Amend1-Attach-W912C321Q0009-MORRO_ AUG_04.pdf

Sentinel of the

Caribbean Buchanan’sBuchanan’sBuchanan’sBuchanan’sBuchanan’s presence in regionpresence in regionpresence in regionpresence in regionpresence in region continues to grow.continues to grow.continues to grow.continues to grow.continues to grow.

U S

A rm y p h o to

EL MORRO

Vol. 39, No. 2 Fort Buchanan, Puerto RicoFort Buchanan, Puerto RicoFort Buchanan, Puerto RicoFort Buchanan, Puerto RicoFort Buchanan, Puerto Rico August 2004

All you wanted to know about BRACAll you wanted to know about BRACAll you wanted to know about BRACAll you wanted to know about BRACAll you wanted to know about BRAC ... p. 14 ... p. 14 ... p. 14 ... p. 14 ... p. 14

Who was Maxie Will iams?Who was Maxie Will iams?Who was Maxie Will iams?Who was Maxie Will iams?Who was Maxie Will iams? ... p. 4 ... p. 4 ... p. 4 ... p. 4 ... p. 4

The Soldier of the futureThe Soldier of the futureThe Soldier of the futureThe Soldier of the futureThe Soldier of the future ... p. 21 ... p. 21 ... p. 21 ... p. 21 ... p. 21

Discipline failures led to detainee abuseDiscipline failures led to detainee abuseDiscipline failures led to detainee abuseDiscipline failures led to detainee abuseDiscipline failures led to detainee abuse ... p. 6 ... p. 6 ... p. 6 ... p. 6 ... p. 6

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2 Command PostEl Morro August 2004 is an authorized publication printed in accordance with Army Regulation 360-1.

Contents of El Morro are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S.

Government, the Department of Defense, Department of the Army or U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Buchanan. Published monthly by the Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army Garrison. Circulation 5,000. All editorial content of El Morro is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the Public Affairs Office.

Deadline for submission is 4 p.m. Friday, one week prior to publication. Submissions must be in electronic (MS-Word) and hard copy formats and include all text, photographs and graphics intended to accompany the submission. Every effort will be made to publish submissions in a timely manner.

However, the editor reserves the right to edit all submissions and to determine their suitability for inclusion.

EDITORIAL STAFF

Col. Stephen M. Ackman, Commander José A. Pagan, Public Affairs Officer

PHYSICAL ADDRESS

USAG Public Affairs Office U.S. Army Garrison Headquarters, Bldg 390 Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico

MAILING ADDRESS

Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army Garrison ATTN: SOCS-PA, 218 Brook Street Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico 00934-5000

TELEPHONE NUMBERS

(787) 707-5776/4487

FAX: (787) 707-3362

EMAIL

BUCHPAO@buchanan.army.mil

CommandCommandCommandCommandCommand BriefBriefBriefBriefBrief

Chief of Staff, Gen. Schoomaker, speaks out on current initiatives

Transformation –Transformation –Transformation –Transformation –Transformation – Army Campaign PlanArmy Campaign PlanArmy Campaign PlanArmy Campaign PlanArmy Campaign Plan

While we are engaged in combat operations in both Iraq and Afghani-stan, we are also transforming the force. I’ve often compared this to tuning a car engine while the engine is running, which is not only a complex task, but as you know, it could be dangerous as well. And we’re making some of the most significant changes in our Army that we have made since World War II.

We are changing our Army along three primary avenues:

+ First is that we are restructur-ing the force into modular forma-tions. And we’re calling these the combat forces, brigade combat team, units of action.

+ At the same time, we are rebalancing our force between the active component of the Army, the

Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.

+ And finally, we are stabilizing the force.

Ultimately, it means more cohe-sive and combat-ready formations, more stability, and a more predict-able lifestyle for our soldiers and their families. This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about the numbers of people. It’s about the numbers of deployable entities we have. And right now we are not optimized for this kind of sustained – we are on the front end of a transformation that’s going to significantly increase the number of deployable entities we have in the Army.

This war, as unfortunate as war always is — provides momentum and focus and resources to transform that you might not have outside of this. And what we are able to do as we rotate forces, as we reset them, is this momentum and focus allows us to reset them for the future, not reset them as they were in the past.

