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Speaking Out
Officers Speak Out
Military Mind
BALTIMORE, MD., February 6, 1971
Lt, Font held for his expose
By J.O. Williams
"My concern for those less fortunate than myself began in the home with
the teachings of my parents."
The words are those of 1st Lt. Louis P. Font this week.
However, Lt. Font's concern for the GI's at Ft. Meade, Md., has brought
down the wrath of the U.S. Army and he faces court-martial for five
counts of disobeying orders.
In an exclusive AFRO interview, Lt. Font explained the circumstances of
the case. "I have experienced discrimination myself," he said. "My
mother is Puerto Rican and my father is French."
So when he discovered the "deplorable" GI living conditions at Ft.
Meade, he began to make complaints to his superiors.
"There were blacks living in the barracks under inhuman conditions. They
were paid less often, placed on detail more often and assigned to ...
THE EVENING STAR: Officer Ruled Too 'Selective' For Discharge as
Objector
It was really a
troubling decision, because I knew that my career would be over. And I
didn't know what the future would bring. At the time, the press said
that I was the first West Point graduate to refuse to serve in a war in
the history of West Point.
I remember calling
my parents and they were in tears, just totally in tears, thinking that
I would end up in prison instead of getting a master's degree from
Harvard, but I told them, I remember in that conversation, I said, "You
always taught me to do what's just, to do what is right," and I really
felt that I was doing the right thing, and I believe that to this day,
34 years later. I know I did the right thing.
DAVID CLINE, U.S.
ARMY: I was wounded three times while I was out in the bush.
The third time I
was wounded was on December 20, 1967, and we got overrun by North
Vietnamese irregulars.
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