Soldier: Commander Tried to Change Test (whistleblower "unfit")

[Barrett808]

Soldier: Commander Tried to Change Test
By MATT GOURAS, Associated Press Writer

A National Guard commander told a mental health counselor to change an evaluation to show that a serviceman who accused fellow soldiers of abusing Iraqi prisoners was mentally unfit, another soldier says.

The commander has refused to comment on the allegation.

Sgt. Greg Ford of the 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion has said he was stripped of his duties and ordered to see combat-stress counselors after reporting that three fellow soldiers in the California National Guard unit brazenly abused Iraqi detainees during interrogations in Samarra last year. He said the soldiers choked detainees, threatened them with guns and stuck lit cigarettes in their ears.

...

Marciello said that after a mental health evaluation came back saying Ford was OK, he witnessed a company commander in the 223rd, Capt. Vic Artiga, ask a counselor to change her evaluation.

"The company commander requested that this woman reconsider the end result of her analysis," Marciello said.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040616/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/prisoner_abuse_calif&cid=542&ncid=1480

[Just Me]

1. This is just another form of corruption.

Misusing "mental health" labels as a means to avoid accountability and/or cover-up the truth.

That commander should be charged and convicted.

[shraby]

2. Specially since his rank was

used to cover up crimes.

[Frances]

3. Isn't this what the Soviets did?

They locked dissidents up in mental wards, didn't they?

[CheshireCat]

8. The Soviet Union

was notorious for having dissidents declared mentally ill and locking them in mental institutions that were little more than prisons.

During the 60's and the 70's, this is one of the examples Americans used to show how evil the Soviet Union was.

In the past few years, I have watched my country become what it once despised.

[mom cat]

4. If insanity is now defined as being upset with torture then I am stark

raving mad. The real loonies are in the White House.

[Barrett808]

6. second that n/t

[DoctorMyEyes]

5. Like the whistle blower from Ft. Stewart

I cannot remember the soldiers name, but he was the whistle blower on the terrible conditions at Ft. Stewart - where so many wounded soldiers were on "medical hold".

I read that he too was sent for psychological evaluations and held for weeks. I think I remember reading too that he was "released" or "retired" from the military now and has a huge bill for the "psychiatric treatment".

[jdj]

9. Boy I can't wait for his tell all book.

This shows how much the other side really supports the troops.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

10. Jullian Goodrum,16-year veteran of Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040525-111343-1697r

Army Kept Whistleblower in Locked Ward

By Mark Benjamin
United Press International
Published 5/25/2004 4:37 PM

WASHINGTON, May 25 (UPI) -- The Army kept a soldier whistle-blower in a locked psychiatric ward at its top medical center for nearly two weeks despite concern from some medical staff that he be released, according to medical records.
The Army then charged him nearly $6,000 for the stay at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, billing records show.

Last summer Goodrum asked for an investigation into the death in Iraq of a 22-year-old soldier in his 212th Transportation Company. He was also quoted in a United Press International article about poor medical care at Fort Knox, Ky., that helped spark investigations in Congress.

Goodrum was named the 176th Maintenance Battalion's "Soldier of the Year" in 2001. He has received a host of awards, including the combat action ribbon, and positive reviews from superior officers.

"They are definitely retaliating against me," said Army Reserve Lt. Jullian Goodrum, a 16-year veteran of the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

[struggle4progress]

7. kick

:kick: