needaspeaker

AGUSTIN'S BACKGROUND

He filed for conscientious objector status in the Army and was wrongfully denied. When Agustín finished his time in Iraq he knew he had to fight in a legal battle to challenge the Pentagon's decision. The Aguayo's hired two of the best lawyers in conscientious objection and military law and began his fight for justice through the civillian court system.

After Iraq, he returned to Germany only to find the devastating effects that war had caused his family. One of his daughters was self mutilating, and Helga his wife had developed a life threatening form of psoriasis. There was no immediate relief for the family since these health conditions were triggered by stress.

Immediately after his unit's return from combat they began to plan another deployment. His experiences in Iraq taught him that war is not the solution to conflict. In Iraq he questioned how in the name of good so much devastation took place, meanwhile people in America see little of what the War in Iraq is causing.

While in the Army he realized that many young recruits are deceived into enlisting under false pretense and with corrupt deception. He knew there was something he should do about this once out of the Army. However, in 2006, when he should have been getting ready to leave the service because his contract was ending he was stop-lossed and required to deploy a second time to Iraq, he refused.

Agustín served an 8 month prison sentence in a military prison in Germany after being court-martialed for his beliefs.

Agustín's passion is to share his experiences with at risk kids and young adults that are being targeted by military recruiters. He speaks of what he saw in Iraq. What it's like to see your friends die. What's it's like to see innocent people suffer and die. His vivid recollections of war and prison are moving and inspiring.

Agustin was honored with the 2007 AnStifter International Peace Prize, awarded by AnStifter, a German peace advocacy group. He was presented with the award in Stuttgart in December 2007. The prize is awarded annually to people actively engaged in achieving peace, justice, and solidarity. Previous winners include Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena, who was kidnapped in Baghdad while working for an Italian newspaper.

Agustín has an AA degree in Business Administration, but now has to live with a conviction which bars him from jobs he could have had before his time in Army. Currently he is determined to bringing awareness to this war causing so much suffering.

HELGA'S BACKGROUND

Helga brings a unique perspective. She discusses what it feels like to live in a deployed military community. She explains what it entails and what you go thru as a military family member. She explains how it feels when a soldier in the community dies. How that affects families and how the military copes with family members' distress. She discusses the impact of war on military families. She describes what it feels like to send off your loved one into combat, what it feels to have him come back forever changed.

Through personal stories she reveals in a candid and heartfelt way how war affected her, their children, their parents, and close friends going thru the same. She is a powerful speaker who delivers a bone-chilling perspective of what it is really like to be in the military.

Helga launched an international campaign to free her husband and get him the best legal defense possible. He went from facing 7 years in prison to serving an 8 month suspended sentenced and actually only served 6 months in prison.

Before doing this type of work Helga worked in the non-profit sector as the Program Director for the NOCHAA AVC. She was an advocate for people living with HIV and AIDS. She walked away from a rewarding career to support her husband's military commitment.

Helga has completed courses in Computer Science, Computer Applications, and Business. She is currently working on completeing her BA.