Soldier sentenced for deployment refusal

FAIRBANKS - A 36-year-old soldier from Fort Wainwright has been sentenced to nearly six months in a military prison for his refusal to go to Iraq.

Chief Warrant Officer Adisa "A.J." Aiyetoro, said he suffers from tuberculosis and severe back pain that prevents him from wearing body armor.

Aiyetoro is a 19-year Army veteran with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry. He was classified as non-deployable last August, but two subsequent exams deemed him fit for deployment.

Aiyetoro, however, twice refused to board Army aircraft headed to the Mideast, prompting a court-martial and his conviction.

The Army said the court-martial of a soldier who engages in misconduct is "an important and necessary aspect of maintaining good order and discipline."