Lewine v. Laird

336 F. Supp. 346, 1971 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10636
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedNovember 24, 1971
DocketNo. 71-2487-EC
StatusPublished

This text of 336 F. Supp. 346 (Lewine v. Laird) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lewine v. Laird, 336 F. Supp. 346, 1971 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10636 (C.D. Cal. 1971).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER DENYING PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS

CRARY, District Judge.

Petitioner is presently on active duty in the United States Air Force on a four-year enlistment which commenced April 11, 1969. On October 15, 1971, he filed a petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to effect his discharge from the Air Force on the grounds he is a conscientious objector. This Court has jurisdiction under the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 2241. The petitioner and his immediate commander are within the territorial jurisdiction of this Court.

Following basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, he was assigned to Vandenberg Air Force Base in June, 1969. Thereafter, on November 18,1969, petitioner applied for and received permission to attend the University of Pittsburgh on a permissive temporary duty status during the period January 6, 1970, to April 17, 1970. His application for University study was made pursuant to “Operation Bootstrap”, a program under which petitioner could attend college full time while drawing his military pay and allowances, on his agreement that he would serve three days in the military for each day on temporary duty at the University, following the completion of that temporary duty. Such obligated service was to run concurrently with his enlistment obligation.

Following this schooling, petitioner returned to duty at Vandenberg where, on May 21, 1970, he again sought and secured permission to attend the University of Pittsburgh to complete his course of education and obtain his degree. Upon the same agreement and conditions above recited, petitioner again attended the University from September 3 to December 24, 1970, and from January 4 to April 17, 1971. During the vacation break, petitioner remained on temporary duty status.

During his last semester and commencing in February, 1971, petitioner prepared his application for discharge as a conscientious objector and gathered a number of letters and statements of relatives and friends to support his application. The earliest dated letter was March 5, 1971.

The petitioner testified at the Order to Show Cause hearing that his views as a conscientious objector started to crystallize after he entered the military service and before he went to the University of Pittsburgh in January, 1970, and that he made his decision to seek a discharge after returning to the University the second time and in February, 1971. It is to be noted that he continued [348]*348his schooling at the expense of the Government, and under the express agreement that he would give three days military service for each day in school on temporary duty, for a period of approximately two months after he asserts he became a conscientious objector and until he finished college and received his degree on or about April 17, 1971. He filed his application for discharge on April 20, 1971.

The beliefs required, as a matter of law and regulations, to establish one as a conscientious objector are common knowledge, particularly among those contemplating applying for conscientious objector status. Every young man, in or out of the Armed Forces, has every right to familiarize himself with the various conditions, beliefs, and so forth, which disqualify him for military service or avoid the necessity of his performing such service. It is not difficult to make the necessary allegations to state a prima facie case of conscientious objection. If a prima facie case is made by an applicant, then the test of sincerity and sufficiency of the record is considered by the authorities involved, in this case by the Air Force. When the alleged beliefs are asserted to be short-lived and after one is in the military service, as in the instant ease, they bear more rigid scrutiny than when it appears the conscientious objection is based on long-standing religious training and beliefs.

Pursuant to the provisions of Air Force Regulation (AFR) 35-24, the regulation governing inservice conscientious objector applications, petitioner was interviewed by the Vandenberg Air Force Base installation Chaplain on May 6, 1971. [Page 10, Transcript of Administrative Record.]

The Chaplain states the petitioner “ * * * arrived at his position over a period of years, including his years in the military.” and that he has more confidence in the sincerity of a position so reached. The Chaplain goes on to say he is satisfied with petitioner’s candor and sincerity and that he “strongly” recommends favorable consideration to petitioner’s request.

It appears from the record that the Chaplain is in error in his conclusion that petitioner arrived at his position over any period beyond his enlistment. The petitioner’s statement, appearing on page 9 of the Transcript of Administrative Record, states that he did not apply for conscientious objector status before entering on active duty “because I simply was not a conscientious objector at that time.” He goes on to say that “This is due to the fact that, at that time, my moral and ethical objections to war and killing had not yet surfaced, let alone developed. Prior to my enlistment, there were few things further from my mind.” Petitioner further states, with regard to the development of his conscientious objection: “I remember quite well how I felt when I received my draft notice. My little dream world fell apart. But in a way, I welcomed the challenge. My grades were poor and I was tired of my job. After a quick consultation with the Air Force recruiter and my fiancee, I enlisted in the Air Force. Though I hated every minute of basic training, that was the point at which I began to change.” [Pg. 19, Tr. of Adm.R.]

In reply to paragraph 4.e of his application, petitioner says:. “As previously explained, I have arrived at my convictions myself through my personal experiences and discussions with numerous persons. I rely solely upon myself and my conscience for matters relating to my convictions.” [Pg. 21, Tr. of Adm.R.]

The 0-3 Officer (Hearing Officer) interviewed the petitioner on May 28, 1971, as required by the regulations. In his report dated June 1, 1971 (pp. 7-8, Tr.Adm.R.), he observes that he concludes the petitioner is sincere regarding his objections to war and killing and his personal inability to participate in violence. The Hearing Officer goes on to say in his report: “Although I do not question Sgt. Lewine’s sincerity regarding his personal participation in violence, I am not convinced this same sincerity applies to his inability to work as a non[349]*349combatant. Reference paragraph 4.d of his information sheet submitted IAW Atch 1, AFR 35-24. Sgt. Lewine admits there are occasions when violence is necessary although he would not personally engage in violence. Also, during my hearing with Sgt. Lewine I questioned him on this point. When I reminded him of this statement in his application, he acknowledged he had made it and stated that that might be all right for someone else but he personally could not participate in violence.” [Emphasis added.] It is to be noted that on May 28, 1971, a matter of months following the alleged crystallization of his conscientious objection, the petitioner states that violence might be all right for someone else but that he personally could not participate in violence.

The petitioner’s Commanding Officer, after three interviews with petitioner following his return from the University, reported his concurrence with the views of the Hearing Officer and recommended disapproval of the application.

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Bluebook (online)
336 F. Supp. 346, 1971 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10636, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lewine-v-laird-cacd-1971.