1^st Lt. Ehren Watadq, 28, was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai`i. He was an exemplary Eagle Scout by age 15   Lt. Watada worked while attending Hawai`i Pacific University, where he earned a degree in Finance and graduated magna cum laude in 2003. He received no financial assistance from the Army for his education.

Friends and family consider him a born leader and were not surprised by his determination to pursue a military career immediately upon graduation in a post 9/11 era.  He enlisted in the Army as an officer candidate and was stationed in Korea from late 2004 to early 2005, where his superior officers evaluated and described him as "Exemplary," with "Unlimited Potential" and "Likes challenges and moves toward the fight."

In early 2005, Lt. Watada was re-assigned from Korea to Ft. Lewis, Washington. Knowing that he would be expected to lead his soldiers into Iraq, he undertook to learn all that he could about the war and what he and those he commanded would likely face. Lt. Watada read widely and researched how and why the Iraq War began and the evidence that was presented to convince the U.S. Congress to approve the war. After a year of study and reflection, Lt. Watada came to the courageous decision to refuse deployment to Iraq.

Lt. Watada's parents have both expressed their support for their son's actions and have traveled the country to speak on his behalf His mother, Carolyn Ho of Kaneohe, Hawai`i, is a high school guidance counselor. His father, Bob Watada of Honolulu, Hawai`i is the former Executive Director of the State Campaign Spending Commission of Hawai`i.

 Lt. Watada is assigned to administrative duty at Ft. Lewis pending his court martial on February 5, 2007.