Modular ityModular ityModular ityModular ityModular ity

Before we started this effort, there were 33 active brigades, and there were 36 National Guard brigades, but only 15 of them were resourced at an increased level. So if you’re talking about relatively immediately available forces, there are about 48 across the Army, active Army and the Army National Guard.

We are moving to a plan that will put us somewhere between 77 and 82 brigades available across our force. And with that level of base, it allows good management of the Army National Guard capabilities across the 54 states and territories. It also allows us a lot better manage-ment within the active force, and we have a force generation model that shows how we can turn the active force on about 3-year rotation, always having adequate brigades available to us, and turn the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve on a five-to-six year rotation that would likewise provide us with a predictable flow of available units.

While we always focus on these combat formations — the actual combat arms formations — what we have to remember is that underneath all of that are a lot of units of action that are in the combat support and combat service support areas that have to buttress this. And so that’s part of that hundred thousand rebal-ancing that we’re doing.

EndstrengthEndstrengthEndstrengthEndstrengthEndstrength

Now, with our efforts to grow the active component of the Army by 30,000 soldiers over the next three years, using supplemental dollars, we can do what we need to do; we can build the right kinds of units in the right components and in the right numbers with the capabilities that we need. The fact is we are growing the Army. And there’s a difference in growing the Army and increasing the end strength.

We are growing the Army – this 30,000 additional soldiers – in the core active component using the authorities we have under the global war on terror authorities, and we are not placing at risk by doing that the transformation of the Army as we go forward by having to reach within our core program to do that.

If we magically put 30,000 soldiers in the Army today, it would cost us about $3.6 billion per year.

So if you look out across the pro-gram, six years, you’re in excess of $20 billion.

If we had to put that inside of the program, like some people are saying

– since Congress can only fund one year – we would have to fund it with money we have in that year’s pro-gram. In other words, we would have to take procurement money to buy new equipment or replace equipment, we would have to take research and development money, and we would have to pay the program that year. But because we took that money in procurement and

See CHIEF . . . page 22See CHIEF . . . page 22See CHIEF . . . page 22See CHIEF . . . page 22See CHIEF . . . page 22

From the Commander:EL MORRO The future is ... us!

This month’s issue of El Morro includes an article on future planning for Fort Buchanan. This article includes that dreaded acronym – BRAC. Everyone wants to know what any base realignment and closure commission might do with regard to Fort Buchanan. The short answer is no one knows, and no one can know. There is no point in speculating about the BRAC process when we know what must be done – we must remain relevant and ready.

On this same page, you will find an article from the Chief of Staff about Army transformation. The point of Army transformation is to remain relevant and valuable – that is an asset to national leaders in an ever changing world. Fort Buchanan is and has been transforming. Relevance is the point of transformation. The initiative of the Chief of the Army Reserve is to develop an island-wide garrison concept in support of the Army Reserve. Our mandate is to support the requirements of the Puerto Rico National Guard and Army Reserve mobilization, second tier missions to support active component activities on the island and other federal agencies. This creates a total picture of relevance. Fort Buchanan becomes a central hub in support of essential and enduring activities on the island. This is where readiness comes in.

The activities which become the center of our planning for the future are enduring. They will remain. The installation’s best means to support the enduring requirements is to be the best alternative. THAT is readiness! The Reserve and Guard are proving relevant and ready through performance in the Central Command area of responsibility, among other places.

Fort Buchanan can prove relevance and readiness through performance every day. It sounds like a “clich ”, but is true;

every action of every person every day adds or detracts from our total relevance and readiness. How pristine the post looks, how quickly and cost effectively we turn maintenance of vehicles and facilities, how happily and efficiently we deliver service, how efficiently we use our resources, how firmly but respectfully we enforce the rules, how much respect we show each other, how we answer phones, how seriously we take training and even how punctual we are. All these things build into readiness.

What is Fort Buchanan’s future?

If actions speak louder than words, everything we do will answer the question. Readiness starts with how well we accomplish our mission every day as a team, as a family.

