GI Quits Army

Tom Sincavitch is uptight with the draft and the Army.

Fifth Estate readers are perhaps best acquainted with Tom through his artwork on the front pages and calendars in this paper. He drew the October calendar in last issue.

Tom was in the active Army Reserves and fulfilled 4-1/2 years of a six year “obligation” when he decided he had had enough. He felt he could no longer “justify his participation in the military with his efforts in the peace movement.”

This inconsistency was brought home even further this Spring.

“I, along with 400,000 other Reservists, was ordered to Riot Control Training in anticipation of the ‘need’ for occupying the urban ghettos this last summer.” Tom said, “After just one day of this, the hypocrisy and racism evident in the training became more than apparent.”

So Tom “resigned” from the Army. He wrote his commanding officer a letter and told him he would not be back and the reasons why. He also turned in his draft card on April 19.

The military responded by reclassifying him 1-A and ordering him for induction into the Army.

Tom appeared for induction Sept. 23 carrying a huge black and white resistance flag and with a group of demonstrators backing his actions. Tom entered the base carrying the flag and distributing anti-draft literature to other inductees.

After being repeatedly warned by military “authorities” to cease his activities he was escorted from the base by Army officials and told he would be charged as a “Non-cooperative Registrant.”

Several weeks later Tom was visited by military men who tried to present him with papers ordering him to report for activation into the Armed Forces on Oct. 17. Activation is different than induction. but the result is the same.

Tom refused the papers and is, at this writing, preparing to take a sanctuary in a church if the Army tries to come for him.

Persons interested in supporting Tom’s fight or helping the Resistance may call 874–4334 for further information.

Related

See Fifth Estate’s Vietnam Resource Page.