Conscientious Objectors

During fiscal years 1988-1990, the Pentagon processed up to 200 applications each year for conscientious objector status and approved about 80 to 85 percent. During the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the number of applications rose to 447, about 61 percent of which were approved. Applicants were generally young junior enlisted personnel. Given that more than 500,000 troops were sent to the Persian Gulf, coupled with the fact that the services deployed some applicants, conscientious objectors had no measurable impact on the readiness of the all-volunteer force. This report also describes the different procedures used by the various military services to process conscientious objectors' applications.

GAO found that: (1) DOD processed about 200 conscientious objector applications annually and approved 80 to 85 percent of them from FY 1988 through 1990; (2) DOD processed 447 applications and approved 61 percent of them during the Persian Gulf War; (3) in FY 1992, the number of applications and approval rate returned to near prewar levels; (4) most of the applications in FY 1991 came from Army and Marine Corps members; (5) the number of conscientious objector applications had no impact on combat readiness and was insignificant compared to the number of members in uniform and deployed during the Persian Gulf War; (6) DOD deployed 110 applicants to the Persian Gulf pending resolution of their applications; (7) most applicants were white male enlisted personnel under the age of 30 in combat or support occupational specialties; (8) the basic steps for processing conscientious objector applications include the appointment of an investigating officer, interviews with a chaplain and a psychiatrist, a hearing, preparation of a report by the investigating officer, and the submission of the report through the chain of command; (9) the military services' approval processes and discharge options vary due to their implementing regulations; and (10) application processing times range from 1 month to 4 years and average about 6 months.