BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

28/06/2007

Belarusian Army Reportedly Rejects Former U.S. Soldier

"Belaruskaya voennaya gazeta," the daily press organ of the Belarusian Defense Ministry, reported on its website (http://www.vsr.mil.by) on June 27 that a military registration and enlistment office in Minsk rejected an application from a Belarusian citizen of African origin, identified as Vital N., to serve in the Belarusian armed forces. According to Belarusian law, the daily explained, those who have previously served in foreign armed forces may not join the Belarusian Army. Some time ago Vital reportedly found an Internet advertisement saying that the U.S. Army was looking for foreign volunteers to serve in Iraq and promised U.S. citizenship to such volunteers after one year of service. The daily reported that Vital arrived in the United States as a tourist, managed to enlist as a recruit, and was sent to Iraq after a "short special training course." Vital's "euphoria over donning a brand-new uniform was still turning his head but the fairytale was soon over. Mildly speaking, foreigners are not liked there, and they are subject to all kinds of humiliation. Severe hazing is thriving. After a few months of such service, Vital returned to his fatherland," the daily wrote in an article penned by Lieutenant Dzmitry Labashou. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/06/3-cee/cee-280607.asp

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