Female GIs Flash Breasts, Thong in Mud-Wrestling Contests
Female GIs flash breasts, thong in mud-wrestling contests (AP)
The mud-wrestling babes weren’t coeds but MPs. And the scene was an Army-run detention center in Iraq. The New York Daily News reports female MPs mud-wrestled in October, with a crowd of male soldiers cheering them on. According to snapshots obtained by the News, one young military woman lifted her T-shirt to expose her breasts, while another revealed her thong panties.
Those involved are reported to be members of the 160th Military Police Battalion, an Army Reserve Unit from Tallahassee, Fla. The unit has since returned to the states. Military officials say one female soldier was demoted for indecent exposure.
But does this constitute torture? And were the matches authorized by Don Rumsfeld?
Other (un)coverage, including a couple blurry probably-safe-for-work photos below.
Out of control at Camp Crazy! Female soldiers dress down & get dirty for mud romps (NYDN)
In front of a cheering male audience, two young women wearing only bras and panties throw themselves into a mud-filled plastic kiddie pool and roll around in a wild wrestling match. At one point a man in the audience raises a water bottle and douses the entwined pair. At another, a “referee” moves in to break up the scantily clad grapplers. A young blond lifts her T-shirt to expose her breasts. A brunette turns her back to the camera and exposes her thong undies.
These scenes, taken from 30 photos leaked to the Daily News, could have been snapped at an out-of-control frat party. But this happened a world away from any American college. The photos were taken in Camp Bucca, the military prison at Umm Qasr in the hot sands of southern Iraq near the Kuwaiti border. The women are not coeds but military policewomen who had left their uniforms in a pile not far off. The men are soldiers, too. Most of them wore T-shirts emblazoned with Army logos, but at least one was still wearing his uniform.
Some were sergeants, including the referee, and some allegedly were drunk.
Army red-faced over new prison antics (NYDN)
Female soldiers stripped to their skivvies for a mud-wrestling bout, and sergeants allegedly were lending their rooms to G.I.s for sex last year at the Army’s Camp Bucca prison in Iraq. Photos of a wild Oct. 30 party at the camp show women soldiers baring their breasts to male onlookers, and other female G.I.s clad only in bras and panties wrestling and cavorting in a mud-filled plastic pool as men cheer, leer and snap pictures.
The episode, which experts called a serious breakdown of military discipline, prompted a probe in Iraq and still is under investigation by stateside military authorities. A series of 30 photos of the goings-on were leaked to the Daily News recently.
[…]
So far, only one soldier has been punished. Deanna Allen, 19, of Black Mountain, N.C., was demoted from specialist to private first class. Allen, of the 105th Military Police Battalion, is still a guard at Camp Bucca, where four prisoners were killed last week during a riot in one of the camp’s 10 compounds.
Flasher was just ‘very stressed’ [NYDN sidebar]
A yellow ribbon circles a spreading shade tree outside the modest, single-story brick house where Deanna Allen’s family awaits her return from Iraq. The pretty, blond G.I. enlisted in the National Guard after 9/11 because “she wanted to do her part” after the terrorist attacks, her grandmother told the Daily News. Allen had spent three years in the ROTC program at nearby Henderson High and was allowed to graduate six months early so she could go to boot camp, her grandmother, Luci Tomlin, said. But she wasn’t in Iraq for more than a few weeks before she found herself at the center of a breakdown in military discipline at the prison the Army was calling a model of reform after the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal.
Allen is the Camp Bucca flasher. Photos of the 19-year-old military policewoman smiling and baring her breasts for leering male soldiers are the centerpiece of a series of scandalous snapshots taken during a mud-wrestling sexcapade at the camp in Umm Qasr.
Allen “is very patriotic and 100% American,” Tomlin said. “She was a leader and she had tremendous potential but she wants to fit in so much she doesn’t always use as much discretion as she should.” Other soldiers “dared her to do it,” Tomlin said. “She is a very beautiful young woman,” the grandmother said, “and she is built like the proverbial … well, you know. She gets a lot of male attention.”
Female wrestling at US camp probed (al Jazeera)
An alleged female mud-wrestling competition in a US military camp in Iraq has the Pentagon investigating a “serious breakdown in US military discipline”.
