I enlisted after 9/11 as a disillusioned gay progressive activist looking to serve the world, and for sense of direction and belonging. I'm an idealist.

If I was disillusioned when I enlisted, things were definitely made clear during my short military career; I wasn't going to serve world interests but serve corporate interests; I was getting direction, but on the opposite path I wanted to head; and I don't know why I ever thought a gay progressive activist would belong in the Marine Corps.

I had suffered in the USMC like everyone else, more so for being gay, but mostly because the training didn't work on me. I couldn't bring myself to morally justify my participation in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan or any war.

In 2003 I became the first public Iraq War resister. I organized a press conference in front of my base declaring myself a conscientious objector and spent the majority of that year speaking out across the country.

For encouraging people in the military to think about conscientious objection, and for young people to think before they enlist I served 6 months in the brig, was demoted to private, fined, and given a bad conduct discharge.

A few months after I was released from prison, IVAW was formed and I knew from the beginning it was going to be a great organization. I had found a way to serve the world, a sense of direction and belonging all in one place.