Joy Metzler left the Air Force as a conscientious objector over U.S. support for Israeli atrocities in Palestine and joined a 40-day Veterans for Peace hunger strike for Gaza. She says it is crucial we escalate our protest to stop genocide.

I am an active duty Air Force lieutenant looking to gain a conscientious objector discharge due to my horror over the U.S. role in the Gaza genocide. Aaron Bushnell’s self-immolation a year ago started me on my journey.