According to the Saturday edition of the New York Daily News, several female US soldiers led a mud-wrestling match in their bras and panties, while other female soldiers showed — flashed – their breasts to their male colleagues in several incidents at the Army’s Camp Bucca prison in southern Iraq.
The newspaper claimed that it had received 30 leaked photos of incidents alleged on 30 October 2004 which “could have been snapped at an out-of-control frat party”.
MUD-WRESTLE GI JANE DEMOTED (NY Post)
A female member of a National Guard military police unit was demoted for indecent exposure after a mud-wrestling party at the Army-run Camp Bucca detention center in Iraq, a military spokesman said yesterday. The party occurred Oct. 30, as the 160th Military Police Battalion, an Army Reserve Unit from Tallahassee, Fla., prepared to turn over its duties to the Asheville-based 105th Military Police Battalion, said Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, spokesman for detainee operations at Camp Bucca.
In the course of the transfer of duties, “some individuals in their exuberance decided to put together a mud-wrestling thing,” Johnson said. “There were females involved, and some members of the 105th also became involved, one female soldier in particular.” Following an inquiry, that soldier was demoted and placed on restriction for participating in the event, specifically for indecent exposure, he said. Four or five other members of the 105th who were spectators received counseling, Johnson said. Johnson did not release the name of the demoted soldier, but she has been identified in media reports as Deanna Allen, 19, of Black Mountain [NC].
Soldier demoted for racy mud-wrestling (AP)
Allen’s mother, Ladyna Waldrop of Black Mountain, N.C., said her daughter is devastated by the events. “It was just a thing where she was coerced by a bunch of people, and with all the excitement, she lost her sanity for a moment and that’s all it took,” she said. “It seems like they’re just singling her out,” Waldrop said. “She’s the one getting all the publicity and punishment, and that’s not right.”
Widow won’t sling mud at Bucca G.I.s (NYDN)
“Just because a few individuals did not behave honorably that is not reason to lose faith in the soldiers at Camp Bucca.” So said the wife of the FDNY 9/11 hero for whom the U.S. Army prison in Iraq is named after seeing photos in yesterday’s Daily News of a wild, mud-wrestling sexcapade there last October. Eve Bucca told the News her family has “complete confidence” in the soldiers at the camp – named in honor of her husband, Fire Marshal Ronald Bucca, an Army reservist who was killed at the World Trade Center.
The News reported the debauchery at Camp Bucca after receiving more than 30 photos of female G.I.s stripped to their undies and cavorting in a mud-filled pool as their male comrades in arms cheered them on. The incident allegedly was organized by sergeants, and involved men and women assigned to guard Iraqi detainees transferred there from notorious Abu Ghraib prison, according to an Army report obtained by The News.
Investigators quoted a witness who said that sergeants involved also were lending their rooms to male and female soldiers for sex parties. But, said Eve Bucca, “We are still very proud of the camp and of the men and women who serve there.”
UPDATE: People continue to find this page via searches for “Camp Bucca” and variations on mud wrestling. Here’s more info:
Camp Bucca is the name of a holding facility for security detainees maintained by the United States military in the vicinity of Umm Qasr, Iraq. The facility was initially called Camp Freddy and used by British Forces to hold Iraqi prisoners of war. After being taken over by the U.S. military in April 2003, it was renamed after Ronald Bucca, a soldier with the 800th Military Police Brigade and NYC Fire Marshal who died in the September 11, 2001 attacks.
According to the Taguba report, the Camp Bucca facility is “significantly over [its] intended maximum capacity while the guard force is undermanned and under resourced”. The report describes the following “incident of detainee abuse” at Camp Bucca, on May 12, 2003.
Soldiers from the 223rd MP Company reported to the 800th MP Brigade Command at Camp Bucca, that four Military Police Soldiers from the 320th MP Battalion had abused a number of detainees during inprocessing at Camp Bucca. An extensive CID investigation determined that four soldiers from the 320th MP Battalion had kicked and beaten these detainees following a transport mission from Talil Air Base.
After the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, many detainees from Abu Ghraib were transferred to Camp Bucca. After a substantial turn-over in the chain of command at Camp Bucca and substantial amendments to camp policy, the US military held up Camp Bucca as an example of how a model detention facility should be run. Detainees are now reportedly housed in huts rather than tents, organize and administer their own classes in subjects like literacy and religion, and compete in soccer matches. Cigarettes, tea, and the opportunity to listen to radio programs are used as incentives for good behavior.