Buchanan 3El Morro August 2004

Widening horizons for US Army Garrison Puerto Rico Footprint to expand from 756 acres to 100 x 35 and beyond

Li’l old Buchanan, tucked placidly away smack in the middle of the San Juan metropolitan area might seem to some as a sleepy little post with little conse-quence for the Army and the defense of the nation. A few see it as the remaining symbol of US military presence on the island, soon hopefully to dissappear once the BRAC gets done with it.

Not much of a future here, is there?

Think again.

Now a US Army Reserve installation -- one of only five in the entire Army -- Fort Buchanan is slated to grow and expand its sphere of influence beyond its gates, to encompass the entire island as well as continuing its missions in the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Charged with supporting the 65th Regional Readiness Command (RRC), Buchanan will eventually be providing maintenance support to US Army Reserve centers around the island, including an enclave at the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station. This would include the current centers in Bayamón, Ramey, Aguadilla, Yauco, Ponce, Juana Díaz, Salinas, Caguas, Puerto

The Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority (PRHTA) is implementing, on a trial basis, some traffic flow measures that are impact-ing access to Fort Buchanan thru the golf course gate.

This project will be in effect through mid-September.

PRHTA wants to reduce the traffic light’s operation cycle to improve the vehicle flow at the intersection of Roosevelt Avenue (PR-165) and the entrance road to the Buchanan gate.

Blocked acces to golf course gate to last through September To achieve this, PRHTA has blocked access to the golf course gate from Roosevelt Avenue. Drivers are no longer able to turn left at the traffic light, nor are they able to access PR-2 when exiting that gate.

To access Fort Buchanan from Roosevelt Avenue drivers have two choices. Drivers can either continue straight on PR-165 toward PR-28 (Federal Prison) and enter through the post’s main gate (PX gate). They can also turn left towards PR-2 as if they were going to Bayamon, keep right and then turn right at Shirley’s Pizzeria. This will take them towards the Villa Caparra entrance gates, where they can turn right to find Buchanan’s golf course gate access road by turning left.

To access Fort Buchanan from PR-22, traveling west, drivers will have two choices. Drivers can either take the Distillery Tour exit to PR- 165 North and make a left turn on PR-28 to get to the main gate, or take exit number 7 past the Distillery Tour exit, this will take drivers to the golf course gate through PR-165 South.

When traveling east on PR-22, take the first exit (no.7) after the tollbooth.

This will take drivers to the golf course gate thru PR-165 South. Taking the second exit (no. 6a) after the pay booth will also take drivers to the golf course gate through the Buchanan marginal road (PR-165) and turning right at Shirley’s Pizzeria (PR-20) once the stop light is passed.

Nuevo and here on post, as well as future facilities proposed for Camuy, Mayagüez and the US Virgin Islands.

The closure of Roosevelt Roads also brings additional responsibilities to Buchanan such as the increase in base operations services to the population formerly served by that installation, to include ID cards, MWR and Army Community services.

Even vehicle traffic has been impacted here by the Navy’s exodus from Roosevelt Roads. From an average 10,000 vehicles having access to the post, an in-crease to 13,000 is expected.

Base operations support continues to be provided to Department of Defense operations such as recruiting, ROTC, the Corps of Engi-neers, Coast Guard, US Marine Corps and remaining elemements of the US Navy.

The military groups serving in the American embassies throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean continue to receive our services.

Buchanan also provides logistical support to military operaitions in Haiti and Guantánamo.

Our retirement Services office reaches down south with direct support being provided to large retiree populations in Costa Rica, Panama and elsewhere throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Support also extends to federal agencies on the island such as FEMA, DEA, the FBI, USDA.

The Fort Buchanan Commander is the Area Casualty Officer for the entire region, charged with providing casualty assis-tance services to active duty militaryt next of kin.

We also play a role in contributing to homeland defense and security with equipment and technical personnel for training and other special events. Our Provost Marshal Office supports federal, state and local law enforcement organizations through training that includes, but is not limited to terrorism awareness, special reaction team training and protective services, as well as providing the support of our Mobile Com-mand Post and K-9 teams.

Contrary to a perception that the post has lost its strategic usefulness and is ripe for a Navy-style exodus or the blow of the BRAC guillotine, as “Sentinel of the Caribbean” and a recognized power support platform with power projection capability, Fort Buchanan continues to stand as a beacon.

