San Jose Marine reservist refuses to go to war

On Tuesday morning Stephen Funk, a gay U.S. Marine Corps reservist, surrendered himself to military authorities in San Jose, Calif., after he spent a month of unauthorized absence from military duty while completing his application to be discharged as a conscientious objector.

"I cannot in good conscience take part in war," said 20-year-old Funk. "I object to war because I believe that it is impossible to achieve peace through violence."

Funk enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 2002 and spent six months in boot camp. When the order for his activation came in February 2003, Funk did not appear for duty. He said that at the time he had just recently learned about becoming a conscientious objector and was still working on his application.

Aimee Allison, a former Army combat medic who became a conscientious objector in 1992 and is assisting Funk, said that the military does not plan on charging him; he will be on restricted duty, working a desk job at the base in San Jose while officials consider his application for discharge

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