Timeline of Events:
On May 18, 2003, U.S. military forces mistakenly released Mohammed Jawad An-Neifus from the Camp Bucca. An-Neifus is suspected of being involved in the mass murder of thousands of Iraqi Shias whose remains were later found at a mass gravesite in the southern city of al-Mahawil.
On January 7, 2004, a detainee escaped from Camp Bucca. Investigating officers concluded that ‘the detainee escaped through an undetected weakness in the wire. Contributing factors were inexperienced guards, lapses in accountability, complacency, lack of leadership presence, poor visibility, and lack of clear and concise communication between the guards and the leadership.’
On January 12, 2004, 7 Detainees escaped during the night, 5 were recaptured.
On January 26, 2004 3 detainees escaped at night during a period of intense fog. An investigation ‘concluded that the detainees crawled under a fence when visibility was only 10-15 meters due to fog’.
On October 19, 2004, A 26-year-old security internee died of unknown causes.
In November 2004, six United States Air Force engineers arrived. The Airmen provided a much needed “look ahead”, assisted the Army with planning and transforming Camp Bucca for sustained operations, implemented numerous force protection initiatives and provided oversight on numerous contractor construction projects. The Airmen were later presented the Meritorious Unit Award.
In December 2004, Camp Bucca was reinforced by the Air Forces 586th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. The unit was assembled in 45 days under the command of LTC Joseph L. Romano III and consisted of security forces personnel from 17 bases representing every major command in the Air Force. The Airmen performed three of the Army’s traditional missions–detainee operations, patrolling duties, and convoy escort duties. In an unusual move, the airmen also provided force protection for the Army camp.
On January 5, 2005, A 31-year-old security internee died of what appears to be natural causes.
On January 24, 2005, SGT Leonard W. Adams assigned to the 105th MP Battalion at Camp Bucca dies of a heart attack.
On January 31, 2005, a riot broke out in which detainees threw rocks and fashioned weapons out of tent poles. The riot was dispelled by the use of lethal force. Four detainees were killed and six were injured. As is standard procedure in all cases of prison riots and the use of lethal force, the matter was investigated by the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigations Division. The investigation concluded that a detainee leader had incited the riot by making an accusation that camp soldiers were steping on Korans during a search for contraband. No soldiers were found guilty of any wrongdoing during the incident.
On February 5, 2005, the tabloid paper New York Daily News reported that units at Camp Bucca organized and held a mud wrestling party on October 30, 2004. The party was organized by members of the 160th MP Battalion and attended by members of the incoming 105th MP Battalion, who were arriving to relieve the members of the 160th. At least three female GIs stripped to their undergarments and wrestled in a kiddie-pool full of sand and water in front of a crowd of male GIs, and one GI flashed her breasts. About 30 photos of the party, including one of the flasher, have been leaked to the press. The flasher, 19-year-old PFC Deanna Allen was demoted for indecent exposure, and reportedly later discharged from the military.
On March 4, 2005 Camp Bucca was targeted by 106 mm rocket fire directed from the port of Umm Qasr. Although no military personnel were injured or killed, a Third Country National took shrapnel to the leg. The attack could have been much worse. Four rockets were fired, only one detonated.
Wikinews has related news:
Guards uncover 600-foot escape tunnel at US prison in IraqOn March 25, 2005, a complete escape tunnel was discovered, though no prisoners had yet managed to escape.
On April 1, 2005, 2 Iraqis and four US prison guards were wounded in a riot at Camp Bucca near the southern town of Umm Qasr.
On April 15, 2005, A dispute broke out between two groups of detainees at one of the compounds of the Camp Bucca theater internment facility at approximately 11 p.m. The fight left one detainee dead. The fight was confined between the detainees in one compound and was not directed at U.S. forces.
On April 16, 2005, 11 detainees escaped Camp Bucca by cutting through in the facilities exterior fence and crawling through the unfilled portion of a previously discovered 600-foot escape tunnel. The compounds guards, members of the United States Air Force, were unable to see the detainees cutting thru the wire due to tower location. All 11 detainees were later captured by the Iraqi police and returned to Camp Bucca.
