Do U.S. Soldiers Have Restricted First Amendment Rights?

As Bowe Bergdahl returns to the U.S., conscientious objector Camilo Mejia and civilian attorney James Branum discuss the barriers that exist for soldiers to express their first amendment rights as conscientious objectors

James Branum

James M. Branum is a civilian attorney who defends conscientious objectors and war resisters, including several of the servicemembers who have fled to Canada for reasons of conscience but were later deported back to the USA. He is the legal director of the Oklahoma City-based Center for Conscience in Action and the author of US Army AWOL Defense: A Practice Guide.

Camilo Mejia

Camilo Mejia is a Nicaraguan who joined the U.S. military and became a conscientious objector during the Iraq war. He also served as director of Iraq Veterans Against War.