The officer charged with killing 13 Fort Hood soldiers told his family and associates he wanted out of the U.S. military because his interpretation of the Quran bans Muslims from participating in the killing of fellow Muslims. In at least one class presentation a few years ago, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan suggested that Muslims like himself be discharged as conscientious objectors because of their beliefs, according to published reports about the Army psychiatrist accused in last week’s massacre at the military post.

But as a high-ranking officer whose medical training was paid for the government, Hasan would have faced steep odds had he tried to get such a discharge, especially since he was recently promoted.

Out of an active-duty voluntary force of 1.4 million, a fraction apply or succeed. Of the 425 applications between 2002 and 2006, 224 were approved, according to the Government Accountability Office report in 2007. On average, the process took about seven months, including interviews with a psychiatrist and a chaplain and having a hearing before an investigating officer. A single officer or board of officers decides.

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