Doktor has embraced his military history in his anti-militarization activities. He hesitated joining the local chapter of Veterans for Peace because he didn’t have any combat experience but is now a member and sees it as a neutral place for vets to gather for peace.

“You have different kinds of vets, from sovereignty fighters to academics to people like me. I work with American Friends Service Committee Hawai‘i,” he says. “When I saw the local chapter come together and I saw the diversity of vets, including political diversity, I was like, Okay, if [Hawaiian sovereignty activist] Uncle Richard [Kinney] is here, I’ll sign up because otherwise I’m not dealing with healing issues.”

Doktor sees his anti-militarization work as countering the pro-military message that economic leaders regularly put out.

“I think that supporting the military on economic grounds is an insult to everyone that’s ever served, to anyone that’s ever died,” says Doktor. “To think that they died because it was good for the economy.”