On April 19, 2005, A 51-year-old male security detainee at Camp Bucca died of natural causes.
On May 14, 2005, A 30-year-old male detainee at Camp Bucca died from a heart attack.
On May 23, 2005, A fuel truck collapsed the roof of an escape tunnel being dug out of Camp Bucca.
On July 27, 2005, A 30-year-old male security detainee at Camp Bucca died as a result of renal failure and other organ failure due to chronic malaria.
On September 28, 2005, SGT Steve Morin Jr. assigned to the 111th Engineer Battalion and Air Force Airman 1st Class Elizabeth N. Jacobson assigned to the 17th Security Forces Squadron stationed at Camp Bucca were killed in action when an improvised explosive device detonated near their convoy vehicle near the Iraqi town of Safwan.
In October 2005, the International Committee of the Red Cross began the Family Visitation Allowance Program at Camp Bucca. The program provides monetary assistance to families of detainees held at Camp Bucca to help cover part of the traveling and hotel costs required to visit the facility. The benefits are calculated based on the distance between their home and the city of Umm Qasr. In December 2006 a similar program was initiated at Camp Shaibe, the British internment facility in Shaibah, near Al Basrah.
On October 5, 2005, A 43-year-old male security detainee died of a heart attack.
On October 13, 2005, Eligible detainees at Camp Bucca, Abu Ghraib prison and Camp Cropper are allowed to vote in the Iraqi Constitutional Referendum. The rest of the country voted on October 15, 2005.
On October 23, 2005, A 73-year-old male security detainee died of natural causes at Camp Bucca.
On October 25, 2005, it was reported that SPC Christopher T. Monroe assigned to the 785th Military Police Battalion stationed at Camp Bucca was killed when his 5-ton truck was involved in an automobile accident with a civilian vehicle in the vicinity of Al Basrah, Iraq. In October 2007, a lawsuit was filed in Houston, Texas by the father of SPC Monroe against the British private security firm Erinys International. In the lawsuit, Monroe’s father alleges that his son actually died after he was struck by a vehicle operated by Erinys International. The lawsuit alleges Erinys personnel passed through a checkpoint where they were warned that there were more troops ahead of them but despite the warning proceeded in the dark at a high rate of speed with only parking lights on until they struck Monroe. Monroe was dismounted and standing guard near the 5 ton vehicle he was driving providing security after the convoy he was in stopped to render assistance to an Iraqi who had been involved in a car accident. The force of the accident sheared Monroe’s right leg off and threw him 30-40 feet in the air. Monroe later “died on a Medavac helicopter en route to Shalib Airbase”. In a statement in response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for the company stated “It was a very tragic accident for which Erinys and its employees have been thoroughly exonerated”.
On November 5, 2005, A 65-year-old male security detainee died of natural causes at Camp Bucca.
On December 12, 2005, Nearly 90 percent of all eligible security detainees in Multi-National Forces-Iraq Theater Internment Facilities participated in the democratic vote on the Iraqi National Ballot.
On December 23, 2005 Camp Bucca received rocket fire from behind an area dubbed the “Sniper House” no injuries were reported.
On January 1, 2006, 3 detainees escaped Camp Bucca by cutting through the facilities exterior fence. Two of the detainees were later captured by the Iraqi police and returned to Camp Bucca.
On January 7, 2006, SGT Nathan Field and SPC Robert Johnson assigned to the 414th Military Police Company were killed in a non-combat vehicle accident just outside of Camp Bucca.
On March 7, 2006, A 36 year-old detainee died of natural causes.
On March 26, 2006, A 25 year-old detainee died as the result of injuries suffered in a detainee on detainee fight.
On June 2, 2006, The Army opened an Iraqi-based detention center training facility at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri called Camp Charlie. This new facility is modeled after the theater internment facility at Camp Bucca. A similar facility was opened at Fort Leavenworth in August 2006.