Its future as a Reserve installation hosting joint forces, as the caretaker for a garrison that may extend the whole length and breadth of the island, as spokesman for defense matters in the area, and as a support platform for opera-tions throughout the Carib-bean and Central and South America, ensure a bright outlook for the installation and for the Army and the Department of Defense.

Who was Maxie Williams? The story behind a name The plaque at the entrace of the field tells most, though not all of the story:

“This Athletic Field is Named in Honor of Maxie R.

Williams, Jr. May 9, 1945 - April 10, 1968. Antilles High School 1961-63.

President of student council;

co-captain of the football team; Eagle Scout; member of baseball team, basketball team, and National Honor Society. University of Tennessee 1963-67. Com-missioned 2nd Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps March 1967. Promoted to 1st Lieutenant April 1, 1968.

Killed in Action at Khe Sanh, Vietnam, April 10, 1968. His full brief life of service in the classroom, on the playing field, and on the battlefield represents the best in young manhood. The athletes who play here now and in the future will do well to emu-late the example set on this field by Maxie Raymond Williams, Jr. Placed by Antilles High School Class of 1969.”

His brother, Greg, adds detail and background to the narrative on the plaque:

“We moved to the Naval Air Station San Juan, P.R. at the beginning of his junior year in high school and me starting the 7th grade, 1962.

My brother, Spike to family, Ray to his classmates, was very unhappy about moving to San Juan.

After three years at Camp LeJeune, NC, he had a lot of good friends and was a success on the football and baseball fields.

My Dad, Col. M.R.

Williams, took over as the CO of the Marine Barracks at the Naval Station. I guess with his status as a com-mander, he was on the Antilles School Board and proposed they put together a football league. He is considered the Father of football for Puerto Rico.

So, eight man football was started in P.R. that fall of ’62. My brother excelled in football, first string center and 2nd string quarterback.

He also lettered in baseball and basketball.

His senior year he was co-captain of the football team, made National Honor Society and I believe senior class president. He studied hard and played hard, enjoying especially Spanish and American History. He loved his time at Antilles and earned the friendship and respect of many students and teachers. He continued to excel in his studies at the

University of Tennessee and had many leadership posi-tions at his fraternity, Kappa Alpha, and around campus.

He was a Big Man on campus. He graduated with double majors, Spanish and Political Science.

During two of his sum-mers at UT he trained to be a Marine officer in their Platoon Leaders Class. Upon graduation in May, 1967, he was commissioned a 2ndLt., USMCR. After training at Quantico, VA at the Basic School, he was given some leave before he transferred to Vietnam.

In Vietnam he was a rifle platoon commander for A Co, 1st Bn 26th Marines. For most of his time he and his platoon were on Hill 950 as security, just outside Khe Shan; this would be during the siege time at Khe Shan.

He was killed, 10 April 1968, as his BN was moving out of Khe Shan on another operation.

He earned the Bronze Star with Valor, for his courage and leadership with his platoon on Hill 950, and two Purple Hearts.

The next time someone asks who Maxie Williams, Jr.

was, please tell them, he was more than just another student at Antilles who was killed in Vietnam.”

4 BuchananEl Morro August 2004

The Equal Employment Opportu-nity Office sponsored for the first time the Work Force Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities (WRP). The WRP is a resource to connect public and private sector employees nationwide with highly motivated postsecondary students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workforce.

Annually, trained recruiters from federal agencies conduct personal interviews with interested students on college and university campuses.

From these interviews, a database is compiled containing information on more than 1,000 college students and recent graduates seeking temporary or permanent jobs. Interested employers will make direct contact with students about temporary and permanent job offers.

An applicant for the program must: have a substantial disability, be a United States citizen, be enrolled in an accredited two-year or four-year college or university, ort a graduate

EEO office sponsors recruitment program for college students with disabilities or professional school, as a degree-seeking student taking at least a half-time course load, or be enrolled as a degree-seeking student taking less than a half-time course load in the enrollment period immediately prior to graduation, or have graduated within the past year.

