Army holding tight to report on commanders who led Robert Bales before massacre

[unhappycamper]

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/02/05/3030128/army-holding-tight-to-report-on.html



Defense attorney John Henry Browne questions Bill Bales, the brother of Staff Sgt. Robert Bales at the sentencing hearing at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Aug. 21,2013. Staff Sgt. Robert Bales is in the foreground.

Army holding tight to report on commanders who led Robert Bales before massacre
By ADAM ASHTON
Staff writer
February 5, 2014 Updated 9 hours ago

The Army is refusing to release its investigation into the officers who commanded Staff Sgt. Robert Bales just before the former Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier slipped out of his combat outpost and murdered 16 Afghan civilians two years ago.

The Defense Department this week denied Freedom of Information Act requests from The News Tribune and KUOW seeking the investigation, which was announced by Gen. John Allen, the former top U.S. officer in Afghanistan, soon after the killings.

The denial says the document is not releasable because the Army has not taken “final action” on Bales’ court-martial. His trial concluded in August when he was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to murdering civilians in two solitary nighttime forays from his combat outpost in southern Afghanistan. Bales is in confinement at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

“In my capacity as the Initial Denial Authority, by withholding this information, I am fully denying your request,” wrote U.S. Central Command chief of staff Maj. Gen. Michael Garrett in a letter to The News Tribune.




unhappycamper comment: With all the current unpleasant news about senior military commanders, it's understandable why they wish to hide this information. Just add this to the pile.