Proposed Accreditation System for the US Military

Proposed Accreditation System ([1]) for the Training and Conduct of US Military Personal

In relation to torture and other cruel inhuman and degrading treatment: The American government investigate establishing a binding Accreditation System for the Training and Conduct of US Military Personnel, henceforth called the Accreditation System:

The Accreditation System be monitored by an implementation committee, hence forth called the Monitoring Committee, and be established in close consultation with torture survivors who have been victims of abuse by the US Military. The Monitoring Committee be granted immunity, authority and access all relevant records and military facilities;

The Accreditation System oblige state the US Military to ensure the following goals regarding the conduct and the basic training of all soldiers:

1. The US Military permit any soldier to report human rights violations directly to the UN Committee Against Torture and other reputable impartial agencies including civilian domestic organizations. That the policy of reporting be incorporated in official regulations and that every soldier be trained about when to report and how to report. The directives associated with reporting to civilian agencies be written down in the form of a policy in close proximity to regulations that oblige soldiers to obtain permission before disclosing military information. Nurses, doctors, and paramedics be trained in a more specialized and detailed manner including training on the recognition and treatment of torture survivors.

2. The US Military invite eminent persons from Amnesty International, the ICRC and other non-government organizations to be members of the monitoring committee.

3. The US Military ensure that all soldiers receive significant training on the UN Convention Against Torture.

4. The US Military ensure that all soldiers receive significant training on the protocols for disobeying unethical, immoral, and inappropriate orders such as torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Such instruction be initiated during basic training in the form of case studies or vignettes about inappropriate, immoral, unethical orders, and torture. These case studies include situations which are similar to the Abu Ghraib Prison Tragedy, the case of United States v. Calley and the My Lai massacre, as well as the Somalia Affair and the Canadian Airborne Regiment. Subsequently these practical examples be reinforced by their integration in training exercises. ([2])

5. Federal legislation in the United States include penalties for not reporting violations of the UN Convention Against Torture and not intervening to stop violations.

6. The US Military be required to submit regular reports to the Monitoring Conmmittee on the recommendations of the Monitoring Committee. The Monitoring Committee accept reports and recommendations from individuals, non-government organizations, and other governments.

7. The above aims be secured through regular, public, and confidential interviews and reports by the Monitoring Committee as well as other effective measures consistent with the objectives.

Revised 2 December 2005; Submitted by Ken Agar-Newman
Victoria BC Canada email: agarnew@shaw.ca

[1] This Proposal directed at the US Military is a compilation of three proposals directed at ; The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) through the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights – 4 January 2000 ; The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – 6 February 2000 ; The People’s Republic of China (PRC) including members of the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police – 18 April 2000 ;

[2] Research by S. Miligram (1974. Obedience and Authority. Harper and Row) indicates the power of orders from an authoritarian hierarchy to override individual responsibility. The kind of character produced by modern society can not be counted on to prevent human rights violations. Without specific training, we cannot assume personal responsibility will override the obedience to an authority figure, especially within the military context.