Pablo Paredes

Pablo Paredes (b. 1981, The Bronx, New York) was a Petty Officer Third Class and weapons-control technician in the United States Navy who refused to board the USS Bonhomme Richard as it deployed to the Persian Gulf, December 6, 2004 as part of the Operation Iraqi Freedom.

During his 2002 tour in Japan, Paredes met several people who were highly critical of the US military interventions. After his return to the United States in 2004, Paredes tried unsuccessfully to switch to the military police in order to avoid involvement in the war. When that failed, he purposely went absent from his ship, eventually returning to Navy custody on December 18, 2004- after his ship had already set sail. The same day he made a statement to local press saying that he was fully aware of the possible repercussions of his decision. Paredes then applied for discharge as a conscientious objector on January 4, 2005 but was denied by the Navy in July of that year.

Paredes was brought up on two charges, violation of Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 86, absence without leave and Article 87 Missing movement, and found guilty by court martial on May 10, 2005. The sentencing came the day after his conviction and included two months restriction, three months hard labor without confinement, and reduction in rank from E-4 to E-1. September 19, 2005 Paredes filed a lawsuit against the United States Navy in federal district court. The petition said the Navy improperly rejected his application for discharge as a conscientious objector, and asked the Court to order the Navy to give Paredes an honorable discharge. The request was denied by both the courts and the Navy; Paredes has submitted a rebuttal and is awaiting the final decision of the courts.