A really quiet month for USFK in August probably due to UFL, but overall the entire summer has been very quiet. Notice that when there is a period of very few GI incidents no one brings up how well behaved the servicemembers are? However, when one servicemember does something stupid than people start talking about the military recruiting a bunch of gangbangers and how the soldiers should all be locked down on post. Also if you look at the complete GI crime statistics I have been compiling, you can see that the majority of the incidents in 2007 have occured outside of 2ID. Yet when 2ID has an incident all you often hear is how out of control 2ID is. When you look at the actual compiled stats 2ID is more behaved then the units down south it just that they have the memorable incidents.
Something that is of concern is again there was two more DUIs in August making it a total of eight DUIs in 5 months. That is not a good statistics and a ticking time bomb in my opinion for the Korean media to jump on once they get through bashing “low quality foreign English teachers“.
The entire results can be read below the fold:
USFK Court-Martial Result for August 2007
At a special court-martial on 30 August 2007, Private First Class Kevin L. Norris, 595th Maintenance Company, was convicted of failure to repair, absence without leave, and incapacitation for performance of duties through prior wrongful indulgence in intoxicating liquor. His adjudged sentence was reduction to E-1, confinement for 90 days, and a bad-conduct discharge.
Results of ROK Criminal Prosecutions for August 2007
In Daegu District Court on 2 August 2007, Specialist Brian Park, 188th MP Company, was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol. His adjudged sentence was a 2,000,000 Won fine.
In Uijongbu District Court on 7 August 2007, Sergeant Margaret L. Watson, HQ, 2ID, was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol. Her adjudged sentence was a 500,000 Won fine.
In Daegu District Court on 13 August 2007, Specialist Anthony D. Thomas, 168th Med Bn, was convicted of infliction of bodily injury and destruction of private property. His adjudged sentence was a 300,000 Won fine.
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8:17 am on September 10th, 2007 1
i think the DUI issue is a problem but there are differences in the Korean limit and the US limit
i think from what i hear you can only have about one drink and anymore than that you are above the legal limit in korea so if you get blown
you will get busted after one drink
either way drinking and driving is a NOGO especially around here where public trans is so accessible and convienent
1:33 pm on September 10th, 2007 2
Too bad you don’t see all the suicide attempts, the sexual assaults, and the drugs in the court-martial results.
2:10 am on September 11th, 2007 3
Yep.
I am very happy that USFK is no longer making the Korean news through grandmother rapes and beatings of “innocent” taxi drivers. I hope this trend continues. I don’t know if General Bell can be credited for it as there hasn’t been any real change of policy… but, perhaps, results are most important…
…as it makes Round-Eyes’ lives easier when Koreans target 20 million dollar tax-free Christian prosthelizers and hyperventilate about the Sea of … especially for those of us who keep a military appearance… as the demonization-of-the-week is now being directed at those unqualified, tire-sandal-wearing, long-haired, tie-dye-sporting, pot-smoking, sex-fiend English “teachers”… and most of them are Canadian.
Go, Brand America!
That being said, Mark is absolutely right. There is a LOT of terrible stuff going on-post/base (and slightly off) that is no longer making the papers. Large-scale drug dealing, stabbings, shooting (with bonus failed high-level cover-up), bazaar sexual assaults… to name a few. This doesn’t include some pretty big stories that vanished down the Memory Hole… naked soldier hit by a taxi with absolutely NO follow-up, high-level Colonel Edwards removed from command with no stated reason, Army Corps of Engineers’ commander’s husband’s company receiving a MASSIVE contract with no public explanation… etc. Hmmmmm.
In fact, just after the Colonel Edwards story broke in Stars & Stripes, General Bell put a complete smackdown on information release… many have noticed S&S has been reduced to running interesting, yet non-military-related, headliners such as “Analyzing South Korea’s ‘ethnic homogeneity’”, “S. Korean diplomats owes (sic) New York City about $17,000 for unpaid parking tickets” and “Seoul taxi driver accused of killings”.
Nice… but that’s what CNN is for. So, what’s going on in the military, “First Amendment newspaper, free of control and censorship”? No answer? Probably better for homesteaded S&S reporters not to make waves… or they won’t even get advanced notice that new turf is being installed on the high school playing field.
Privately, the reporters are not happy… but what can they do? Become journalists? That’s work… and doesn’t pay as regularly.
Actually, a lot of previously freely-available information has been restricted to those who “need to know”… and things like out-going e-mail are being actively monitored to see who spills the beans… so don’t run your mouth privately via a gubment computer… or you might find yourself eatin’ gubment cheese.
This isn’t being done to keep USFK safe from spies or terrorists… or even catch-alls like “force protection” or “readiness”. The list of search strings show it is being done to save embarrassment… and more than a few dirty rear ends.
General Bell seems to want to stop some of the monkey business that ran rampant under LaPorte… but he is doing it quietly. Understandable… but it becoming a poor half-job as many dirty players are being let off the hook to keep things quiet.
