Posted on 02/06/2005 6:45:18 AM PST by presidio9
In front of a cheering male audience, two young women wearing only bras and panties throw themselves into a mud-filled plastic kiddie pool and roll around in a wild wrestling match.
At one point a man in the audience raises a water bottle and douses the entwined pair.
At another, a "referee" moves in to break up the scantily clad grapplers.
A young blond lifts her T-shirt to expose her breasts. A brunette turns her back to the camera and exposes her thong undies.
These scenes, taken from 30 photos leaked to the Daily News, could have been snapped at an out-of-control frat party.
But this happened a world away from any American college.
The photos were taken in Camp Bucca, the military prison at Umm Qasr in the hot sands of southern Iraq near the Kuwaiti border.
The women are not coeds but military policewomen who had left their uniforms in a pile not far off.
The men are soldiers, too. Most of them wore T-shirts emblazoned with Army logos, but at least one was still wearing his uniform.
Some were sergeants, including the referee, and some allegedly were drunk.
The photos were taken last Oct. 30, in the same period when enemy detainees were being transferred to Camp Bucca from Abu Ghraib, the prison made notorious by photos of Americans torturing naked Iraqis.
The Camp Bucca pictures document no such abuses.
But they do show what experts called a disconcerting lapse in discipline at a time when Army brass was touting the camp as a model of reform.
"It was basically a goodbye party for those of us who were leaving and a welcome party for those coming in," the alleged referee, Sgt. Emil Ganim of the 160th Military Police Battalion, told The News. "It was a chance for people to blow off some steam before coming home after spending a year in a combat zone."
But one participant described less-benign behavior.
Two sergeants, she said, told her "they had been lending out their room for soldiers to have sex" - a serious infraction of military regulations.
One female soldier, a prison guard with the 160th Military Police Battalion, was photographed baring her breast and showing off her thong panties.
The picture apparently was taken in the room of one of those sergeants, an investigator reported.
The witness told investigators that two high-ranking noncommissioned officers, a first sergeant and a master sergeant, were present. She "noted that these NCOs had been drinking and were noticeably drunk," the report said.
Ganim said American civilians at the camp also participated in the party, and "if anybody had liquor, it was them."
Ganim has since returned to his civilian job as a deputy sheriff in Leon County, Fla.
"It appears that this event was allegedly coordinated by NCOs [sergeants] of the 160th," according to the initial investigation.
One of the soldiers told investigators the mud-wrestling match was underway when she arrived.
"She took off her uniform and joined the other female soldiers that were wrestling," the report says. But "once soldiers started asking for the females to expose themselves [she and two of the other wrestlers] put their uniforms back on and left the area."
But at least one woman was not deterred.
Deanna Allen, a 19-year-old prison guard with the 105th MP Battalion, smiled and lifted her T-shirt. Photos show a man standing close to her and leering at her breasts while another G.I. snaps pictures.
"From what I understand they dared her to do it," said Allen's grandmother, Luci Tomlin, in Black Mountain, N.C. "It was a loose moment. She is a strong-headed young lady. Sometimes she can be a little irrational."
Allen, who is still stationed in Iraq, did not respond to E-mailed questions from The News. She was demoted in rank to private first class.
"A sex party with alcohol that is prohibited would suggest a serious breakdown of military discipline," said Washington-based lawyer Eugene Fidell, a military-justice expert. "Just how it would be handled would be determined by the commander, who has very broad discretion in situations like this.
Fidell said punishments could range from "a good chewing out to loss of rank" for enlisted personnel and "a letter or career-killing transfer" for officers who allowed it to happen.
You think that this is the only reason this kind of conduct is inappropriate? What stupid fool of a woman would allow men that she works with to see her act like this?
The wild-eyed rabid NAGs did.
I definately think the NCO's should be punished but nothing more than a loss of rank, transfer and a harsh verbal warning. The rest of the others probably could just use a harsh verbal warning and clean up & kitchen duty for a while.
You're right, many folks can't control themselves and will gravitate toward some sort of sex. Says a lot about self-control, or the lack thereof.
There are no beer joints and Strip bars in Iraq, no where for men to go for female entertainment and you have these pent up emotions boiling to get out., I am surpriused there isnt more of it than there is. These are young men and women not volunteers for the Seminary.
