LAT: Five (CA ANG) Soldiers Face Courts-Martial for Alleged Prisoner Abuse

[DeepModem Mom]

Five Soldiers Face Courts-Martial for Alleged Prisoner Abuse
By Scott Gold, Times Staff Writer


Five California Army National Guard soldiers will face courts-martial on charges that they participated in or were complicit in the abuse of Iraqi detainees, according to military officials.

Lt. Col. Cliff Kent, a spokesman for the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq, said the military has been conducting an "impartial investigation" into allegations against 12 soldiers implicated in the alleged abuse.

Investigations have been completed in seven of the cases, Kent said, leading to the five courts-martial. In the remaining five cases, investigations are continuing. A determination about whether those soldiers also will face courts-martial is expected in the coming weeks.

Of the courts-martial ordered so far, two are considered minor, Kent said, and will be heard by "summary court-martial," similar to a magistrate's handling of low-level offenses. One will be sent to a "special court-martial," which is considered a mid-level court, Kent said, and two to "general court-martial," the highest trial level in military law.

Kent did not identify the soldiers who will face courts-martial. All are members of Alpha Company of the 1st Battalion of the National Guard's 184th Infantry Regiment. The company, with roughly 130 soldiers, is based in Fullerton, Calif. Battalion headquarters is in Modesto, Calif....


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-guard23aug23,0,5465914.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[Judi Lynn]

1. Some people think being in a war means you are given

a whole new world of people to serve for your entertainment, who have no rights, and no value. Disciplined, valuable people restrain themselves, don't find it tempting to harm others.
From the article:

The investigation already has led to the battalion's charismatic and controversial commander, Lt. Col. Patrick Frey, being suspended from duty. And the entire Alpha Company was removed from combat and patrol duties, and confined to a military base this summer.

Two platoons have since been allowed to return to more expansive duties, Kent said, though some soldiers remain restricted to the base, known as Forward Operating Base Falcon.

A first sergeant also was relieved of duty after he was accused of pretending to execute an Iraqi detainee by firing his pistol next to the detainee's temple.

In addition to the charges that have led to the courts-martial, Army officials have investigated allegations that solders from the battalion charged unauthorized "rent" to Iraqi-owned businesses operating on an Army base, and forced Iraqi civilians to move a dead dog from the middle of a road because they feared the carcass could contain a makeshift bomb.
(snip)

A portion of the alleged abuse -- the use of a stun gun on a handcuffed and blindfolded Iraqi -- was captured on videotape, soldiers in the battalion have said.

A soldier who was not involved stumbled across the footage while sifting through files on a laptop computer and brought the tape to his commanders, sparking that portion of the investigation.
(snip)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's an article on their C.O., Lt. Col. Patrick Frey:

Military suspends former teacher
Salinas colleagues call him 'the best,' while his soldiers describe erratic egomanic

By RONE TEMPEST and SCOTT GOLD
Los Angeles Times
RICHARD GREEN/ THE SALINAS CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO

Lt. Col. Patrick Frey is shown in 2001 during a Veteran's Day ceremony when he was a teacher at Everett Alvarez High School. The military has suspended Frey.

Lt. Col. Patrick Frey taught in the Salinas Union High School District for about five years before being granted military leave in December 2003.

In the Salinas area, where he lives on a remote ranch with his wife, a teenage son and a donkey named Burrito, Patrick Frey is a hero. An admired educator, Frey readily accepted one of the toughest assignments in the Salinas Union High School District: oversight of its most severely impaired students. His efforts recently won him honors as "Teacher of the Year."

He's chivalrous, once interceding when a father was threatening to hit a student,and he is romantic, penning poetry for a school literary magazine.

"He's loved by everyone," said fellow teacher Shane McDonough.

But under the relentless sun of Iraq, where he commands a California Army National Guard battalion of 800 men, some see Lt. Col. Frey in a very different light.

There, some of his soldiers call Frey an erratic egomaniac who rules through intimidation, preaching abstinence to soldiers who are going on leave, comparing his troops to his special-education students and brandishing a small hatchet that he uses to "knight" soldiers he is promoting.
(snip/...)

http://www.thecalifornian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050803/NEWS01/508030339/1002



TRAINING: Lt. Col. Patrick Frey, right, facing the camera, stands with his California Army National Guard unit, the 1st Battalion of the 184th Infantry Regiment, in New Mexico in December.


August 1, 2005



UNORTHODOX: Lt. Col. Patrick Frey uses a hatchet to “knight” a soldier during a December promotion ceremony in New Mexico.


August 1, 2005

[evermind]

2. (LAT) 5 Calif. Guardsmen Face Charges of Abusing Iraqis

5 Calif. Guardsmen Face Charges of Abusing Iraqis

By Scott Gold, Times Staff Writer

Five California Army National Guard soldiers, all members of a Fullerton-based company, will face courts-martial on charges that they participated in or were complicit in the abuse of Iraqi detainees, according to military officials.

<snip>

Members of the battalion who spoke on condition of anonymity said three of the five facing courts-martial are sergeants. Their hearings will take place in Iraq, Kent said. No schedule has been set.

<snip>

The investigation already has led to the battalion's charismatic and controversial commander, Lt. Col. Patrick Frey, being suspended from duty. And the entire Alpha Company was removed from combat and patrol duties, and confined to a military base this summer.

<snip>

In addition to the charges that have led to the courtsmartial, Army officials have investigated allegations that solders from the battalion charged unauthorized "rent" to Iraqi-owned businesses operating on an Army base, and forced Iraqi civilians to move a dead dog from the middle of a road because they feared the carcass could contain a makeshift bomb.

(...continues...)

From the LA Times, at http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/complete/la-me-guard23aug23,1,4764912.story?coll=la-iraq-complete

The article goes on to say that video of one of the accused firing a stun gun at an Iraqi in handcuffs and a blindfold was found by another soldier on a laptop..

Only one of the Iraqi victims of the alleged abuse remains in custody.

[Barrett808]

3. 5 Calif. Guardsmen Face Charges of Abusing Iraqis

5 Calif. Guardsmen Face Charges of Abusing Iraqis
By Scott Gold Times Staff Writer
Tue Aug 23, 7:55 AM ET

Five California Army National Guard soldiers, all members of a Fullerton-based company, will face courts-martial on charges that they participated in or were complicit in the abuse of Iraqi detainees, according to military officials.

Lt. Col. Cliff Kent, a spokesman for the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq, said the military has been conducting an investigation into allegations against 12 soldiers implicated in the alleged abuse.

Investigations have been completed in seven of the cases, Kent said, leading to the five courts-martial. In the remaining five cases, investigations are continuing. A determination about whether those soldiers also will face courts-martial is expected in the coming weeks.

Of the courts-martial ordered so far, two are considered minor, Kent said, and will be heard by "summary court-martial," similar to a magistrate's handling of low-level offenses. One will be sent to a "special court-martial," which is considered a mid-level court, Kent said, and two to "general court-martial," the highest trial level in military law.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/latimests/20050823/ts_latimes/5califguardsmenfacechargesofabusingiraqis

[Roland99]

4. More bad apples letting off a little steam?

[leetrisck]

5. At first I approved of the court martials - I no longer do

I want those above to pay the price - so many lives destroyed because of this and all thanks to a chickenhawk.