(A great example is a few weeks back when IG went through all of Osan’s OSI files and found evidence of Colonel Maria Dowling taking gifts in exchange for contracts. It seems this was buried by the head of OSI (and fellow AFDCB member during the Lt. Davis era). She has gone on to become the vice wing commander at Nellis AFB… and this may all stay buried to reduce scandal. (Well, no. I’m all over it.))
GI Korea pointed out that there is no reason to air the military’s dirty laundry. The problems are dealt with, the offenders are disciplined and everybody moves on.
I disagree.
“Openness and transparency are essential to a functioning democracy.”
…and, while the military is not a functioning democracy, it is an essential part of one… and must emulate as many of its characteristics as possible without compromising its purpose.
There is a big difference between revealing sensitive information that might endanger the lives of soldiers… and transparency which insures attention can be brought to those engaged in suspect actions and serves as a deterrent to those considering secretive and unlawful actions.
So, while I support many of the things General Bell is quietly doing (which may (or may not) be more clear in the near future), I don’t support the unnecessary secretiveness that saves embarrassment from those who need to be embarrassed into the correct course of action.
J!
11:52 pm on September 12th, 2007 4
The lack of comments reminds me of this cartoon…
http://static.crooksandliars.com/2007/09/democrats-spot-a-backbone.jpg
…and that’s why USFK (and the American government in general) know they can do… anything… they… want.
Because they are smarter and better educated than the drones… They study Goebbels while the sheeple study Britney Spears’ comeback performance.
I’m starting to suspect they ARE right. The general public IS too stupid, ignorant, lazy, uniformed and unconcerned, to do anything other than what they are told.
J!
9:51 pm on September 13th, 2007 5
Chickenhead just for the record I don’t have a problem with major incidents being publicized. There is no need for every minor incident handled with an Article 15 to be put in the newspaper. I would like to hear more about the corruption cases as well and especially the nude soldier case which has totally disappeared. I find it hard to believe the people at the Stars and Stripes are intentionally covering these incidents up.
2:31 am on September 14th, 2007 6
GI,
Right on.
The difference between a reporter and a journalist:
The reporter parrots whatever information is released by the Information Teat… sometimes without fact-checking… as was the case with the Korean drinking age of “20″ which is actually NINETEEN (and sometimes 18, depending on birthday).
The reporter doesn’t ask USFK for a comment about what happened to the nude soldier… he doesn’t ask why Col. Edwards was removed from command… he doesn’t ask what the official explanation is for a massive contract being given by a commanding wife to her husband’s company… doesn’t question how lowly “rogue cop” Lt. Davis pulled off a long-term, multi-club shakedown single-handedly without any club owner informing Osan leadership of what was going on… doesn’t ask why clubs with locked-up girls are not off-limits for human trafficking… doesn’t ask how black market stores get their supplies and why CID/OSI hasn’t spent the whole 48 hours it might take to see who delivers and where they deliver from… etc… Etc… ETC.
The reporter avoids difficult questions on newsworthy stories that might cause an angry stoppage in the flow of easy, benign information that allows low-effort, quota-meeting stories to be written.
The journalist asks these tough questions and then informs the readers of both the questions and the answers (or lack of). This allows the reading public to decide if the questions were answered honestly and satisfactorily or if something worthy of more attention is going on. The journalist keeps that attention focused until the issue is satisfactorily resolved.
While the reporter takes what he is given and writes a fluffy and rather meaningless story, the journalist sniffs out dishonesty, misdirection and obfuscation, and exposes it… and then asks WHY the truth was so hard to get.
This publicity insures legitimate questions are answered by institutions (which frequently get a twisted life of their own if they are allowed to). More importantly, it acts as a deterrent to the many individuals within an institution who are quick to take advantage of relative secrecy and a consequence-free environment to further their own goals which are often counter to the good of the institution or the other member of it.
“I find it hard to believe the people at the Stars and Stripes are intentionally covering these incidents up.”
That depends on your definition of “covering up”. If you follow the Money and look for the Path of Least Resistance, most of your work is done.
Better than “covering up”, the term, “not aggressively pursuing” might explain S&S actions… or, perhaps, you have a better explanation as to why there have been no follow-ups to any of these questions even if they simply recount the facts and then add, “USFK refused to comment”.
“Chickenhead just for the record I don’t have a problem with major incidents being publicized.”
GI Joe Shows Up to Work Late and Gets an Article 15 is probably not worthy of the papers. Round(s) stolen from the range to cover up a shooting by a screwing-off MP, under the direction of (now-relieved) senior leadership, might be worthy of a story…
Remember, GI, exposing wrongdoing STRENGTHENS, not weakens, the military… and it should be actively supported by every professional soldier and airman.
P.S. How did you like the cartoon? The spine’s shadow on the wall killed me. Sweet Jesus!
J!
6:46 pm on February 18th, 2008 7
[...] Injury / NOV07 - 1 Jackson NCO Assault / NOV07 - 1 Casey Soldier Prostitution / SEP07 - 1 CRC NCO DUI / AUG07 - 1 CRC NCO Meth Smuggling Case / JUN07 - 2 CRC Spouses Fraud Case / MAY07 - 1 Casey NCO [...]
9:38 am on April 30th, 2008 8
[...] 595 Maint. Co: AWOL – August 2007 [...]