User:Carl Webb

Iraq War Resister Profile, Carl Webb

Carl Webb, born in 1965 in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a U.S. Army veteran and former member of the Texas Army National Guard who became notable for his public resistance to the Iraq War.

Early Life and Military Service

Webb dropped out of school in 1982 and, just before turning 17, was persuaded by a recruiter to join the military. He spent seven years on and off active duty between 1982 and 1994, including overseas tours in Korea and Germany. In 1993, while serving in the Louisiana Army National Guard, he trained at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, first as a combat medic and then as a licensed practical nurse. After his discharge in December 1994, Webb decided to stay in Texas and work in the healthcare industry. In September 1995, he moved to Austin, Texas.

Re-enlistment and Opposition to the Iraq War

In August 2001, Webb enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard for a three-year term. Following the events of September 11, 2001, he was assigned as a medic to the 249th Main Support Battalion in Austin. In July 2004, just before his final drill, Webb received stop-loss orders, involuntarily extending his service and reassigning him to the 56th Brigade Combat Team of the 36th Infantry Division, with deployment orders to Iraq. The Stop-loss policy allowed the military to extend service members' contracts beyond their original terms, a practice some referred to as a "backdoor draft."

An anti-war activist, Webb publicly opposed his deployment. An article in the Austin Chronicle titled "Jail, Exile, or Iraq" ^[1] brought attention to his situation. Subsequently, local media, including KTBC-TV, Austin's Fox News affiliate, sought interviews with him.

Going AWOL and Activism

Instead of reporting to Fort Hood, Texas, for deployment, Webb chose to go absent without leave (AWOL). With assistance from friends in [[Veterans For Peace, he left Texas and initially stayed in Tennessee. Opting not to leave the country, Webb aimed to remain hidden until his unit dropped him from its roster, hoping to avoid indefinite exile. During this period, he traveled, engaged in anti-war activism, and shared his story through various media outlets.

Webb's explicit anti-imperialist views and public dissent made him a controversial figure within the peace movement. He was interviewed by publications such as Against the Current (againstthecurrent.org), where he discussed his reasons for refusing deployment and his experiences within the anti-war community.

Discharge and Later Life

After approximately two years of desertion, Webb was discharged from the military in August 2006. He believes that his decision to go public with his struggle contributed to the military's decision to release him. Following his discharge, Webb continued his activism and shared his experiences to raise awareness about military policies and the rights of service members.

Related Interview on Democracy Now!

Interview with Carl Webb on Democracy Now! discussing military resistance^[2]