Tod Ensign
Encyclopedia
Tod Ensign is an American veteran's rights lawyer and Director of Citizen Soldier, a non-profit GI and veterans rights advocacy group
based in New York City. Ensign holds two law degrees, a Master of Laws
(LLM) from NYU and Juris Doctor
(J.D.) from Wayne State University
and a BA from Michigan State University
.
, sexism
, homophobia
and militarism
. Currently, the group has 7,500 members nationwide, who provide nearly all of its financial support. As an attorney
, Ensign has participated in a broad range of legal cases involving GIs and veterans over the past 35 years. Two notable cases are the Agent Orange
class action
, which attempted to hold chemical manufacturers liable for the injuries their herbicide
caused Vietnam veterans
and their offspring and the Vietnam-Era Winter Soldier Investigation
and National Veterans Inquiry
.
Following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Citizen Soldier attorneys, including Ensign, have counseled hundreds of GIs and reservists who are seeking alternatives to serving in what many regard as an illegal war. The most celebrated case is Citizen Soldier's defense of Sgt. Camilo Mejia
, 28 of Miami, Florida. Mejia was the first US combat veteran to refuse further service in Iraq. He based his refusal on his duty, on international law
, that it is illegal to obey military orders that violate international law. During his five months in Iraq, he claims he witnessed command-sanctioned shooting of civilians, abuse of detainees and other violations. Mejia’s defense team has appealed the military judge’s refusal to allow any expert testimony at his court martial regarding illegal US military operations by his unit.
He founded The Different Drummer coffeehouse near Watertown, NY, which strove to connect and inform service members.
Since 2000, Ensign has served on the executive board of the National Gulf War Resource Center, a coalition of Gulf War
advocacy groups that advocates for research and health care for veterans from both Gulf wars. (He is the only non-veteran serving on this board).
of how US soldiers were harmed by nuclear fallout
during A-bomb tests and the herbicide Agent Orange
that was used during the Vietnam War.
He has also contributed chapters to four other books, Ten Excellent Reasons Not to Join the Military (New Press, 2006) Against the Vietnam War: Writings by Activists (Syracuse U. Press, 1999), Metal of Dishonor: Depleted Uranium (IAC Press, 1997) Collateral Damage (South Press. He has written dozens of articles for The Progressive, In These Times, Radical America, The American Pathologist, The N. Y. Daily News, Toward Freedom, Against the Current, the Weekly Guardian, the Non Violent Resister, the Indypendent, and several others.
He has a daughter, Rachel.
Advocacy group
Advocacy groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems...
based in New York City. Ensign holds two law degrees, a Master of Laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
(LLM) from NYU and Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(J.D.) from Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
and a BA from Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
.
Veteran's Rights Activism
Ensign co-founded Citizen Soldier in 1969 to advocate on behalf of GIs and veterans who work to oppose command-tolerated racismRacism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, sexism
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
, homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
and militarism
Militarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
. Currently, the group has 7,500 members nationwide, who provide nearly all of its financial support. As an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, Ensign has participated in a broad range of legal cases involving GIs and veterans over the past 35 years. Two notable cases are the Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth...
class action
Class action
In law, a class action, a class suit, or a representative action is a form of lawsuit in which a large group of people collectively bring a claim to court and/or in which a class of defendants is being sued...
, which attempted to hold chemical manufacturers liable for the injuries their herbicide
Herbicide
Herbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often synthetic "imitations" of plant...
caused Vietnam veterans
Vietnam Veterans
The Vietnam Veterans is an French psychedelic band, hailing originally from Chalon-sur-Saône, a commune in eastern France. They released six full-length albums during the 1980s, starting in 1983. The band was praised by many alternative music publications, including Bucketful Of Brains during the...
and their offspring and the Vietnam-Era Winter Soldier Investigation
Winter Soldier Investigation
The "Winter Soldier Investigation" was a media event sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War from January 31, 1971 – February 2, 1971. It was intended to publicize war crimes and atrocities by the United States Armed Forces and their allies in the Vietnam War...
and National Veterans Inquiry
National Veterans Inquiry
The National Veterans Inquiry was a national-level inquiry into American war crimes in Vietnam. They were held December 1 - December 3, 1970 in Washington, DC.-Origin:...
.
Following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Citizen Soldier attorneys, including Ensign, have counseled hundreds of GIs and reservists who are seeking alternatives to serving in what many regard as an illegal war. The most celebrated case is Citizen Soldier's defense of Sgt. Camilo Mejia
Camilo Mejía
Camilo Ernesto Mejía is a Nicaraguan American who was a former staff sergeant of the Florida National Guard, best known for being an anti-war activist and deserter...
, 28 of Miami, Florida. Mejia was the first US combat veteran to refuse further service in Iraq. He based his refusal on his duty, on international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
, that it is illegal to obey military orders that violate international law. During his five months in Iraq, he claims he witnessed command-sanctioned shooting of civilians, abuse of detainees and other violations. Mejia’s defense team has appealed the military judge’s refusal to allow any expert testimony at his court martial regarding illegal US military operations by his unit.
He founded The Different Drummer coffeehouse near Watertown, NY, which strove to connect and inform service members.
Since 2000, Ensign has served on the executive board of the National Gulf War Resource Center, a coalition of Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
advocacy groups that advocates for research and health care for veterans from both Gulf wars. (He is the only non-veteran serving on this board).
Publications
Ensign is author of two books, most recently America's Military Today: The Challenge of Militarism (New Press, 2004) and Military Life: The Insider's Guide (Prentice Hall, 2000). He is coauthor of GI Guinea Pigs (Playboy, 1980) the first exposéInvestigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
of how US soldiers were harmed by nuclear fallout
Nuclear fallout
Fallout is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a nuclear blast, so called because it "falls out" of the sky after the explosion and shock wave have passed. It commonly refers to the radioactive dust and ash created when a nuclear weapon explodes...
during A-bomb tests and the herbicide Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth...
that was used during the Vietnam War.
He has also contributed chapters to four other books, Ten Excellent Reasons Not to Join the Military (New Press, 2006) Against the Vietnam War: Writings by Activists (Syracuse U. Press, 1999), Metal of Dishonor: Depleted Uranium (IAC Press, 1997) Collateral Damage (South Press. He has written dozens of articles for The Progressive, In These Times, Radical America, The American Pathologist, The N. Y. Daily News, Toward Freedom, Against the Current, the Weekly Guardian, the Non Violent Resister, the Indypendent, and several others.
He has a daughter, Rachel.