I served nine years in the United States Navy, getting out as a conscientious objector 17 July 2003. I'm currently living in Maryland with my wife who's still active duty. I was blessed to be able to watch other news outlets apart from US ones during the run-up to the war (BBC News is a prime example.) It really got me to thinking and caused me to reexamine my faith; I discovered that I couldn't be in the military anymore because they required me to put the military before my faith. For all of you who are even considering becoming a conscientious objector, make sure you know the regulations inside and out. That will make the process easier for you. There are websites around that will help prepare you for the process: get familiar with those too. Most of the questions I was asked, I had seen before, so I knew how to answer them. It's a difficult thing extricating yourself from the military "religion" but it's worth it in the long run.