Army investigates ‘flat-out abuse’ in Kosovo

Army investigates ‘flat-out abuse’ in Kosovo
Officers, NCOs suspended for alleged harsh training
By Joe Gould - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 29, 2012 8:29:50 EST
Seventeen commissioned and noncommissioned officers in a single company in Kosovo have been suspended amid an Army investigation into allegations they employed harsh training tactics to initiate junior soldiers, the commander of U.S. Army Europe said.

“It was all about not respecting soldiers, using the wrong kinds of training methods, frat house kinds of jackassery, and just poor leadership,” Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling said in an interview with Army Times on Friday.

“There is training to get folks tough, there is training to get folks strong, and then there is flat-out abuse,” he said. “This wasn’t training. It was a rite of initiation, ‘Are you tough enough to join this company?’”

The commander of the company — Georgia's 3rd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment — was reassigned, Hertling said. Also suspended were senior noncommissioned officers and young officers, “who were obviously caught up in what their NCOs were doing,” Hertling said.

Hertling said the complaint alleged racially tinged abuse, but he declined to describe in detail the allegations, citing the Army’s ongoing criminal investigation. Hertling said the soldiers could face a range of punishments, from courts-martial to administrative action under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The soldiers were not identified.
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