If you dont want women and men mixing dont mix them. Keep women out of the military.
I won't even touch your last comment - those threads go on for a good, long time!
Look, I lived and partied through the sixties. I know depraved behavior when I see it or do it.
This was just harmless typical young twenties rowdiness. It happens in every college fraternity and sorority. It happens at many office parties and it happens around the pool, from time to time, at most singles apartments in America, once the sun is down and the prigs have gone to bed.
I hate to disillusion you, but this is normal behavior for our youth.
So9
I know where you're coming from *but* there are times when you just have to let soldiers be people.
We had a similar situation after a pretty stressful six weeks when I was in the 101st. The commander left before the really good stuff got going but before he did leave he said, "Just don't wreck my barracks".
Good officers and NCOs "know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em". They may hang you out to dry when you get caught, but at least they'll give you the rope to hang yourself.
Is this a bit over the top? Probably. But all involved knew it when they did it.
Thanks for jumpin' right in, since my post wasn't direct to you in the first place.
But, please feel free to support these soldiers and their actions. I'm GLAD to see people supporting the military, eventhough I, personally, don't approve of their unprofessional behavior.
Don't worry. People like me will always be here to defend your right to ask us to explain and defend each and every little thing we've done to protect the freedoms you enjoy in our country. After twenty-plus years of doing so, I'm used to it. :)
Agreed. I hold an NCO to a higher standard, as I would a Commissioned Officer. Commanders and unit leaders establish the leadership climate within the unit. I expect more of them.
Nincompoops for generals, whores for soldiers, NCOa with IQs below room temperature!
Women do not belong with male troops!
Any nation that places women in combat or front-line (other than nurses) situations isn't worth defending!
NCO and commanders should have ONE rule..NO CAMERAS..
Wait the new video is coming out on DVD "AMAZON MPs GONE WILD" and will be advertised on the Howard Stern show and in Hustler Magine coming this summer.
What exactly is the big deal here? Isn't this thing to be expected when women are placed in combat roles in the military?
If women weren't present, this would only be some young soldiers having a good time relieving stress. But since women are present, oh my gosh!
Where are the feminist organizations like NOW in all this? They insisted women be treated as equals in the military and for them to be empowered to do whatever they want. Are they going to support these women's right to choose to mud wrestle or show their breasts?
If the military punishes these troops for some silly fun, even raunchy fun, then it will have to mete similar discipline upon all units with all-male members who always have their streakers, drinkers and party animals.
Lighten up for pete's sake. It's not as if they put dog collars on naked mass murderers and torturers.
I'm disappointed in the behavior of these female soldiers. Male soldiers drinking heavily....female soldiers stripping to their bra's and panties....they are lucky they didn't get raped!
Point taken, and you're correct about providing rope to hang one's self. Good comments...
Lighten up, Diana. If you don't want others to reply to a post - make it a private one.
While I was in uniform, there was a young miss about whom we'd get real quiet and simply clap once when she walked by.
Seems she had a habit.
She walked into a room, alone, with two Lieutenants, and came out about an hour later massively disheveled.
Stuff happens.
You do your darndest to make sure it doesn't happen among your group, but when it does you do your darndest to protect the innocent and punish what you can.
The incident I mentioned?
Nothing could be done since nothing was 'witnessed'.
These gals though are in a heap of trouble, as are the guys, simply due to there being photo evidence.
Besides which, this sort of thing was bound to happen anyway.
As a senior NCO or an officer you would be trying to make sure it doesn't happen to YOUR group.
When women weren't in combat zone and the soldiers weren't conducting guess what they did? Um...drink beer, get drunk, get a little rowdy...that type of stuff. At least when these cats go back on their mission, they do there job. Gloriously, I might add.
Americans are seen as debauched and immoral....
Are you kidding? Do you think that Islamofacists need something like this to see us as debauched and immoral when most movies, TV and music we exports "screams" that we are debauched and immoral?
These are people that cut off heads with knifes, stone their women and believe in their heart that killing you (a.k.a an infidel) will get them a place in Heaven.
A bunch of soldiers, men and women, got drunk and acted stupid. It's not the first time and it won't be the last that troops got a bit crazy as they were celebrating the end of their tour of duty..
"Yes. Normal behavior for college kids. But American soldiers fighting a war.."
And what demographic is fighting that war?
College kids.
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