On July 1, 2006, Airman 1st Class Carl Jerome Ware Jr. of the 886th Expeditionary Security Force Squadron assigned to Camp Bucca died of non-combat related injuries. Initial reports stated that the airmen was killed by an accidental discharge of a gun being cleaned by another airman, however in February, 2007, it was reported that Airman 1st Class Kyle J. Dalton, of the 15th Security Forces Squadron, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, had been charged on November 30, 2007 with one count of murder and failure to obey a lawful order in relation to the shooting. Dalton also faced a charge of assault for a separate incident that occurred on June 30, 2006 involving Ware and another airman. Dalton, who was deployed in the Middle East at the time the charges were brought, had an Article 32 hearing and was Court-martialed on April 23, 2007 at Langley Air Force Base. As part of a plea bargain deal, Dalton pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and violating a lawful general regulation by drawing or aiming a firearm when deadly force was unnecessary. Dalton was sentenced to 10 years in prison, given a dishonorable discharge, reduced in rank from Senior Airman to Airman Basic and ordered to forfeit all pay and allowances. Dalton admitted to the court that he tracked Ware with his pistol in the barracks and pulled the trigger thinking the weapon was unloaded. He also admitted that he had previously aimed a loaded M-4 carbine at another airmen.
In July 2006, it was announced that the Army’s inspector general had requested an investigation to determine if an Anti-Deficiency Act violation occurred during the building of the detention facility. [26] The Anti-Deficiency Act provides that no one can obligate the Government to make payments for which money has not already been authorized. The inspector general’s report was released to Congress on January 30, 2007 and in it concluded: “Army personnel associated with funding of Phases I and II construction of the Internment Facility at Camp Bucca, Iraq, did not implement sufficient controls to ensure military compliance with applicable laws and regulations. As a result, there were two ADA violations with the FY 2004 Army Operation and Maintenance Appropriation. DoD OGC (Office of General Counsel) is completing its review and expects to sign out the report to the DoD Comptroller in the second quarter of FY 2007.”
August 11, 2006, detainees initiated a multiple compound riot that included the burning of their living quarters, burning a Humvee and assaults on other detainees. The reported cause of the riot was detainees being unhappy that their housing areas were searched. (Housing areas and compounds are searched on a regular basis to find and confiscate manufactured weapons similar to stateside jails.) Multiple weapons were found during initial search, and based on the detainees use of weapons against the guard force, multiple weapons were confiscated in additional searches initiated because of the riot.
On October 12, 2006, an Iraqi detainee died from a heart attack. The detainee had been hospitalized since October 5 after complaining of chest pains. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
On October 16, two airmen from the 586th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Area Security Operations team assigned to Camp Bucca suffered injuries when an improvised explosive device exploded near their Humvee in the vicinity of Safwan. Both airmen survived the attack and were later awarded the Purple Heart medal.
On October 19, 2006, an Iraqi detainee died from natural causes.
On November 25, 2006, American forces announced that a detainee died of natural causes. The detainee had been hospitalized since November 23 after complaining of chest pains.
On December 4, 2006, American forces announced that a detainee died of natural causes. The detainee had been treated in the facilities hospital since November 17, 2006 for kidney and heart problems. Including two detainees that died the previous week at Camp Cropper, this was the fourth detainee in coalition custody to die within a two week period.
On December 24, 2006, Two Detainees escaped from one of the U.S. Navy staffed compounds during the dense seasonal fog. One of detainees was allegedly an I.E.D. maker. Neither detainee has been recaptured.
On 17 January 2007, US Navy Petty Officer Second Class Joseph D. Alomar, a member of Navy Provisional Detainee BN 2, assigned to Camp Bucca died of non-combat related injuries. The sailor is reported to have died from a gunshot wound to the head. The cause of death is under investigation.
On February 11, 2007 SPC Dennis L. Sellen Jr. of the 1st Battalion, 185th Infantry Regiment was accidentally shot and killed by a fellow soldier who was cleaning his weapon after a mission. The incident is currently being investigated.
On March 2, 2007 SPC Christopher D. Young, 20, of Los Angeles, Calif., died in Safwan, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to Company C, 3rd Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment, California Army National Guard, San Pedro, California.
On March 15, 2007 military officials announced plans to once again expand Camp Bucca and Camp Cropper. Officials stated that this increase in capacity would be necessary to handle the detainees generated from the increased security operations in Baghdad. At the time of the report, Camp Bucca’s detainee population stood at 13,800.
