This is really a pretty well written article from CNS News on a recent possible violation of Posse Comitatus, relating to the recent mass murder in Alabama:
Read the article if you want the details, and read the whole article.
But don't go all conspiracy theory here.
Someone, at least at the Fort Rucker garrison level, certainly appears to have screwed the pooch. I don't know if it will go to the level of a courts-martial, but there is probably a career-ending letter of reprimand or admonishment lurking in there somewhere.
It's not unusual for military installations to be involved in multi-jurisdiction mutual assistance pacts, especially when it comes to fire and emergency, and the article lays out the relevant law and regulation pretty well. But there are supposed to be some bright lines, dating from back in the days of Reconstruction and the Wild West, where local authorities sometimes took it upon themselves to impress Federal troops for their own purposes.
I suspect the town put out a general call for assistance, and someone at the Fort, without thinking it through, responded. Or, possibly, given who has been tagged to investigate the circumstances, someone at Installation Management Command (IMCOM) headquarters might have given the okay to respond.
According to the article, General Dempsey at Training and Doctrine Command has been tagged to do the investigation. IMCOM is commanded by a Lieutenant General, currently LTG Robert Wilson. The article states that TRADOC owns Fort Rucker, but in fact, the TRADOC activities at Fort Rucker are tenants. The Garrison Command (to which the MPs belong) belongs to IMCOM. In the normal course of events, IMCOM would be doing the investigating. I'm just speculating here, but if General Dempsey has the rose for the investigation, I'm thinking it's because possibly the problem with the authorization for the MPs to deploy came through upper level IMCOM channels. But that's just me speculating.
I don't think, as I've seen elsewhere, that this is another test to see if the population will fail to notice the issue and this becomes one more chink in the Federal construct setting us up for Leviathan. But I'm a well known squish and apologist for the Imperial Presidency, so who knows?
Occam's razor applies. I don't think these guys in charge at the moment are capable of conducting planning that subtle. Any more than I believed it of the Bush administration, when they were credited with being idiot savants. H/t, Kevin.
Army Investigating How and Why Troops Were Sent Into Alabama Town After Murder Spree
(CNSNews.com) - The U.S. Army has launched an inquiry into how and why active duty troops from Fort Rucker, Ala., came to be placed on the streets of Samson, Ala., during last week's murder spree in that tiny South Alabama community. The use of the troops was a possible violation of federal law.
Read the article if you want the details, and read the whole article.
But don't go all conspiracy theory here.
Someone, at least at the Fort Rucker garrison level, certainly appears to have screwed the pooch. I don't know if it will go to the level of a courts-martial, but there is probably a career-ending letter of reprimand or admonishment lurking in there somewhere.
It's not unusual for military installations to be involved in multi-jurisdiction mutual assistance pacts, especially when it comes to fire and emergency, and the article lays out the relevant law and regulation pretty well. But there are supposed to be some bright lines, dating from back in the days of Reconstruction and the Wild West, where local authorities sometimes took it upon themselves to impress Federal troops for their own purposes.
I suspect the town put out a general call for assistance, and someone at the Fort, without thinking it through, responded. Or, possibly, given who has been tagged to investigate the circumstances, someone at Installation Management Command (IMCOM) headquarters might have given the okay to respond.
According to the article, General Dempsey at Training and Doctrine Command has been tagged to do the investigation. IMCOM is commanded by a Lieutenant General, currently LTG Robert Wilson. The article states that TRADOC owns Fort Rucker, but in fact, the TRADOC activities at Fort Rucker are tenants. The Garrison Command (to which the MPs belong) belongs to IMCOM. In the normal course of events, IMCOM would be doing the investigating. I'm just speculating here, but if General Dempsey has the rose for the investigation, I'm thinking it's because possibly the problem with the authorization for the MPs to deploy came through upper level IMCOM channels. But that's just me speculating.
I don't think, as I've seen elsewhere, that this is another test to see if the population will fail to notice the issue and this becomes one more chink in the Federal construct setting us up for Leviathan. But I'm a well known squish and apologist for the Imperial Presidency, so who knows?
Occam's razor applies. I don't think these guys in charge at the moment are capable of conducting planning that subtle. Any more than I believed it of the Bush administration, when they were credited with being idiot savants. H/t, Kevin.
never woulda caught some Reservists falling for that.
The Fort Rucker PMO inserted himself and 21 MP's in to the shooting aftermath at Samson. Samson PD did not ask for assistance. He volunteered and they consented.
Glenn Beck was just talking about this a few minutes ago.
Mere approval of the MSA doesn't count.
Again - things may have changed over the years, since last I was concerned about things like that.
Personally, I have no problem with the MP's offering aid. I understand the whole chain of command/authorization thing, but seriously.... this was a good use of our military. It's great opportunity to show how the military and the local police can work together effectively, unlike what we saw in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Yeah. I know. I'm coming at this from a civilian POV, but that's how I see it.
a little small thing called the Law.
I expect at least as much accountability as the Air Force suffered for the Nuke Flight Fiasco.
This is a very big deal.
AFSis - I understand your position - but there's a reason there's a bright line between the Federal military and local officials. Among them, is the experience that caused the implementation of Posse Comitatus.
Of course it sounds good now, no weapons, directing traffic, lending a helping hand, mutual aid, blabbity blah blah.
But you have to look down the road (or down the slope?). It's scary down there.
No good can come of this and I am very pleased that the Army is treating it seriously with this inquiry.
my apologies to the comment gnomes. Will try to come round more often!
If they're law enforcement playing dress-up as soldiers, there's no foul, except you don't like the look (which is okay, having a lot of armed troops standing around on street corners gives a banana republic flair, which we don't need).
So, the question is - what are you looking at?
That said, having uniformed troops on the scene armed with something other than traffic wands looks like poor judgement on LTC Wiley's part.