thedrifter
04-10-07, 07:06 PM
Spec ops commander relieved
By Trista Talton - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 10, 2007 17:24:21 EDT
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — The commander and senior enlisted Marine of the Corps’ first special operations company have been relieved of duty, according to officials with Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command.
The firings occurred April 3, one month after members of the company allegedly killed eight civilians after a Marine convoy was ambushed by a car bomb in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. A senior U.S. commander pulled the company out of Afghanistan days after the alleged incident, pending an investigation.
“[The two Marines] are being redeployed back to Camp Lejeune,” said Gunnery Sgt. Michael Turner, a spokesman for the Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based MarSOC.
MarSOC is not releasing names of the company’s leaders. The companies are commanded by majors.
According to information posted on MarSOC’s official Web site, the decision to relieve the leaders was made by Lt. Col. Paul Montanus, commander of 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, in consultation with MarSOC commander Maj. Gen. Dennis Hejlik.
“The commander of the 2nd MSOB lost trust and confidence in the MSOC leadership,” the Web site reads. “Further details are not available for public release at this time pending decisions regarding potential administrative or disciplinary action.”
Afghan witnesses and alleged gunshot victims told freelancers with The Associated Press that U.S. forces fired on civilians in cars and on foot along a road in Nangarhar province following a suicide attack against a Marine convoy on March 4. Eight Afghans died and 34 were wounded. One Marine was injured.
Following the allegations, Army Maj. Gen. Frank Kearney, head of U.S. Special Operations Command-Central Command, pulled all 120 members of the company out of Afghanistan. SOCCent also launched an investigation into the incident. That investigation is complete, Turner said, but the results have not been made public.
The statement on MarSOC’s Web site hinted that the alleged response to the ambush wasn’t the only reason the leaders were relieved. It said the MSOC “was involved in events, including the March 4 ambush, which caused the 2nd MSOB commander to lose trust and confidence in the leadership of the MSOC.”
An officer with 2nd MSOB has been selected to take command of the company, according to the Web site. His name is not being released.
The MSOC was the Corps’ first spec ops company to deploy. The company deployed in early January with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Lejeune. It arrived in Afghanistan in early February.
The company will continue its scheduled six-month deployment in support of special operations forces in U.S. Central Command as needed, according to the Web site.
MarSOC was created in February 2006 as the Corps’ contribution to U.S. Special Operations Command.
Ellie
By Trista Talton - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 10, 2007 17:24:21 EDT
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — The commander and senior enlisted Marine of the Corps’ first special operations company have been relieved of duty, according to officials with Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command.
The firings occurred April 3, one month after members of the company allegedly killed eight civilians after a Marine convoy was ambushed by a car bomb in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. A senior U.S. commander pulled the company out of Afghanistan days after the alleged incident, pending an investigation.
“[The two Marines] are being redeployed back to Camp Lejeune,” said Gunnery Sgt. Michael Turner, a spokesman for the Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based MarSOC.
MarSOC is not releasing names of the company’s leaders. The companies are commanded by majors.
According to information posted on MarSOC’s official Web site, the decision to relieve the leaders was made by Lt. Col. Paul Montanus, commander of 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, in consultation with MarSOC commander Maj. Gen. Dennis Hejlik.
“The commander of the 2nd MSOB lost trust and confidence in the MSOC leadership,” the Web site reads. “Further details are not available for public release at this time pending decisions regarding potential administrative or disciplinary action.”
Afghan witnesses and alleged gunshot victims told freelancers with The Associated Press that U.S. forces fired on civilians in cars and on foot along a road in Nangarhar province following a suicide attack against a Marine convoy on March 4. Eight Afghans died and 34 were wounded. One Marine was injured.
Following the allegations, Army Maj. Gen. Frank Kearney, head of U.S. Special Operations Command-Central Command, pulled all 120 members of the company out of Afghanistan. SOCCent also launched an investigation into the incident. That investigation is complete, Turner said, but the results have not been made public.
The statement on MarSOC’s Web site hinted that the alleged response to the ambush wasn’t the only reason the leaders were relieved. It said the MSOC “was involved in events, including the March 4 ambush, which caused the 2nd MSOB commander to lose trust and confidence in the leadership of the MSOC.”
An officer with 2nd MSOB has been selected to take command of the company, according to the Web site. His name is not being released.
The MSOC was the Corps’ first spec ops company to deploy. The company deployed in early January with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Lejeune. It arrived in Afghanistan in early February.
The company will continue its scheduled six-month deployment in support of special operations forces in U.S. Central Command as needed, according to the Web site.
MarSOC was created in February 2006 as the Corps’ contribution to U.S. Special Operations Command.
Ellie