HONOLULU -- The Army announced on Thursday that it will move forward on a court-martial for a soldier from Hawaii who refused to deploy with his unit to Iraq.

The Army charged 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, 28, with missing movement, contempt toward officials and conduct unbecoming an officer.

Lt. Ehren Watada did not leave Fort Lewis officials in Washington state when he was scheduled to deploy on June 22. Watada enlisted in the Army in 2003.

The member of the Army's first Stryker Brigade Combat Team refused to go to Iraq after researching the war and determining it to be illegal. He asked to resign his commission, but the Army refused.

Watada's stance prompted rallies of support near Fort Lewis, in Seattle and in Honolulu.

"I'm moving forward as I've always had with resilience and fortitude to face the challenges ahead," Watada said.

His father was the director of the state Ethics Commission for years.

The general in charge of holding the courts-martial will need to schedule the court date. He dismissed one of the charges -- contempt toward officials after authorities gathered information through an Article 32 hearing.

"Unfortunately the army does want to make a martyr out of him. They have told us they will not enter into any agreement that doesn't include at least a year of incarceration, and that's just simply something we are unable to agree to," Watada's attorney Eric Seitz said.

The maximum penalty for the charges is six years in confinement and dismissal from the service, according to Army officials.