Lawmakers question military, contractor training on war prisoners

Lawmakers on the House Government Reform Committee raised questions Tuesday over whether military personnel and private contractors are properly trained to handle prisoners of war in Iraq.

A panel of National Guard and Reserve soldiers recently returned from Iraq told committee members that they received adequate training on the Geneva Convention -- which dictates terms for humane treatment of prisoners -- and on the chain of command for reporting abuses. Nineteen Democrats, however, asked committee chairman Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., to hold an immediate hearing on the role of private contractors in the prison abuse cases.

"The involvement of private contractors in these abuses raises a host of issues," the lawmakers wrote in a May 11 letter to Davis. "A fundamental question is whether it is appropriate for the Defense Department and CIA to hire private contractors to assist in the interrogation of prisoners. A second question is what laws apply and what sanctions are available when private contractors operating in Iraq engage in abuse."

Tuesday's hearing focused on Guard and Reserve training and needs. Rep. Edward Schrock, R-Va., said "the prisoner abuse cases that are dominating the news cast doubt on how effective military police and military intelligence training is."

1st Sgt. Gerald Neill, with the 323rd Military Intelligence Battalion, said his unit was provided adequate training on the care, handling and management of prisoners of war. He expressed remorse over the abuses of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib.

"To see soldiers violate the Geneva Convention hurts all of us. It hurts as a solider. It hurts as an American. That's not what this country is about," he said. "I found Iraqi citizens to be hard-working and they want the same things we want. They want employment [and] they want protection for their family."

Spc. Michael Tanguay, with the 143rd Military Police Company, said his unit received 16 weeks of training that covered how to handle prisoners and detainees. "It's absolutely certain that we did receive the training, both during the 16 weeks of our specialty school along with our pre-deployment mobilization phase," he said.

Lt. Col. Steve Novotny, commander of the 530th Military Police Battalion, said he ensured that any abuses were reported up the chain of command and those responsible were reprimanded. He recalled some situations where guards pushed prisoners. He said the incidents were reported immediately. Once he learned of the incidents, he took appropriate action by giving those responsible letters of reprimand, discussing with them how they should have acted, and addressing company commanders on what actions needed to take place.

"I ensured every case was reported up the chain of command and that would not be tolerated in future," he said.