(TRIVIA: I later learned that May 15 is International Conscientious Objector's Day.)
During a very long six+ months, I relied on the advice of experienced CO advisors to get me through some of it.
My Chain of Command said that they supported me and didn't think anyone with my convictions belonged in the military. However, they recommended "Disapproval" and wrote negative letters to Department of Army (which I heard about through the "grapevine", but didn't actually see until the outprocessing days before I left, when I asked to photocopy DA's approval and saw/copied all attached documentation).
You are entitled to rebut anything negative and must be afforded the opportunity to see it and do so. In my case, I believe their scathing, down-right deceptive letters were not considered by DA because their was no indication that I had been given an opportunity to offer a rebuttal. Indeed my Command had kept their written disapprovals from me while verbally promising to do everything they could to support me.
However, my 1SG and Commander are a different story. My leaves and passes were all denied. (I finally outprocessed with 40 days of transitional leave). I was brought in to work on the post's training holidays. Other personnel, whom I outranked, were not assigned roommates, but I suddenly was. These were small irritants mostly.
The real test from my Commander was the sudden choice between an Article 15 punishment and a Court Martial. In short, I was reassigned to a role in support (unrelated to my request for CO classification). One "training holiday" during an operational meeting, my Chief Warrant Officer asked me a job-related question about something that I had never handled and didn't know the answer to. I replied, "I don't know, sir," a few times and he accused me of contempt and disrespect. However, he never made an on-the-spot correction of my military bearing, nor did my two supervisors cite any attitude. I knew it was harassment when he said, "You hate the Army, don't you? I know you want out." I know it wasn't about my job performance at all.
My Commander read me an Article 15 for that incident. I went to JAG with my generally excellent monthly counselings and awards, and I was told the my Chain of Command would have no case against me in a Court Martial. However, if I refused the Article 15 and pursued a Court Martial that day and DA's Approval for CO status arrived the next day, then I would have to wait to finish a lengthy court martial investigation and proceedings seeking a federal conviction.
I decided to present my Commander with an Article 138, a Request for Redress of Grievances and accepted his Article 15 and two weeks of confinement to my barracks room. (I used that restriction time to create this website, to keep my spirits up, and in hopes of helping you.) I received DA's approval near the end of my restriction. Coincidentally, it had been received by my Command the day I was read the Article 15.
My Article 15 was raw harassment and an unsuccessful attempt to Characterize my Discharge as General, not Honorable. The Department of the Army decides approval, but the Command characterizes the discharge.
Remember that your request for CO status is honorable. Don't ever risk losing an Honorable Discharge. Follow the system and do your best to honor your contract until it's properly terminated, until your Honorable Discharge, until you're in peace.