HONOLULU -- An Army officer from Honolulu has said that he will refuse to go to the war in Iraq when the rest of his unit deploys later this month.

First Lt. Ehren Watada is with a Stryker unit from Fort Lewis, Wash.

He told his superiors that he opposes the war.

He is believed to be the first commissioned officer to refuse deployment to Iraq.

He faces court martial charges unless the Army allows him to resign his commission, according to a statement given to the media.

Watada enlisted in the Army in 2003 and is the son of Bob Watada, the former director of the state Campaign Spending Commission.

Lt. Watada has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday at the state Capitol.