Dozens of University of Wisconsin students joined in the anti-war voice in a march Saturday in Washington, D.C. as part of the Campus Anti-War Network.

Three buses left for Washington Friday afternoon with 162 people, including students from UW-Madison, UW-Whitewater, UW-Stevens Point and Beloit College, as well as Iraq veterans and other activists. The protesters joined an estimated 200,000 people, including several celebrities like Jane Fonda and Tim Robbins.

Chris Dols, a UW senior who helped organize the march through the Campus Anti-War Network, said they started organizing in early December for the event. The group marched with several other universities' chapters of the Campus Anti-War Network.

"It was the first national anti-war mobilization where Iraq veterans had their own contingent," Dols said. "I'm not interested in a symbolic protest, I want the troops back now and that will mean soldiers doing what they did in Vietnam and refuse to fight."

UW students and activists spent a combined 36 hours on buses to march around the U.S. Capitol.

Todd Dennis, UW senior and U.S. Navy veteran, went along for the march and said student involvement sent a message about the future.

"It's very important to have university students involved. If they keep trying to escalate this war and aggravate the neighbors, it will be the college students that will be drafted and their little brothers and sisters," he said. "I think the protests sent the message that the American public is fed up with the occupation and it needs to end."

UW freshman Julia Randall said the trip was exhausting but exciting. The highlights, she said, were speeches by Jane Fonda and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Randall also said the college-student presence is imperative to the course the military will take in the war.

"I think [the march] is important because we're at the level to make the change," she said. "Our parents are already committed to living the life they are and we're not yet at that point, so we can get out there and at least explore the options."

Dols said the organizers of the march were a hearty mix of experienced activists and new faces.

One focus of the protest was aimed at sending a message to troops to be unafraid to refuse to fight, according to Dols.

"We want to put pressure on the military for those refusing to fight in an illegal war," Dols said.

The Campus Anti-War network will join in national support next week as Lt. Aaron Watada, the first soldier to refuse to serve in Iraq, faces court-martial proceedings, Dols added.

And with President Bush's call for more troops in Iraq, Dols said the United States is following the pattern of Vietnam.

"The United States understood in '68 that they weren't going to win in Vietnam, and they continued the escalation," he said. "In 2006, generals and chief justices have said that this can't be won."

Dennis said the bus trip allowed the organizers to discuss the issues as well as watch movies about the G.I. Bill.

Another march is being planned for March, as well as on the anniversary of the war in Iraq, according to Dennis. The Iraq Veterans Against the War are also continually involved with informing troops of the Appeal for Redress process, where active members can contact their representative about ending the war in a confidential way.