Germany ? A U.S. Army medic who jumped out a window of his base housing and fled to California to avoid a redeployment to Iraq was convicted of desertion Tuesday at a court-martial. He could be sentenced to seven years in prison.

Spc. Agustin Aguayo, 35, who refused to return to Iraq because he believes war is immoral, admitted the less serious charge of being absent without leave but was unsuccessful in contesting the more serious desertion charge.

In a shaky voice, Aguayo told the court at the Army’s Leighton Barracks near Wuerzburg how his convictions led him to flee his base rather than go back with his unit.

“I respect everyone’s views and your decision, I understand that people don’t understand me,” he testified before the judge, Col. R. Peter Masterton. “I tried my best, but I couldn’t bear weapons and I could never point weapons at someone.”