The WRP is an excel-lent way for students with disabilities in all fields of study to:

market their abilities to a wide variety of potential employers across the United States, sharpen their interviewing skills during a required one-one-one meeting with a WRP recruiter, gain valuable skills, experience, and contacts on the job and prove that people with disabili-ties can be excellent employees.

For the last 9 weeks, Mr Josue Acaron, an Industrial Engineering Student at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus has worked for the Directorate of Public Works, as an Engineering Technician, thus becoming the first student to take advantage of this program.

In the past decade, more than 1,600 college students with disabili-ties have been placed in temporary and permanent jobs nationwide with the help of this wonderful program.

For additional information please contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Office at (787) 707- 3699, Mr. Rafael J. Reyes, Special Emphasis Program Manager.

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Gas station woesGas station woesGas station woesGas station woesGas station woes soon over!!soon over!!soon over!!soon over!!soon over!!

Acarón at his workstation in the Directorate of Public Works

Weather permitting, you may be able to “fill ‘er up” once more at the AAFES gas station on post early in September, Directorate of Public Works and AAFES officials informed.

Contractors are currently working on upgrading the underground storage tank system to ensure it is compli-ant with federal and state regulations.

The upgrade includes replacement of the doubled-wall pipelines that transfer gasoline from the tanks to the dispensers, replacement of pumps and installing new leak detection and automatic alarms systems.

The station was shut down Nov. 14, 2003 after a leak was discovered in the pipelines.

AAFES has plans to build a new station in the commercial area on post.

Your Army 5El Morro

By Sgt. Lorie Jewell

Army News Service

A number of Army installations will grow by several thousand Soldiers in the next few years as a result of decisions on where new brigade combat teams (units of action) will be temporarily based, according to senior Army officials.

Permanent locations will be decided during the 2005 Base Realign-ment and Closure process, also known as BRAC, the officials said.

“It is an operational necessity right now to build these brigade combat team units of action and get them into the field as quickly as possible,” said Brig.

BCT, UA positioning brings new growth Gen. David Ralston, director of force management in the Army’s G-3, at a media briefing.

In the thick of fighting the Global War on Terror, the Army is transforming from a division-based force into smaller, more rapidly deploy-able brigade-based units of action that will provide greater combat power.

Plans call for 43 modular brigade combat teams (units of action), or BCT (UA)s, to be in place by fiscal year 2006, up from 34 brigades the Army has now. The National Guard will also trans-form its current combat force to 34 modular BCT (UA)s, officials said.

The 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga., has reset from three brig-ades into four BCT (UA)s and is preparing to return to Iraq this winter, officials said.

The 101st Air-borne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky., will begin resetting this fiscal year, as will the 10th Mountain Div-ision at Fort Drum, N.Y. Those changes are expected to add about 1,400 more Soldiers to Fort Stewart; 300 to Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga.; 400 to Fort Benning, Ga.;

4,200 to Fort Drum;

and 3,000 to Fort Campbell. These numbers are likely to change as the Army continues to implement plans, officials said.

In fiscal year 2005, the 2nd Cavalry Regi-ment will convert to a Stryker Brigade Com-bat Team and move from Fort Polk, La., to Fort Lewis, Wash. That move will add about 3,900 Soldiers to Fort Lewis. New BCT (UA)s will also stand up at Fort Polk, which will see an overall increase of about 300 Soldiers; Fort Richardson, Alaska, where 2,600 additional Soldiers are anticipated;

and Fort Hood, Texas, which will grow by about 5,000 Soldiers.

The Soldiers will be assigned to the new units of action through cross-leveling, PCS

A Soldier of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regi-ment, brave the Alaskan winter during a leader training exercise. Soldiers traveled on skis for 35 miles, wearing 35-pound rucksacks and pulling special sleds weighing more than 100 pounds. The arctic skills training event lasted four days.

Your Army in action

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By Gary Sheftick

Army News Service

The Army plans to accelerate the fielding of some Future Combat Systems such as armed robotic vehicles, unattended ground sensors and unattended munitions.

The Army is taking advantage of leaps and bounds in wireless tech-nology to “spiral” FCS develop-ment, said Lt. Gen. Joseph L.

Yakovac, military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technol-ogy. He said spiraling allows for a more flexible approach to system development, to add technology as it emerges. “The Army evolves by putting future ideas forward as they become available,” Yakovac said.

