MADISON, Wis. -- A march to the Wisconsin state Capitol Wednesday ended with an Iraq war veteran's returning his military medals to protest the war.

As about 100 protesters watched, Josh Gaines, 27, put the medals in a mailbox, sending them back to former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

He said he included a letter to Rumsfeld explaining his reasons for returning the medals, which honor those called to active duty after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He said he has never felt more proud to be an American.

The Madison man said he's giving the medals back because he did nothing to deserve them and the war was a strategic mistake.

Gaines served a year-long tour in Iraq with the U.S. Army Reserve. He said he spent his time guarding two military bases and issuing ammunition to soldiers but never had to fire a weapon. Gaines earned the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the National Defense Service Medal for serving with the U.S. Army Reserve in Iraq between 2004 and 2005.

"My tour was very disappointing, and getting my medals in Kuwait and out-processing made me realize that. Thinking back to how the mission went, it was not right; it was not the right thinking at the right time, and I wanted to make a statement with my medals," Gaines said.

He was joined by protestors calling for the defederalization of the Wisconsin National Guard, saying it should remain in the United States for border patrol and disaster relief.

Gaines said he hopes his gestures will enable other Iraq war veterans to come out and "speak the truth about what's going on in Iraq."