And a legal battle it will surely be. The 31-year old soldier from 
After being questioned by authorities for nearly nine hours at the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees on Wednesday, U.S. Army Spc. André Shepherd felt tired, but also ‘‘full of hope to win the battle that had just started,” according to his lawyer, Reinhard Marx.
Reuters
U.S. Army specialist Andre Shepherd listens to reporter’s questions during a news conference in Frankfurt in November, 2008.
He said he deserted because he did not want to return to what he calls a “completely illegal war” in Iraq. He is believed to be the first American deserter to plead for asylum with German immigration authorities.
Shepherd’s case is unique in Germany, but he is not alone across Europe. According to Bruce Anderson, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army in Europe, Shepherd is among 71 Army soldiers to desert European bases in 2008.
If he is granted asylum, his case could create new legal options for soldiers looking to escape the military, his supporters say. But rejection of his case could find him handed over to military authorities and could lead to a longer jail sentence.
“I take it a day at a time,” Shepherd said in a phone interview. “And I will pursue what I believe is the right thing. They can’t punish you for something that is right.”
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