Army leaders also plan to field sooner, to more of the force, an automation network known as the “System of Systems Common Operating Environment,” or SOSCOE. Yakovac likened SOSCOE to the “windows” operat-ing system of a computer, but infinitely larger, and said the net-

Army moves up fielding of future combat systems work will allow units to “plug and play” the FCS pieces. “We are basically building the Internet you use every day and moving it into battle space,” Yakovac said. He added that it’s a big challenge to make that network secure, yet accessible by all Soldiers and integrated with all systems.

Future Combat System technol-ogy will be inserted into the brigade-sized units of action the Army is establishing, said Brig. Gen. Charles Cartwright, program manager for the FCS UAs. He said one of the UAs will be selected as an “experimental unit” to test all the new FCS technol-ogy in 2008. A projected 32 of the 43 UAs will be fielded with some FCS capabilities by 2014, he said.

Over the life of the FCS program (2O25 plus), 15 selected UAs will become FCS Units of Action, Cartwright said. These units will be fielded with all 18 of the Future Combat Systems, he said, and they will have extraordinary capabilities.

The rest of the modular UAs are still slated to receive the network and some of the FCS developments. For instance, the Non-Line of Sight Launch System, or “rockets in a box,” as Yakovac called them, are intended to be fielded widely. This pod of missiles can be aimed and fired from miles away.

The unmanned sensors and robotic vehicles are also intended for wide dissemination, officials said. In fact, they said a small unmanned robotic vehicle is already being used today in Iraq and Afghanistan to detect mines.

Part of this week’s FCS an-nouncement included “buying back” five of the future combat systems that had been previously deferred.

Added back to the FCS list are:

- Armed Robotic Vehicles (ARV Assault and ARV RSTA [Recon-naissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition])

- Recovery and Maintenance Vehicle

- Intelligent Munitions Systems

- Class II Unmanned Air Vehicles (medium size)

- Class III UAVs (fixed-wing)

In order to fund the development of the five new systems, the rate of purchase for the eight manned FCS vehicles will be slowed down

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A demonstrator version of the NLOS Cannon fires its 155mm projectile at Yuma Proving Grounds, AZ.

6 Your ArmyEl Morro moves, and straight out of advanced individual training, or AIT. Some will also be trans-ferred from Korea and other overseas locations, and after completing drill sergeant and recruiting tours.

Officials pledged to limit back-to-back combat tours as much as possible.

Once permanently stationed with a new unit of action, the Army will make every effort to allow Soldiers to remain at an installation for up to seven years.

In deciding where to position the new units of action, planners said they considered several factors: the location of an installation in regard to its power projection; its training capabili-ties; whether its existing infra-structure and the surrounding community could handle an influx of additional Soldiers; and the ability to minimize turbu-lence to Soldiers and their families.

The Center for Military History is currently examining options for renaming these formations and to decide unit designations.

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By Joe Burlas

Army News Service

While there is room for improvement in detainee operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, cases of re-ported detainee abuse there were caused primarily by individuals failing to live up to the standards of decency and Army Values they had been taught in the Army, according to an Inspector General inspection report made public during recent congressional testimony.

Acting Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker and the Army’s top inspector general, Lt.

Gen. Paul Mikolashek, briefed members of the Senate Armed Services Committee July 23 on the report’s major findings, observations and recommen-dations.

“The abuses that occurred are not representative of policy, doctrine or Soldier training,” Mikolashek said.

“These abuses should be viewed as what they are — unauthorized actions taken by a few individuals, and in some cases, coupled with the failure of a few leaders to provide adequate supervision

IG: Individual discipline failures led to detainee abuseIG: Individual discipline failures led to detainee abuseIG: Individual discipline failures led to detainee abuseIG: Individual discipline failures led to detainee abuseIG: Individual discipline failures led to detainee abuse and oversight.”

Brownlee directed the Department of the Army Inspector General on Feb. 10 to conduct an assessment of detainee operations in Iraq and Afghanistan following reports of detainee abuse at Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib prison.

