies and other anti-democratic practices.

Any impact I may have had or still have on society includes another lesson I learned from my experiences in World War II: no matter what your position, status or circumstance, if you see evil you can stop it if you are willing to try, regardless of personal danger and the apparent impossibility of success.

Another Army private and I, despite the likelihood of being court-martialed, defied the personal, direct orders and threats from Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower in order to save the lives of possibly thousands of Holocaust survivors and slave laborers, both Jews and non-Jews. When the war in Europe ended, these still-living victims of Nazi fascism were designated as Displaced Persons, largely without shelter, food, clothing and medical services. Ill, diseased, and physically debilitated, many died.

As fellow human beings, Private Edward Herman and I could not idly stand by. The Nuremberg Trials later established this truth: human life took priority over orders and laws. We knowingly violated Army protocol and laws in helping to keep the Displaced Persons alive. Finally, we wrote an open letter to the American public accusing the U.S. occupying forces of continued genocide by neglect. We had no response until a colonel arrived at our base, informing us that General Eisenhower had sent him specifically to order us not to send out any more of the accusing letters.

The war in the Pacific was over by then and we looked forward to returning home. “Your discharge papers could get lost and we need enterprising soldiers like you in the Aleutian Islands,” the colonel told us. He noted, correctly, that I had frozen feet in the Battle of the Bulge. “Don’t send out any more letters,” he warned.

Later that day, with the help of the protestant chaplain on our base, we sent out more. We learned the results of our efforts shortly afterwards when a copy of the Sept. 30, 1945, New York Times reached us. President Truman had received a copy of our letter and sent an aide to determine its accuracy. The front page headline in the Times, and in stories in other U.S. papers, read: “PRESIDENT ORDERS EISIENHOWER TO END NEW ABUSE OF JEWS . . . LIKENS OUR TREATMENT TO THAT OF THE NAZIS.”

When Ed Herman and I were asked by people why we — two privates with no power, no standing — stuck our necks out and risked court-martial and other retribution, Ed would answer: “They were dying. They needed help. How could we NOT do what we did?“

Ed died 15 years ago, but that is still the World War II impact on and principle of my life."

https://fortmyers.floridaweekly.com/articles/i-learned-that-human-life-takes-priority-over-all-else/

News from: VETERANS FOR PEACE For immediate release May 6, 2024

Contact: Will Hopkins 603-254-4727 will@veteransforpeace.org

https://www.veteransforpeace.org/pressroom/news/2024/05/06/veterans-support-students-protesting-genocide-palestine

Veterans Support Students Protesting Genocide in Palestine

“The students are absolutely right, and may be saving our humanity.”

Veterans For Peace applauds the students who are protesting against the US/Israeli genocide in Palestine. These courageous young students are doing the right thing at the right time.

“The students are absolutely right, and they may actually be saving our humanity,” said Veterans For Peace president Susan Schnall. “Peace-loving people should applaud them, help them and join them. We are grateful that many people – including veterans – are doing just that.

Nonviolent student encampments on hundreds of college campuses in the U.S. and around the world are providing a light of hope in an otherwise hopeless and shameful moment in human history. The U.S. and European governments are complicit in Israel’s daily crimes against humanity in Gaza, while the world’s governments and the United Nations are unable or unwilling to act.

As much as we are grateful for the young people taking the lead in resisting genocide, Veterans For Peace is equally appalled at the violent repression of peaceful protesters by university administrations in collusion with local and state police. We remember the massacres of antiwar students at Kent State and Jackson State University in 1970. We absolutely reject House Speaker Mike Thompson’s call for the National Guard to be deployed to the campuses.

We categorically reject the slander and lies from our so-called political leaders that are being faithfully broadcast by corporate media. We have heard all this before: baseless charges of violence, ”chaos,” “outside agitators” and “anti-Semitism.”

We note that many Jewish students and organizations such as Jewish Voice for Peace have taken a leading role in these protests, along with Palestinian-Americans and students of many backgrounds, creeds and faiths. While we condemn hate speech against any human beings, we know from first-hand experience that these protests against genocide and war crimes have been powerful expressions of love, unity and mutual understanding.

As military veterans who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, we cherish the First Amendment – freedom of the press and freedom to speak our minds. These Constitutionally-guaranteed rights are now under attack by university administrators and also in the U.S. Congress, where the House just passed a bill officially describing criticism of Israel as “anti-Semitsm,” and threatening to defund universities that do not crack down on campus protests.

In the meantime, Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues unabated. Benjamin Netanyahu, who seems to care nothing at all for the fate of the Israeli hostages, is promising the worst massacre of all, in Rafah on the border with Egypt in the days to come. Children are being blown up – 14,000 children murdered – thousands missing legs and arms, and babies are being starved to death. This is absolutely unacceptable.

All over the world, the experts agree: only the United States government has the power and influence to stop this genocide. Instead, the Biden Administration makes weak noises about protecting civilians, while continuing to provide Israel with 2,000 pound bombs to continue the massacre.

So God Bless the Student Protesters. Veterans For Peace stands with you. Many of our members are already supporting you. This week, we are putting out a Call to Action to all veterans. Stand with the students and against the genocide. This may be the last chance to save our humanity.

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