Joshua Casteel

I served with the Army's 202nd Military Intelligence Battalion as an Arabic translator and U.S. Army interrogator inside the prison at Abu Ghraib. I returned to the United States in January 2005, submitted my CO (conscientious objector) paperwork in February and was honorably discharged in May. Since returning, I have been active in the peace movement, serving on the board of directors of Iraq Veterans Against the War and chairing IVAW's Religious Dialogue committee. I attended University of Iowa graduate playwright workshop, wrote two plays about my experiences in Iraq, and earned an M.F.A. My story was featured in Robert Greenwald's documentary film, Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers. Letters from Abu Ghraib was published by Essay Press and excerpts from the book were printed in Harper's Magazine.