While the inspection reviewed 125 reports of detainee abuse in the Central Command areas of responsi-bility that were known as of June 9, investigators focused their efforts on a functional analysis of pertinent doc-trine, organization, training, materiel, leadership, person-nel and facilities issues — finding no common Army institutional failure among the reported cases.

Of the 125 reports of detainee abuse, 31 were determined to have no substance. Of the 94 remain-ing cases, some remain undetermined and are under investigation, and some have resulted in criminal charges against involved Soldiers under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

“Our Soldiers are warriors of character and that will not change,” Schoomaker said.

“…The inexcusable actions of a few are not representa-tive of the vast majority of the Army.”

The report noted that detainee abuse does not occur when Soldiers remain disciplined, follow known procedures and understand their obligation to report abusive behavior. Nor does detainee abuse occur when leaders enforce basic standards of humane treatment, provide oversight and supervision of detainee operations and take corrective action when they see potentially abusive situations develop, it stated.

During the course of the inspection, five Soldiers came forward to the IGs to report possible detainee abuse, Mikolashek told the senators. All of those cases were referred to the Criminal Investigation Command, he said.

Other major report findings/observations include:

—Doctrine does not clearly specify the interde-pendent and independent roles, missions and responsi-bilities of military police and military intelligence units in the establishment and operation of interrogation facilities.

—While officially approved Combined Joint Task Force 7 and 180 interrogation policies and procedures generally met legal obligations, some were vague and ambiguous.

Further, implementation, training and oversight of those policies were inconsis-tent.

—MI units do not have enough interrogators and interpreters to conduct timely detainee screenings for usable tactical intelligence.

—Tactical MI officers lack the proper training to manage all aspects of the collection and analysis of human intelligence.

—Of the 16 detention facilities inspected in both countries, Abu Ghraib was the only one in an undesir-able location, overcrowded and frequently attacked with mortar and rocket fire.

—Some CENTCOM civilian interrogation con-tractors worked without adequate formal training on military interrogation tech-niques or policy.

“Just as the current operational environ-ment demands that we adapt, so too we must adapt our organization, doctrine and training

— we are making these adjustments,” Brownlee said.

Acknowledging that one case of detainee abuse is one too many, both Brownlee and Schoomaker asked the senators to put the 125 reported cases of abuse in context of more than 50,000 detainees passing through U.S. military hands, and in some cases, the abuse occurring immediately after the detainee had been trying to kill U.S. forces.

For the purposes of the inspection, detainee abuse was defined as any type of theft, physical assault, sexual assault or death of a detainee.

A copy of the IG final report on its inspection can be downloaded from the features section of the Army homepage, www.army.mil.

“…The inexcusable actions of a few are not representative of the vast majority of the Army.”

DoD hotline offers chance to report outside chain of command

DoD Inspector General Joseph Schmitz wants to remind service members there are any number of ways outside their chains of command to report suspected incidents of wrongdoing.

His office runs the DoD Hotline Program. Service members and civilians who wish to report incidents without going through their chains of command can take full advantage of this program.

Those with suspicions can call toll free (800) 424-9098, commercial

(703) 604- 8569, or DSN 664-8569 to report misdeeds.

Service members and civilians can also mail their concerns to The Defense Hotline, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C., 20301-1900. The e-mail address is hotline@didig.osd.mil.

The push to inform service members of this option grew out of the recent series of Senate hearings about prisoner abuse in Iraq.

Senators believed there was no way for service members to report wrongdoing outside their chains of command.

Guard & Reserve 7El Morro

Exposure to traumatic stressors has become an expected experience for those in the military. Disasters and terrorism may impact any community.

Psychological first-aid in the form of verbal psychological crisis intervention addresses the earliest psychological needs following disasters and acts of terrorism and may prevent or lessen the onset of “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder” (PTSD) or other serious mental problems related to trauma.

Course Overview: This two day (13 contact hours) training course prepares participants to provide selected and specific crisis intervention services subsequent to disasters and/or weapons of mass destruction/terrorism. It has been estimated that somewhere between 9% and 35% of those directly exposed to traumatic events (such as disasters

Guard Bureau and Clinic sponsor terrorism/disaster response course and terrorism) will develop significant posttraumatic psychological distress and perhaps posttraumatic stress disorder. A trained crisis responder functions within their regular duties associated with any crisis situation (chaplains, medical personnel, rescue, etc.) and brings new skills to facilitate support to those affected by crisis in any situation.

