Should a young man who volunteered to serve his country in the United States Army be forced to wear a foreign uniform and obey the orders of foreign officers?

That is the question Michael New— an American soldier, a Christian, and a product of home education—is asking his commander-in-chief, President Bill Clinton, the American military command in Europe, the U.S. Congress, and the American people.

Michael New is a native Texan who was schooled at home. His educational background is unique. Michael spent most of his childhood in the South Pacific where his parents, Daniel and Suzanne New, worked in linguistic and community development. Living in New Zealand, New Guinea, and the Philippines, Michael played with the native children and learned their languages as if they were his own.

Michael was taught at a Christian school until he was 11 years old, when the News moved back to the United States. There the News decided to home school their children.

"As Christian parents, we talked a lot with our kids about facing the world and standing firm, even when they were jeered at," Mrs. New said.

In his late teens, Michael went through a period of rebellion when he began to drift away from the Lord and from his family. After awhile, Michael came to terms with his sin and "emotionally returned to his family and turned back to following the Lord."

Michael wanted to make up for his rebellion and make his life count for something. He enrolled in a couple of college courses when he was 19, but after a few months he grew restless and became tired of "going nowhere."

Michael looked into several options, and after much prayer and consideration, he decided to join the Army. Michael hoped to gain more discipline and education there.

Michael joined the Army on his 20^th birthday, February 17, 1993. When he joined, he was given two choices: to go into the infantry or to go into medics. Michael chose medics, and surprised himself and his family as he really began to enjoy it.

Before and during the time Michael was in the Army, he and his father talked about how some U.S. soldiers were being transformed into U.N. soldiers and what the consequences were. Michael felt very strongly that it was not right to ask an enlisted man to change his loyalties. He said he would never do it.

In El Paso, Texas, early in his army career, Michael's sergeant recommended him for the "Green to Gold" program—a program that advances exceptional soldiers into officers—because of his high test scores, physical strength, soldierly bearing, and aptitude for leadership. This recommendation was bolstered when Michael saved the life of a fellow soldier during a training emergency at the National Training Center in California. Michael's exceptional record also includes being decorated with an army achievement medal in 1994 for saving a fellow soldier from certain blindness in Kuwait.

Michael declined the “Green to Gold” program, as he decided he would rather transfer to Germany first.  He was excited when the transfer came through because to Michael, El Paso was like serving in his backyard.

On August 21, 1995, Michael – stationed as a medic in Schweinfurt, Germany – was informed that his unit would be sent to Macedonia, near Yugoslavia, in October.  Michael had no problem with those orders until his unit was informed that they would be required to turn in their U.S. army uniforms for blue U.N. uniforms.  They would also be serving under General Engstrom of Finland, and would no longer be under the strategic direction of the President of the United States, but rather under the Secretary General of the United Nations.

Michael knew he could not obey the orders he had been given. He believed them to be unconstitutional and an infringement on his liberties. When Michael respectfully expressed reservations about surrendering his American Army uniform and status and about submitting to the authority of a foreign entity, he was threatened by his commanding officers with possible court martial, imprisonment of up to six months, and a less than honorable discharge.

To many Americans, requiring our soldiers to serve a foreign general may appear treasonous. But a White House spokesperson merely said, "...it sends the wrong message to our allies if we say, 'We don't have confidence to put our people under your command.'" Michael New is more concerned about obeying the Constitution than about sending any wrong messages to our allies.

Since the notification of transfer to United Nations command, Michael has repeatedly asked for a transfer to another American unit, saying he would serve "anywhere in the world, as long as it is in an American uniform with American officers." But the Army has rejected Michael's offer, stating only that enlisted men must obey orders.

In a letter to Army Chief of Staff Dennis Reimer, Michael's parents expressed their feelings about Michael's loyalties:

"Michael New did not take an oath to defend the United Nations Charter. Instead, he took an oath which he understood to be exclusive to the United States of America. It was his understanding that joining the U.S. Army would subject him to the American government exclusively, subject only to Constitutional limitations."

Michael has also spoken out publicly on his stand. "I don't regard the Charter of the U.N. and the Constitution of the United States to be compatible documents," Michael said. "If an American soldier who took an oath voluntarily to defend the Constitution of the United States can be forced to serve another power or army, furthering an internationalist agenda and documents alien to American Constitutional principles, then that American is not truly a free man. The U.S. Constitution has been made strong by many who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend it. I'll stand on the Constitution, and let others defend the U.N. Charter."

Having expressed his opinion respectfully and submissively, Army Specialist Michael G. New reported for duty on October 10, 1995, in Germany. Michael stood alone in his United States Army greens, surrounded by a sea of blue-clad U.N. soldiers. Michael was told that he was "out of uniform," and was ordered by his squad leader, company commander, and battalion commander to comply with the order to surrender his uniform and status and to wear the uniform of the United Nations. Michael respectfully refused each officer in turn.

When he refused, Michael was told that he would be rapidly processed for an "administrative discharge."  He expected to face a "less than honorable discharge."

But on October 10, as he was being prepared for discharge, Michael was informed that on the next day he would meet with his battalion commander, Lt. Col. Layfield, who would read him a document.

On Wednesday morning, October 11, Michael met with Lt. Col. Layfield, who told him that he had stopped the discharge operations and was reconsidering what action to take. On October 12, Michael was assigned out of his infantry battalion and reassigned to the Brigade Headquarters Company. The Brigadier Sgt. Major read him a statement explaining that Michael was to receive Article 15—non-judicial punishment, and was to be charged with the military offense of disobeying a lawful order. Michael was given two days to determine whether to accept non-judicial punishment or demand trial by court martial.

After much prayer, thought, and consideration, Michael decided that it would not be right for him to sign Article 15, accepting non-judicial punishment. Signing that document would essentially have been an admission of guilt. The Army filed charges against Michael, and is in the process of court martialing him.

The New family has said that they didn't plan for any of this to happen. "It snuck up on us," Mrs. New said. "We only wish that we would have tried harder to prepare Michael for this."

Throughout the whole ordeal, Daniel and Suzanne New have "prayed every day that Michael would be a light in a dark place. That he would be strong."

Michael and his family remain firm in the conviction that the orders he was given are unconstitutional. Michael cannot find anything in the oath he took upon entering the Army that would require him to serve under a foreign organization.

Michael's oath reads as follows:

"I, Michael G. New, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

While the News await the outcome of the court martial, their primary goal is for the United States Congress to publicly debate the issue and for Michael's name to be exonerated.

Public debate has already begun throughout the United States. The question is being raised, "Is it constitutional for American soldiers to serve in a U.N. unit under a foreign officer?"

Lee Casey, a constitutional lawyer who served in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Policy and Office of Legal Counsel, maintains that the Constitution's Appointment Clause (Article II, Section 2, Clause 2) requires that anyone exercising "significant" federal authority in the civilian or military fields be properly appointed by Congress.

"As a result, no individual, whether the secretary-general of the United Nations or a U.N. commander in the field, who is not a properly appointed officer of the United States, can direct the actions of American troops," Casey said.

Having gone through this ordeal, the News' advice to other Christian home schoolers is this:   "Give yourself to the Lord that he might mold you and use you for Him. You never know in what ways, large or small, that God will use you. Prepare yourself."

Harmony Honaker is a 14-year-old, home-school student from Rock Springs, Wyoming. Currently she divides her time between school and part-time work at her father's law office. Her biggest worry in life is taking the SAT in January.