Testimony of Captain John Kaires, 310th Military Police Battalion. Capt. Kaires was asked about detainee accountability, escapes, the training for the combat support MP Companies and standards at Camp Bucca. No discussion of detainee abuse in this testimony.
SWORN STATEMENT
For use of this form, see AR 190-45: the proponent alien , is ODCSOPS
LOCATION DATE I TIME I FILE NUMBER
CAMP BUCCA, IRAQ (UMM QASAR) 17 FEB 04 1
1
DLE NAME SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER I GRADE/STATUS I 03
ORGANIZATION OR ADDRESS
310th MILITARY POLICE BATTALION, CAMP BUCCA, IRAQ (UMM QASAR), AE APO 09375
I, WANT TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT UNDER OATH
Q. What are the accountability procedures of detainees at Camp Bucca?
A. Detainees are counted twice (at a minimum) on a daily basis during feeding times. Each detainee is counted by ISN. The
detainees are moved into the front holding area. As each detainee moves in, the compound control team physically counts the
detainee using a clicker. One compound control member controls the movement into the holding area as the other CCT member
counts the detainees on a clicker. Once the count is verified, the detainees are counted back out and checked off on an ISN
manifest. If there is a discrepancy, the SOG and NCOIC are informed immediately. The roving patrol teams come to the
compound to help conduct a second and third count until 100% accountability is obtained. Once a count is believed to be off or
short, it is assumed that a detainee has escaped. The chain of command is immediately informed ind full alert status is placed
into effect until the count is corrected. Additional counts are used as needed for poor visibility or suspected missing detainees.
The detainee count procedure was adapted for the 724th MP BN in which we replaced. The accountability procedures were
placed into SOP. Since our arrival at Camp Bucca, no formal accountability procedures were sent from the 800th MP BDE.
Q. Can you explain the detainee escapes?
A. (SEE ATTACHED DOCUMENTS ON DETAILES OF ESCAPE) After each escape, the brigade was immediately
informed on the incident, the detainees missing (by ISN and photo). Once a detainee is discovered missing, the brigade is
informed and then followed up with a complete SIR. In addition, photos were distributed to the Bntish forces in the area and
local Iraqi police department.
Q. What training has been conducted for the combat support MP companies?
A. ONCE ASSUMING THE MISSION FROM THE 724TH MP BN, I SAT DOWN WITH THE OPERATION SERGEANT
OF THE 988TH AND 977TH MILITARY POLICE COMPANY TO INCLUDE MY OPERATIONS NCO FROM THE S-3
SECTION. WE SPECIFICALLY PULLED TASKS FROM SOLDIER'S MANUAL AND TRAINER'S GUIDE MOS 95C
INTERNMENT/RESETTLEMENT SPECIALIST SKILL LEVELS 1/2/3/4. IN ADDITION, FM 3-19.40 IR OPERATIONS
AND AR 190-8 ENEMY PRISONERS OF WAR WERE USED AS GUIDELINES FOR OPERATIONS. RULES OF
ENGAGMENT CLASSES WERE CONDUCTED BY THE JAG AND NCO CHAIN OF COMMAND. FURTHERMORE,
THE SAME TRAINING PLAN WILL BE USED FOR THE INCOMING FIELD ATTILERY UNITS COMING TO
REPLACE THE MILITARY POLICE UNITS. (SEE ATTACHED).
Q. What are the uniform standards in Camp Bucca and what is your opinion of it?
A. A. Soldiers are instructed to be in proper uniform at all times. There are only two authorized uniforms which are the DCUs or APFT uniform. While a soldier is going into the Internment Facility or going off post, every soldier must be wearing theirprotective vest and Kevlar helmet. At no time will a APFT uniform be worn at the internment facility or off post.There is a camp policy that allows soldiers to wear civilian clothing in the MWR tent on Friday and Saturdays. In my opinion, Idisagree with this policy. While deployed it is critical to maintain military bearing and professionalism. Allowing a civiliancloths policy slowly diminishes the core of military bearing and discipline. There are too many KBR workers in civilian cloths on the base camp and it can be confusing with soldiers in civilians clothing from a security point of view.
Q. What is the APFT standard on Camp Bucca and what is your opinion of it?
A. A. Most of the enlisted and officers officially do PT and take the APFT test IAW the standards. However, several seniorofficers and NCOs do not take the APFT. This is a breakdown in leadership and sets a poor example for soldiers. Soldiers see that certain senior leaders do not take the test and show a poor attitude towards the army because the standards are not enforced from the top down. In my opinion, this seriously affects the command climate of troops. In addition, we as leaders are hypocrites if we hold our soldiers to a different standard. Furthermore, there is an integrity problem when OER's and NCOER's reflect these senior leaders passing the test when they never took it. This has been going on for years.
Q. What standards have you received from the 800th Military Police Briagde?
A. Most recently, we received a standard on transporting detainees within theater. Most of our deploayment was training Iraqicorrection guards. We have been working the internment facility mission for the last 30 days.
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AFFIDAVIT
HAVE READ OR HAVE HAD READ TO ME THIS STATEMENT WHIC BEGINS ON PAGE 1 AND ENDS ON PAGE 1 . I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE CONTENTS OF THE ENTIRE STATEMENT MADE BY ME. THE STATEMENT IS TRUE. I HAVE INITIALED ALL CORRECTIONS AND HAVE INITIALED THE BOTTOM OF EACH PAGE CONTAINING THE STATEMENT. I HAVE MADE THIS STATEMENT FREELY WITHOUT HOPE OF BENEFIT OR REWARD, WITHOUT THREAT OF PUNISHMENT, AND WITHOUT COERCION, UNLAWFUL INFLUENCE, UNLAWF IN a CEMENT.
rson eking Statement)
WITNESSES: Subscribed and sworn to before me, a person authorized by law to administer oaths, this 17 day of February . 19
at Buildin: 4 Cam• Bucca •a )
ORGANIZATION OR ADDRESS ure oCon •ministering Oe
(Typed Name of Person Administering Oath)
ORGANIZATION OR ADDRESS (Authority To Administer Oaths)
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