FORT LEWIS, Wash. -- Lt. Ehren Watada, who refused to deploy to Iraq because he said the war is wrong, appeared at a pretrial hearing on Thursday morning at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Watada is charged with missing a troop movement and for conduct unbecoming of an officer. The artillery officer is the first objector since 1965 to be prosecuted by the military.

If convicted, Watada could be sentenced to six years in confinement.

The 28-year-old from Honolulu refused to deploy to Iraq in June with his Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

He said he is not opposed to all war and would be willing to serve in Afghanistan. He said the Army refused his request for a reassignment and would not let him resign his commission.

Watada said his obligation is to the Constitution and not to what he regards as illegal orders.

His attorney, Eric Seitz, is seeking to reduce the charges against him.

"We went through several motions, and the judge did not rule on any of them. He took them all under submission, but he was obviously well versed on the issues. We had some very lively debate and discussion over most of the motions, and I felt that the issues got thoroughly aired for the purposes of today's proceeding," Seitz said.

The judge could issue a ruling as early as Friday or as long as a couple of weeks. Watada's court-martial is scheduled for Feb. 5.

He was in Hawaii last month on leave before the proceedings. He addressed a crowd at the Church of the Crossroads to discuss his reasons for refusing to deploy.

Watada said that he is willing to pay the price for his decision, and he wishes others would stand up with him.