They bear the constant and invisible reminders of war. But on Saturday, Iraq veterans had the opportunity to share what they have experienced at the Northwest Winter Soldier, hosted by Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW).

A dozen men and women, ranging from soldiers and Marines to spouses and parents, walked up to the lecturn in Seattle’s town hall and told stories that have rarely been reported in the mainstream media.

Speakers described the widespread dehumanization that occurred during their service. For instance, Iraqis are referred to by epithets like “raghead,” said the vets.

Navy corpsman Chanan Suarezdiaz was wounded by an rocket propelled grenade attack while he was attached to a Marine infantry unit. He recalled two Marines in another unit bragging about shooting a civilian in the stomach and later described the shooting of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl.

He asked the audience, If your country was occupied and someone in your family was shot, how would you feel afterward?

Twenty-three-year-old Sergio Kochergin, who served two tours with the 7th Marines as a scout and sniper, said that the dehumanization and racism was institutionalized even before they were in the country. He described how the rules of engagement deteriorated quickly, and eventually got “kicked out the window,” as his unit’s casualties mounted.

“We’re not trying to get anyone in trouble here; we are just trying to represent the reality on the ground,” said Jan Critchfield, who worked as an army journalist in Iraq attached to the 1st Calvary Division. “It’s not all roses over there, and we don’t want anyone to get that illusion.”

When asked what his feelings were of the event, Master Sgt. Corey Sanders, senior military science instructor at the UW’s ROTC, said he defended these former military members’ right to demonstrate against the war. He said he would continue to do so as long they told the truth and did not resort to violence or violate the law.

“Mistreating civilians serves no purpose, as it only makes an already tough job even harder,” Sanders, a soldier of 22 years and veteran of both the Iraq war and Desert Storm, wrote in an e-mail. Soldiers dislike war and have an obligation to report atrocities, he wrote.

Many speakers, including Col. Ann Wright, who resigned in protest on the eve of the war, talked about the GI resistance movement within the active duty military.

Independent journalist and author Dahr Jamail told The Daily that he spoke to veterans across the country who said it was “really, really common” to go on so-called “search and avoid” missions.

Jamail described disillusioned soldiers who wondered how they would prevent themselves, their comrades, or any Iraqis, from being killed. Jamail said that many would go on fake patrols in which a unit would drive to a parking lot or empty field and radio in bogus reports, as if they were searching for insurgents, meanwhile spending their time smoking cigarettes and drinking soda.

“Yeah, I saw a lot of good things over there,” said Jim Lundstrom, a sergeant with the 3rd Infantry Division. “But overall, it was destruction … and disruption of the Iraqi people and their country. We have to come together and speak out [about] why we believe this occupation is wrong, immoral, and unjust.”

The veterans directed their frustration at policymakers in Washington, especially at Democrats, whom they said have failed to live up to their promises to end the war.

They didn’t express much hope for the current candidates either, because their positions on Iraq do not include a full withdrawal, which is one of IVAW’s main principles.

Additionally, the group is pressing for reparations to the people of Iraq and full veterans benefits for returning GIs. Many of the soldiers at the rally lamented about the uphill battle in receiving proper care for their injuries when they returned home from the war.