Courage to Resist, a military objectors support group, is circulating a petition via its Web site asking that charges against Army Spc. Alexis Hutchinson be dropped.
Hutchinson, a cook stationed at Hunter Army Airfield, missed a scheduled deployment with her unit in November. She currently faces charges of missing movement, absence without leave, dereliction of duty and insubordinate conduct toward a noncommissioned officer.
Her supporters say the 21-year-old, single mother missed her deployment flight because she didn’t have child care for her infant son Kamani, and feared she would lose custody of her child if she deployed.
Hutchinson had reportedly arranged for her mother to care for her son, but the arrangement fell through days before the soldier’s scheduled deployment.
Fort Stewart officials have said Hutchinson’s command offered her child-care options when her plan fell through, but that she chose not to accept any of those options.
Soldiers are required to present family care plans before they deploy. Troop deployments are generally announced months ahead of actual departure dates.
Courage to Resist, which is raising funds for Hutchinson’s defense, is offering to print and mail a letter on behalf of petitioners to Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Phillips, 3rd ID deputy commander general-rear, Gen. Charles Campbell, U.S. Army FORSCOM commander and President Barack Obama.
Hutchinson, a cook stationed at Hunter Army Airfield, missed a scheduled deployment with her unit in November. She currently faces charges of missing movement, absence without leave, dereliction of duty and insubordinate conduct toward a noncommissioned officer.
Her supporters say the 21-year-old, single mother missed her deployment flight because she didn’t have child care for her infant son Kamani, and feared she would lose custody of her child if she deployed.
Hutchinson had reportedly arranged for her mother to care for her son, but the arrangement fell through days before the soldier’s scheduled deployment.
Fort Stewart officials have said Hutchinson’s command offered her child-care options when her plan fell through, but that she chose not to accept any of those options.
Soldiers are required to present family care plans before they deploy. Troop deployments are generally announced months ahead of actual departure dates.
Courage to Resist, which is raising funds for Hutchinson’s defense, is offering to print and mail a letter on behalf of petitioners to Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Phillips, 3rd ID deputy commander general-rear, Gen. Charles Campbell, U.S. Army FORSCOM commander and President Barack Obama.