Interview with john filostrat
I was able to contact the Director of Public Affairs, Cdr. USN John Filostrat, at JTF-GTMO. He answered some of the questions I had about JTF-GTMO and their mission.
1. How does the JTF Command balance following the Geneva Convention and making sure the soldiers and sailors who are guarding the prisoners stay safe as well?
The JTF mission is to ensure safe, humane, transparent, and legal care and custody of the detainees. Department of Defense detention policies are specifically written to incorporate our international obligations, such as the Geneva Conventions, and U.S. domestic law. The most effective means of protecting our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines is to ensure they are properly trained. By consistently applying their training, procedures, and remaining vigilant, it helps to reduce the risk to our personnel.
2. How much training does the guard force receive to ensure they are following the requirements of the Geneva Convention?
The guard and medical force are highly trained for the mission of the safe, human, transparent and legal care and custody of the detainees JTF Guantanamo. Our guards go through an intensive course prior to arriving at the JTF. Check out our website and read our Dec. 6, 2013 newsletter that contains an article that discusses at least part of the training our guard force receives.
3. In the Overview on the JTF webpage, it states that the detention facility is in compliance with international laws. What specific sections of the Geneva Convention are most important to the JTF mission? Also, are there any other treaties the JTF Command is required to follow?
As a general matter, the detainees currently held at JTF-GTMO are protected by Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which is incorporated into DoD regulations. Common Art. 3 requires that the U.S. protect detainees from violence, humiliating and degrading treatment (including holding them up to public curiosity, which is why we cannot allow public pictures of the detainees to be released), convictions without appropriate safeguards, and to care of the sick and wounded.
The JTF mission is to ensure safe, humane, transparent, and legal care and custody of the detainees. Department of Defense detention policies are specifically written to incorporate our international obligations, such as the Geneva Conventions, and U.S. domestic law. The most effective means of protecting our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines is to ensure they are properly trained. By consistently applying their training, procedures, and remaining vigilant, it helps to reduce the risk to our personnel.
2. How much training does the guard force receive to ensure they are following the requirements of the Geneva Convention?
The guard and medical force are highly trained for the mission of the safe, human, transparent and legal care and custody of the detainees JTF Guantanamo. Our guards go through an intensive course prior to arriving at the JTF. Check out our website and read our Dec. 6, 2013 newsletter that contains an article that discusses at least part of the training our guard force receives.
3. In the Overview on the JTF webpage, it states that the detention facility is in compliance with international laws. What specific sections of the Geneva Convention are most important to the JTF mission? Also, are there any other treaties the JTF Command is required to follow?
As a general matter, the detainees currently held at JTF-GTMO are protected by Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which is incorporated into DoD regulations. Common Art. 3 requires that the U.S. protect detainees from violence, humiliating and degrading treatment (including holding them up to public curiosity, which is why we cannot allow public pictures of the detainees to be released), convictions without appropriate safeguards, and to care of the sick and wounded.