On April 26, 2007, an Iraqi detainee died from what MNFI reports as injuries sustained during an apparent assault by other detainees. He is reported to have been the sixth detainee to have died in MNF-I TIFs as a result of detainee on detainee violence in the past year.
On June 9, 2007, 6 detainees were killed, 68 wounded and one Iraqi Corrections Officer was wounded when a rocket struck Compound 8, in the Theater Internment Facility located at Camp Bucca.[24] On June 10, 2007, a seventh detainee, who had been medically evacuated to Balad Air Base, died from wounds he sustained in the attack.[25] On June 23, 2007 an eighth detainee who had been hopitalized in critical condition since the attack, died from cardiac arrest.
On June 21, 2007 a security detainee died of cardiac arrest during a routine medical transfer from Camp Cropper to Camp Bucca.
On June 25, 2007 a soldier assigned to the 178th Infantry was injured when the vehicle he was driving drove over a buried explosive.
On July 1, 2007, a detainee died from what is being reported as natural causes while in the intensive care unit at the Theater Internment Facility hospital at Camp Bucca.
On July 12, 2007, a detainee died from what is being reported as injuries suffered in an assault by other detainees. This is the second detainee in coalition forces custody to die from detainee on detainee violence within a week. On the same day, the Associated Press reported that Camp Bucca was among several sites in Iraq that had sensitive information posted on non-secure web sites. The Camp Bucca documents, posted on the web site of CH2M Hill Companies of Meridian, Colorado revealed locations of where prisoners are held, locations of fuel tanks, and the locations of security fences, guard towers and other security measures. The company has subsequently added password protection to its site.
In August 2007, two separate news articles reported Camp Bucca’s detainee populate stood at approximately 20,000 inmates.
In October 2007, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced it had suspended its visits to Camp Bucca due to the deteriorating security situation in the area. The ICRC visits all detention facilities in Iraq to monitor the conditions detainees are receiving and make recommendations where they perceive improvements could be made. To maintain their neutral status, they refuse coalition security when traveling in Iraq, which causes them to occasionally suspend visits when they deem conditions too hazardous for their personnel.
On October 31, 2007, it was announced that Camp Bucca would be expanded once again to increase its capacity from 20,000 to 30,000 detainees. The $110 million dollar project will be over seen by The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and would include $17.6 million dollar retrofit of “13 existing compounds to add concrete pads to prevent tunneling, better segregation areas, and better shower and latrine facilities” as well as new housing, a waste water treatment plant, a water treatment plant and a $3.2 million brick factory for prisoner labor.On November 20, 2007 a convoy providing security operations traveling north of Safwaan, Iraq from Camp Bucca carrying personnel from the 88th Security Forces Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio attached to the 887th ESFS was struck by a IED.
On December 31, 2007- January 1, 2008 Camp Bucca’s 887th ESFS squadron had the first all female squad in combat on the 10th anniversary of women in combat. The 19 females found and EFP and received small arms fire.
On January 1, 2008 the base was attacked with rocket fire launched from the nearby city of Umm Qasr, no injuries reported.
On February 24, 2008, Camp Bucca was attacked with rocket fire that killed one AAFES employee and wounded several other civilian contractors. The rocket attack came less then a week after a convoy from Camp Bucca was attacked by an improvised explosive device. No one was seriously injured in that attack.
Female wrestling at US camp probed
[…]
Nah, I ain’t touching that one.
Please send me a full set of photographs so I can decide just how outraged I should be.
Pin headed idiots….all of them! Female and Males. Every single one identified in those pictures should be disciplined. They all partook in the “activity”. Just by watching they participated. I don’t care what their ages are or how long they have been there….no excuses are acceptable. So stooopid.
WAY more press coverage than the Eason Jordan business, that’s for sure. Who, exactly, should be ashamed here?
Ridiculous. If soldiers want to blow of some steam in their off time so be it. They’re in a combat area and could die at any minute.
Stupid F-in news media. The Dems claim they support our troops and claim to be liberal in their social stances, but then the liberal media goes and makes a big deal out of some camp fun.
F them all.
That’s why this was stupid. The media is generally anti-military and they just love this kind of story and this antic falls right into a feeding frenzy that they love. There is no justification for the level of coverage with this story vs Eason Jordon. It’s no different than the coverage of the Corporate scandals and UNSCAM. The UNSCAM dollars dwarf the corporate scandals but is the coverage even close? NO.
