Ronnie Tallman, a member of the Navajo Nation, is trying to get discharged from the Marines for spiritual reasons.
Tallman is a hand trembler, a type of spiritual healer. He discovered his abilities shortly before he was notified that he would be sent to Iraq.
Conflicted by his religious beliefs and military service, he applied for conscientious-objector status. Killing people is not consistent with being a hand trembler, he said.
Tallman garnered support from the Navajo Nation and the Dine Hataalii Association, an organization of medicine men. Three psychiatric evaluations recommended that he be discharged.
But on January 13, the military denied his request. A majority of the Conscientious Objector Status Screening Board said Tallman was only trying to avoid being deployed to Iraq. He has to go to federal court if he wants to stay in the U.S.
Get the Story:Man's beliefs pit military vs. Navajos (The Denver Post 1/21) Related Stories:
Navajo soldier loses arm in explosion in Iraq (12/18)
Northern Arapaho soldier killed in explosion in Iraq (12/11)
Goodiron laid to rest on Fort Berthold Reservation (12/4)
'Hate' church plans protest at soldier's funeral (12/1)
Fort Berthold soldier killed in Afghanistan back home (12/1)
Memorial service for Fort Berthold soldier (11/29)
Fort Berthold soldier killed in Afghanistan (11/27)
Canadian Native man dies while serving U.S. (11/27)
Navajo community welcomes return of two soldiers (11/10)
Yakama Nation soldier killed in ambush in Iraq (11/9)
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign (11/8)
Navajo soldiers honored after tours of duty in Iraq (10/17)
Assiniboine woman honored before return to Iraq (09/01)
Alaska Native who was headed to Iraq laid to rest (08/03)
Native soldier from Michigan killed on duty in Iraq (7/27)
Alaska Native troops called up for service in Iraq (06/07)
Choctaw Marine from Oklahoma killed in Iraq (05/17)
Crow Tribe welcomes warrior home from Iraq (04/12)
Family, friends gather in honor of Navajo soldier (01/25)
Navajo soldier killed in Iraq during second tour (1/24)
Crow Tribe honors soldier on leave from Iraq (12/16)
Donations sought for soldier wounded in Iraq (12/12)
Kiowa/Comanche soldier killed in Iraq laid to rest (11/29)
U.S. military casualties in Iraq reach 2,000 (10/26)
Navajo soldier killed in Iraq laid to rest in New Mexico (10/14)
Tohono O'odham Nation soldier killed in Iraq (08/16)
Navajo soldier who was killed in Iraq is laid to rest (07/18)
Navajo Marine killed while serving in Afghanistan (7/11)
Another Navajo soldier killed while serving in Iraq (7/7)
Piestewa honored two years after death in Iraq (03/24)
Leech Lake Ojibwe soldier killed in Iraq laid to rest (01/19)
Leech Lake Ojibwe soldier killed by bomb in Iraq (1/12)
Memorial held for Lakota soldier killed in Iraq (11/22)
Memorial, tournament set for slain Lakota soldier (11/08)
Another Navajo tribal member killed serving in Iraq (09/09)
Slain Navajo soldier enlisted to receive education (08/10)
Second Navajo soldier dies while serving in Iraq (8/6)
Slain Navajo soldier recalled as quiet and strong (04/09)
Lakota soldier who died in Iraq remembered (11/25)
Fund created for Lakota soldier killed in Iraq (11/24)
Lakota soldier dies in Black Hawk crash in Iraq (11/18)
Nephew of Navajo vice president killed in Iraq (4/8)
Army report describes attack on Piestewa's unit (07/10)
DoD confirms Piestewa killed in action in Iraq (4/7)
Indian Country mourns loss of Native soldier (4/7)
Hopi Woman Confirmed Dead (4/5)
Readers react to Piestewa tragedy (4/5)
Ariz. soldier reported missing (3/25)
