It is likely that a young soldier’s efforts to obtain an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army will bear fruit early in the New Year.

Appearing nervous and shy when he appeared before the Ithaca Common Council in a packed Council Chamber on December 3, Army Specialist Stephen Trevor Loope requested and received a special type of support. It now seems likely that the assistance he received that night will pay off.

Specialist Loope explained that he has been in the Army for over 4 years. For 15 months, beginning in February 2006, he was deployed to Afghanistan where, in addition to the expected stress of active duty, he was subjected to ridicule and abuse from his peers who had known each other prior to Loope’s transfer to the unit.

Loope said that in about February 2007 he became seriously ill. After two more months on the front lines, he was sent to Germany for evaluation. His condition was diagnosed in September 2007 and he finally underwent surgery in November of that year.

During this entire time, and due to the fact that he was unable to perform all of his duties because of his physical disability, Loope said that he continued to be subjected to abuse and threats by his peers and superiors. The combined stress of his deployment, his physical condition and the abuse and threats he received resulted in a deteriorating mental health condition. He asked for, and was refused, mental health treatment.

At that point, in December 2007, Specialist Loope went AWOL.

His visit to Ithaca occurred while he was en route back to Ft. Drum in Watertown, NY to plead for an administrative discharge instead of criminal prosecution. Since he went AWOL, Loope has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and severe depression. He has been receiving treatment for these conditions.

Loope asked the Common Council members for letters of support to be submitted to the Commanding Officer. This, he said, would be consistent with the Resolution passed by the Council in October that declares Ithaca to be a "Community of Sanctuary."

Concluding his plea to Council, Loope said: "Even though I am terrified to return to Ft. Drum and will have to see some of the people who threatened me, I am given confidence knowing there are good people like you supporting me and the many others like me."

Council responded favorably with nine of its members pledging to write letters. Alderperson Joel Zumoff was the lone dissenter.

According to Todd Ensign, Director of Citizen Soldier, a GI/veterans rights advocacy group, and author of America’s Military Today, who has been advising Loope, Army officials appear to have no interest in prosecuting Loope on criminal charges.

"Trevor has told friends that he expects a medical discharge," said Ensign. "His unit is being re-deployed shortly and it is expected that Trevor will not be with them."

Ensign warned that a final and formal determination may not occur for some time, but, in the mean time, "things look very positive."He also expressed his gratitude to the activists in Ithaca and to the Common Council for their support of Trevor’s cause.

"Other soldiers are facing similar circumstances, but without public support. They may not be as fortunate as it appears Trevor will be," he said.