The material will be delivered through video, lecture/discussion, and role playing. The course was developed by the National Guard Bureau and the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.

Participants will receive course materials and a certificate of completion.

Target Audience: Active duty military, Army Guard, Army Reserve, and Coast Guard chaplains and chaplain assistants, medical personnel, rescue/MPs/fire personnel, family support leaders, and others desiring to develop support skills.

Date, Time, and Location: This course will be offered Thursday and Friday, September 23 and 24, at the Chapel Annex, Fort Buchanan, from 0800 to 1600 on both days.

Attendance is limited to the first 30 confirmed enrollees. There is no charge for this course which is funded by the National Guard Bureau, Rodriguez Army Health Clinic, and support from the chaplains at Fort Buchanan. Lunch is not included but time will be provided for lunch on your own available at Fort Buchanan facilities.

Registration: Please call Rodriguez Army Health Clinic to reserve your attendance. The POC is

Ms. Gina Davila, (787) 707-2574.

Please provide your name, title, organization, and telephone number.

If you need to cancel, please call as soon as possible so others may take this course.

Col. Lynnette Kennison, PhD, will facilitate this course. She is an activated National Guardsman assigned to Rodriguez Army Health Clinic’s Mental Health Clinic. She has been the clinical coordinator for the Critical Incident Stress Management Team for the Florida Army National Guard since 2001.

She is a member of the American Red Cross’ crisis response team for mental health professionals in Jacksonville, FL. COL Kennison has had extensive experience in crisis intervention as a psychiatric nurse practitioner and crisis responder.

Our deployed Soldiers:

LUIS MUNOZ MARIN

AIRPORT, PR – With a strong sense of dedication and commitment to do “their share” the Proud Ready and Relevant Soldiers of the 268th

Transportation Company left Aug 8 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Capt. Carlos Alvarez, the commander of the company said that his Soldiers are living up to the PRimeros philosophy of Proud Ready and Relevant Soldiers.

“I am very proud of my Soldiers and I know that they will do their job well, wherever we are sent,” said Alvarez.

The Soldiers are slated to be gone for rough a year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Around 125 Soldiers in civilian attire boarded a flight that would take them half-way across the world to do their part in the Global War on Terrorism.

Recent media reports coming out of Afghanistan continue to paint a very dangerous picture of the country and the ongoing mission there to establish law and order.

However one young soldier that we spoke with said that he has confidence that their training and professionalism will see them through this conflict and return home soon.

Saying good-bye to the departing Soldiers were Brig.

Gen. Jose M. Rosado, Commanding General 65th

RRC, and Col. Stephen M.

Ackman, Fort Buchanan’s new Garrison Commander.

Also present saluting the departing Soldiers was the PRimeros’ Command Sgt.

Maj. Pedro Figueroa, as well as many of the support staff

268268268268268th th th th th Transportation CompanyTransportation CompanyTransportation CompanyTransportation CompanyTransportation Company Answers the CallAnswers the CallAnswers the CallAnswers the CallAnswers the Call

By SSG John Gonzalez 65th RRC PAO

BAYAMON, PR – The 973rd Quartermaster Company welcomed in a new company commander Aug 8 under clear blue skies and attended by dozens of well-wishers.

Outgoing company commander Capt. Carlos Mercado addressed the soldiers and invited guest telling them that this had been one of his best assignments to date. He added that he will continue to be there as a mentor to his troops as others have done before with him.

Mercado turned over the reigns of the command to incoming Capt. Krista Vaughan.

Capt. Vaughan hails from Mississippi, and is a recent for the 65th RRC. Chaplain (LTC) Rafael Rodriguez prayed with the troops and blessed the Soldiers as they got ready to board their flight.

“We are proud of what you are doing and of your service, do your mission, be safe, and come back soon,” said Rosado as he addressed the enthusiastic crowd.

Col. Stephen M. Ackman reminded the departing troops not to forget that while they are over there they represent the United States, the U.S. Army, and Puerto Rico. He also said that the Fort Buchanan Garrison exists to help support their mission and their families while they are away.

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