Court Of Inquiry

posted by Jennifer Hlad on May 23

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Lt. Gen. Samuel Helland, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command, has determined that with regard to the escalation of force incident on March 4, 2007, resulting in the deaths of Afghan civilians, the members of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Company-Fox convoy acted appropriately and in accordance with the rules of engagement and tactics, techniques and procedures in place at the time in response to a complex attack, according to a press release from Marine Corps Forces Central Command.

Helland made the decisions regarding the disposition of incidents involving (MSOC-F) in Afghanistan after a thorough review of the report of a Court of Inquiry, according to the statement.

The Court of Inquiry, composed of two U.S. Marine Corps colonels and one lieutenant colonel, met for three and a half weeks in January 2008 at Camp Lejeune. It examined facts and evidence concerning an incident on March 4, 2007, in which MSOC-F Marines allegedly fired on and killed Afghan civilians following an attack on their convoy. The Court also examined several incidents that occurred on March 9, 2007, which resulted in injury to two Afghan civilians and damage to two MSOC-F vehicles.

The Court reviewed more than 12,000 pages of documents and heard testimony from more than 45 witnesses, including Afghan witnesses who testified via video teleconference. The Court was not a criminal proceeding, but was investigatory in nature.

Administrative, manning and training issues relative to the March 4 and March 9, 2007, incidents that were brought to light during the Court of Inquiry have been forwarded to the commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command for action, according to the statement.

Appropriate administrative actions based on the findings of the Court of Inquiry will be taken in the cases of Maj. Fred Galvin, Capt. Robert Olsen and Capt. Vincent Noble, according to the statement.