Apparently the media has never been introduced to a crossing of the equator bash the Navy puts on.
Just to correct a few errors and misconceptions regarding this story: Deanna is one of those people who can be easily influenced. Some very unethical people tried to take advantage of her by encouraging her to participate in the mudwrestling event. They are the people we should be outraged about. She is not a military policewoman and she does not guard detainees. She is a junior enlisted cook who supervises the delivery of food, prepared by a contractor, to the detainees. The location of the event was at least a quarter mile from the Internment Facility. It is truly a shame that someone has victimized and manipulated her with lies and a false hope of profit for her error.
Shock, shock… more sensationalistic “journalism”. Was it a slow news day – again? Couldn’t find anything better to do than to blow yet another “story†WAY out of proportion? How do you motivate yourselves to get up in the morning every day, knowing that you’ll never amount to being anything more than a leach on society? Here’s a suggestion for the “journalists” who covered this “hot breaking storyâ€Â: why don’t you apply for positions as a garbage/sanitation workers. Guaranteed – you’ll get 10 times the respect and credibility for doing basically the same line of work! This simply confirms my rational for tossing my communications degree in the trash and going out to find a real job! I weep for the future of the news media (no, not really). Please, don’t kid yourselves into thinking that anyone with half a brain actually takes any of your “work†in any way even remotely seriously! And when you go back to your embarrassingly useless jobs tomorrow… maybe you’ll find another useless piece of crap item to run – because, hey, you’ve gotta sell those stories… And THAT is what’s truly important, isn’t it? You guys are simply pathetic. ‘nuf said.
I think that every females who was involved should have their names be let out not just one person. And they all deserve punishment not just one or two. I know one of them and she has a drug problem the Army should look into that.
Next time ..search for cameras. These types of off duty parties have been going on in the military since the civil war! Service people have been blowing off steam in all kinds of ways. I hope they all make it home…The press needs to find something else to do! Good Luck and God Bless you guys and gals..
agreed, the news media had nothing else to do. Like the news medias shit dont stink. have fun soldiers.
Reservists have done nothing but embarrass our active military soldiers over in Iraq. All a reservist wants is a paycheck for their one weekend a month, two weeks out of the year work that they put in. We have soldiers in Iraq dying every day and these reservists are having mud wrestling. Active duy soldiers may blow off some steam at times, but they are held accountable for their actions and that’s why it’s toned down. Reservists sense of discipline is different. This is just a part time gig for them and when they get home they will go back to their normal jobs and not have to see eachother for another month. If you’ve never served in the military you’ll probably have no idea what I’m talking about, but for those of you who have no exactly what I’m saying.
The spineless wanna be GI’s who turned over the photos to the reporters should be the ones to have wall to wall counseling then kicked out. They were just looking for money. If I was there I would probably be cheering on the girls too. They are in a environment we couldn’t even imagine and deserve to let off a little steam without the threat of some little panzies trying to get them in trouble.
So what! They had a party. Big F-in deal. This stuff has been going on since world war 1.I’m retired navy.20 yrs. We feel we are entitled to do what we want on our off time. Since our off time is limited, we make the most of it. Lame democrats trying to smear our military and our mission in Iraq. If you don’t understand what I’m talking about…then ask yourself…what have you done for your country lately?
Thew Army should use the pictures as a recruiting poster, since the recruiters are having trouble getting people to enlist these days………………..
Mathew,
You have no idea what you are talking about. To generalize the Reservist/National Guard is pure ignorance on your part. True, she did use bad judgement, who has not. But do remember most of the National Guard (which i am part of) are prior active duty soldiers. We are being called more upon to do help the active components. And for those never serving as active duty, this may be their first time experiencing it other than basic training. Also one point is most of the E-4’s and below have little field experience, not their fault of only doing it once a month and 2 weeks a year. So if we are doing such a bad job, should we just pull out and continue to do a dual role of state and federal service (NG) and leave the active duty to bear even more burden? Again dont lump us all together, it does not reflect on us or on you at all well. I can guarantee my unit was asked to stay longer and are already back on the list to rotate in again.
