Camilo Mejía Camilo Ernesto Mejía ( b . Managua , Nicaragua , August 28 , 1975 ) is a Nicaraguan who left the Army as a private after receiving a bad conduct discharge , best known for being an anti - war activist and deserter . He is also the son of Carlos Mejia Godoy , Sandinista songwriter . Service and court - martial . Mejía is a former student of the University of Miami in Coral Gables , Florida , where he intended to major in psychology and Spanish on a military - funded scholarship . Mejía spent six months in Iraq ( his first combat tour after enlisting ) , then returned for a 2 - week furlough to the US after which he did not return for duty . He was charged with desertion and sentenced to one year in prison for refusing to return to fight in Iraq . In March 2004 he turned himself in to the US military and filed an application for conscientious objector . On May 21 , 2004 , Mejía was convicted of desertion by a military jury and sentenced to one year confinement , reduction to the rank of Private E - 1 , and a Bad Conduct Discharge . Under Article 85 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice , conviction on the charge of desertion during time of war can result in a sentence of death . Mejía served his time at the Fort Sill military prison in Lawton , Oklahoma . During his time in custody he was recognized by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience and was awarded by Refuse and Resist with its Courageous Resister Award . He was also the recipient of the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award which was presented by his attorney Louis Font . Camilo was also recognized by the Detroit , Michigan , City Council with a commendation for his stand . Detroit was the first city where Mejía spoke at an anti - war rally . While he was confined , local and national activists organized a series of vigils outside the gates of Ft . Sill , including one attended by Kathy Kelly and other members of Voices in the Wilderness . After prison . Camilo Mejía was released from prison on February 15 , 2005 . Since his release , he has spoken at many peace protests and to the press about his experiences and his opposition to the war in Iraq . In 2005 he was recognized with the ' Young Leader Award ' by Global Exchange , in San Francisco . Mejía has recently written a book entitled " " which recounts his journey of conscience in Iraq . Quote : " I say without any pride that I did my job as a soldier . I commanded an infantry squad in combat and we never failed to accomplish our mission . But those who called me a coward , without knowing it , are also right . I was a coward not for leaving the war , but for having been a part of it in the first place . Refusing and resisting this war was my moral duty , a moral duty that called me to take a principled action . I failed to fulfill my moral duty as a human being and instead I chose to fulfill my duty as a soldier . All because I was afraid . I was terrified , I did not want to stand up to the government and the army , I was afraid of punishment and humiliation . I went to war because at the moment I was a coward , and for that I apologize to my soldiers for not being the type of leader I should have been . " Mejía is interviewed in " The Ground Truth : After the Killing Ends ( 2006 ) " , a documentary about the training and dehumanization of U . S . soldiers , and how they struggle to come to terms with it when they come back home . A quote from him in the movie : " To the troops , I want to say that there is a way out . We signed a contract , and we swore to protect the constitution and to fight for freedom and democracy , but that ' s not what we ' re doing in Iraq . And if it means jail , or if it means disgrace or shame , then that ' s what it ' s going to take . . . [ T ] here is no higher freedom that can be achieved than the freedom we achieve when we follow our conscience , and that ' s something that we can live by and never regret . " In August 2007 Mejía was named the chair of the board of directors of Iraq Veterans Against the War . Song about Mejía . In early 2006 , alternative reggae / rock band State Radio released the album " Us Against the Crown " , which features the song " Camilo " . When they heard of his story , State Radio wanted to bring conscientious objection to light . Lyrics in the song reflect on Camilo Mejía ' s situation : Twenty days in a concrete fallout / What life have I to take your own / Oh my country , won ' t you call out / Doorbells are ringing with boxes of bones / And from another land ' s war torn corners / To a prison cell in my own / Punish me for not taking your orders / But don ' t lock me up for not leavin ' my home Camilo / Camilo / Leaving my home / Camilo / Camilo