Seoulstriker
12-11-2003, 03:43 PM
From: Press Service <afisnews_sender@DTIC.MIL>
Subject: No War Trophies Allowed from Iraq, Afghanistan
To: DEFENSE-PRESS-SERVICE-L@DTIC.MIL
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2003 * Do not even think about
bringing back to the United States war trophies from your
service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
With about 140,000 American service members due to rotate
out of Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command [http://www.centcom.mil]
officials are very clear that service members cannot bring
home weapons, ammunition and other prohibited items.
A few soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division [http://www.stewart.army.mil/Display.asp?Page=519F0559
-BB39-492A-BF6D-7AAF2FBE0CE7]
understand how serious the command is. Some soldiers tried
to smuggle weapons back from Baghdad, and they have gone
through courts martial. Others received Article 15
administrative punishments. "There is a whole spectrum of
punishments, depending on the severity of the offense,"
said Maj. Robert Resnick, an Army lawyer at Fort Stewart,
Ga.
Army
Gen. John Abizaid [http://www.centcom.mil/aboutus/cdrbio.htm], the commander of U.S. Central
Command, has put out the policy. Basically, under no
circumstances can individuals take as a souvenir an object
that was formerly in the possession of the enemy. The
taking of war trophies goes against the coalition mission
in Iraq and Afghanistan, officials said.
"We didn't go into Iraq or Afghanistan to conquer them, but
to liberate them," said Marine Capt. Bruce Frame, a Central
Command spokesman. "Taking articles from those countries
sends the wrong message."
Service members with questions should work through the
chain of command, CENTCOM officials said, adding that
service members will be given ample briefings on what is
allowed and what is not. In the case of Iraq, unit
commanders will brief service members on the policy before
leaving for Kuwait.
In Kuwait, military police will explain the policy and will
permit an amnesty period before searching gear and
vehicles. In the United States, U.S. Customs
Service [http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/] officials will examine individual gear.
In Afghanistan, unit commanders will explain the policy,
and MPs there also will explain it and offer an amnesty
period before the service members board the planes. Again,
Customs will examine gear and baggage upon return to the
United States.
The same prohibitions pertain to American civilians serving
in the Central Command area of operations.
Other federal laws pertain to other items. For example,
service members cannot bring back plants, animals or other
organic materials. Some Marines returning from Afghanistan
in April 2002, for example, tried to bring back the skulls
of sheep attached to their guidons. The Customs agents met
the Marines as they landed on the beach at Camp Lejeune,
N.C., and confiscated the items.
No one can bring back antiquities into the United States,
and of course, no one can bring drugs or drug paraphernalia
into the United States.
The overall prohibition does not pertain to souvenirs that
can be legally imported into the United States, officials
said.
_______________________________________________________
NOTE: This is a plain text version of a web page. If your e-mail program
did not properly format this information, you may view the story at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2003/n12112003_200312118.html
Any photos, graphics or other imagery included in the article may also
be viewed at this web page.
Subject: No War Trophies Allowed from Iraq, Afghanistan
To: DEFENSE-PRESS-SERVICE-L@DTIC.MIL
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2003 * Do not even think about
bringing back to the United States war trophies from your
service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
With about 140,000 American service members due to rotate
out of Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command [http://www.centcom.mil]
officials are very clear that service members cannot bring
home weapons, ammunition and other prohibited items.
A few soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division [http://www.stewart.army.mil/Display.asp?Page=519F0559
-BB39-492A-BF6D-7AAF2FBE0CE7]
understand how serious the command is. Some soldiers tried
to smuggle weapons back from Baghdad, and they have gone
through courts martial. Others received Article 15
administrative punishments. "There is a whole spectrum of
punishments, depending on the severity of the offense,"
said Maj. Robert Resnick, an Army lawyer at Fort Stewart,
Ga.
Army
Gen. John Abizaid [http://www.centcom.mil/aboutus/cdrbio.htm], the commander of U.S. Central
Command, has put out the policy. Basically, under no
circumstances can individuals take as a souvenir an object
that was formerly in the possession of the enemy. The
taking of war trophies goes against the coalition mission
in Iraq and Afghanistan, officials said.
"We didn't go into Iraq or Afghanistan to conquer them, but
to liberate them," said Marine Capt. Bruce Frame, a Central
Command spokesman. "Taking articles from those countries
sends the wrong message."
Service members with questions should work through the
chain of command, CENTCOM officials said, adding that
service members will be given ample briefings on what is
allowed and what is not. In the case of Iraq, unit
commanders will brief service members on the policy before
leaving for Kuwait.
In Kuwait, military police will explain the policy and will
permit an amnesty period before searching gear and
vehicles. In the United States, U.S. Customs
Service [http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/] officials will examine individual gear.
In Afghanistan, unit commanders will explain the policy,
and MPs there also will explain it and offer an amnesty
period before the service members board the planes. Again,
Customs will examine gear and baggage upon return to the
United States.
The same prohibitions pertain to American civilians serving
in the Central Command area of operations.
Other federal laws pertain to other items. For example,
service members cannot bring back plants, animals or other
organic materials. Some Marines returning from Afghanistan
in April 2002, for example, tried to bring back the skulls
of sheep attached to their guidons. The Customs agents met
the Marines as they landed on the beach at Camp Lejeune,
N.C., and confiscated the items.
No one can bring back antiquities into the United States,
and of course, no one can bring drugs or drug paraphernalia
into the United States.
The overall prohibition does not pertain to souvenirs that
can be legally imported into the United States, officials
said.
_______________________________________________________
NOTE: This is a plain text version of a web page. If your e-mail program
did not properly format this information, you may view the story at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2003/n12112003_200312118.html
Any photos, graphics or other imagery included in the article may also
be viewed at this web page.