What does the process of disobeying illegal military orders look like? [US]

Submitted ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨Hazmatastic@lemmy.world⁩ to ⁨[deleted]⁩

Could someone who has served or something please enlighten me?Just scratching my head wondering what about that process is keeping people from actually doing it. Beyond just saying “No,” is there grievance paperwork? A petition? Witness statements? Is it as simple as having the balls to tell your CO no to their face and being open to consequences?

It seems like at very least there’s a culture of “the people above me probably know better” and/or “don’t be the squeaky wheel” but it doesn’t seem to me that that should be enough for the level of inaction we seem to be seeing here. What gives?

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HubertManne@piefed.social ⁨7⁩ ⁨minutes⁩ ago
Im not sure because I have never been in the military. This is because I understood that signing up for it would mean killing folks if told to do so. I honestly feel that many people just don’t really let that sink in before they sign up. Its heavy. Whatever the process is im sure it starts with courage. I think about bradley manning and edward snowden level of courage.

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SomeAmateur@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
You get orders to do a thing (“blow up that orphanage soldier!”)

You ask for clarification (“that looks like a civilian target, do you mean the outpost next to it?”)

Get claification that confirms unlawful order (“No the orphanage full of kids, level it.”)

You are OBLIGATED BY YOUR DUTY TO INTERNATIONAL LAWS OF WAR to reject the order (“Negative, I cannot do that”) and to report others who obey unlawful orders, outside of your chain of command if neccesary (“Fine, I’ll get someone else to destroy it, you’re finished.”)

Then you’ll likely be pulled from your unit, and face court matial where the situation will be investigated like most other court cases. (“There was an outpost nearby but the orphanage was not a legal target”)

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- tyrant@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨hour⁩ ago
  Look at what happened to Mark Kelly for simply suggesting people should disobey illegal orders
  
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I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.world ⁨29⁩ ⁨minutes⁩ ago
girightshotline.org

This is the number to call if you are given an unlawful and or immoral order.

The way military members view their role in war is a constantly evolving story. Often during their military careers, people start to question or doubt the missions they once signed on to carry out. Some feel asked to carry out orders they never imagined. As citizens themselves, some military members want to use their free speech rights to speak out against injustices they see. Some even find themselves in situations where their conscience won’t allow them to carry out orders they believe to be immoral. And in the rigid military discipline system, people are often curious about their rights in these situations and nervous about possible consequences for acting on their inclinations. There is a long, powerful legacy of military personnel taking courageous action to ensure public visibility and/or accountability for unlawful, unethical and unjust situations carried out by the US military.

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db2@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago
The punishment will happen either way. If the bad guys win the punishment won’t stop. This whole thing of not obeying illegal orders relies on enough people to not obey that it can’t be ignored, and even then they can apparently 1984 it away anyway.

It’s incredibly childish.

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