Matt,
Your types of comments where what I read in every issue of Stars and Stripes while I was stationed at Camp Bucca. For some reason Active duty has always have had a low opinion of Reservists and National Guardsmen. I have had the chance to work with NG and Active duty, while I am a Reservist. Both have their pluses and minuses. However, to say that we think this duty is a weekend gig, puts you beyond ignorance. Sure, I serve 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year, but during the week I am continually doing things for my soldiers and my unit to make them more effective and combat ready (without getting paid). When it comes down to it, we can sling mud at each other all day long, and it won’t accomplish anything. What everyone needs to realize that we have a symbiotic relationship. Active duty can’t live without the Reserve components, and the Reserve components can’t live without the Active duty. What ever happened to the one team, one fight motto? Sure, the Reserves/National Guard has gotten some bad press lately with the prisoner abuse scandal and now this mud wrestling deal. Active duty has had their fair share of problems too (killing/raping 14yr old girl in Bosnia). As an MP myself I have seen it all in Iraq and Camp Bucca is a miserable place. These soldiers were trying to have a little bit of fun, but it obviously went too far out of control. Should the female solider be punished for indecent exposure? Should the fellow soldiers be reprimanded for conduct unbecoming an NCO, or given extra duty? I can’t say yea or nay, that is for their senior leadership to decide. However, I can say that we all, Active, Reserve, National Guard are in it for the long haul. So get used to it, because that National Guardsman or Reservist might be the one with you in your fighting position someday covering your back.
I’d like to say if this lady was off the clock it was her time and it should not be held against her . If she was to have been wearing her uniform it would have been a different story. Personally she is good enough to fight in a country that is known to have killed many people, so she should be able to do what she wants in her spare time. If she were at home she could have done worse but it should not be held against her because everyone has to have a little time to vent, especially in a high stress situation.
heres an idea…..leave women in the military out of combat related duty.
But it’s ok to fight for our country? If she wanted to get naked let her so what…..So she made a mistake ….So did our own President we should be in Saudi not Iraq……our system is so jacked up it makes me sick. Leave her alone for god sakes.
What’s the big deal? So she and the others were having fun and letting off some combat stress. I’d have probably done the same thing. I guess the puritans that want to rule the world are freaking out over this and the GoDaddy girl when they should be more concerned about Lil Johnny being told it’s ok to look at their male classmates naked in gym class, but don’t dare look at a woman.
Also, wasn’t Rumsfeld in the same position during the infamous Tailhook scandal back in the 80’s? Why weren’t the naval aviators kicked out for doing the same thing?
Soldiers need to take care of one another. Whoever let these pictures get to the press is a real blue falcon. They stood there and took the pictures, encouraged the activity, and then used it against the same girls that were so entertaining to them. I don’t agree with what was going on, and I would love to see the NCOs that were there get their asses handed to them. It doesn’t happen, though. It’s a shame to let this one girl (however foolish she might have been for allowing it to happen) take the fall.
The last thing we (the MPs, the Army, the US military in general) need is more bad press, after Abu Ghraib. Of course, I think whoever busted that open did the right thing, because it involved the inhumane treatment of EPWs. This “scandal” is totally different. As I said, soldiers need to take care of each other. The abuse of prisoners that we are obligated to give humane treatment to, versus a little horseplay and some bare boobies? Reporting one is your duty as a soldier. Reporting the other is being disloyal to your buddies who really weren’t doing a damn thing but having a good time.
It depresses the hell out of me that this is getting so much coverage.
Wow. When did we become a country of prudes. I guarantee you people are only outraged because they didn’t have front row seats! I for one am buying tickets to the next USO event in hopes for seeing some REAL entertainment.
I myself was there for everything, the females were letting off some steam, the head NCO”s were encouraging them to do it as well… And all the men that were there told the females constantly, its ok this is just fun, nobody will know about it….. they lied!!! The men sold the pics to everyone in the camp, and the nco’s did nothing to stop it. The only reason why one female was punished b/c her company hates females and does anything to kick them out!!! All of the other companies there that the other females were in got nothing, and they wont… the real people that should of gotten punished were the nco’s and everyone who had the pics, and sold them. And there should be something done about that female being singles out. If she is the only one getting punished, thats unlawful, i feel she shouldnt of been demoted. If a guy showed his chest would he of got demoted??? Just think about it!!!