Ft. Jackson investigation continues over poisoning rumors

An interpreter translates a conversation for Staff Sgt. Brian Culberson and the head of a local polling station during a survey of al-Hay, Iraq, polling stations Feb. 13. The stations will be used in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Photo Credit US Army.Ft. Jackson has issued a statement about rumors that soldiers enlisted in the interpreter program were trying to poison their fellow soldiers’ food. On Thursday, the fort’s Public Affairs office said, “In December 2009, five Soldiers were investigated for potential verbal threats against fellow Soldiers. While the investigation continues there is currently no credible evidence to substantiate the allegations. At no time was there any danger to the Fort Jackson community.”

Some media had claimed the soldiers were Muslims, but there is no mention of faith in the official announcement. That is to be expected; faith is rarely mentioned in any government releases.

The State, the daily newspaper in the Ft. Jackson area in Columbia, SC,  said, “[M]edia outlets reported that five suspects were detained in December and were part of an Arabic translation program called ‘09 Lima.’

According to an article in the Army Times, "The 09 Lima program puts native speakers of Arabic, Dari, Pashtu, Farsi or Kurdish in uniform to serve alongside troops in combat."

Army Times points out the benefits of being able to enroll in the program—the size of the benefits suggests government is in dire need of translators. AT said, “One of the Army’s priority MOSs, the 09L program prepares junior enlisted soldiers who are native or heritage speakers of a Middle Eastern language to serve as military interpreters during tactical, operational and strategic missions. Those who qualify are eligible for basic enlistment bonuses of up to $20,000 and re-enlistment bonuses of up to $40,000.”

Ft. Jackson is a major economic force in South Carolina’s capital city. Information from the military website said, “Fort Jackson is the largest and most active Initial Entry Training Center in the U.S. Army, training 50 percent of all Soldiers and 80 percent of the women entering the Army each year.”

Concerns about food supply have not just surfaced stateside, however. Betty Kilbride, author of ‘Soul of American Warrior,’ noted unease among some troops in Iraq in chow halls where food was prepared and served by locals.  Kilbride was embedded with a US Marine Corps Unit. She wrote that she observed the troops eating there with “a look about them as if to say, let me eat my meal and get the hell out of here as soon as possible.”

The Army has not released any specifics about identities of the translators. --Kay B. Day

Comments

[Chris Carter]

The government won't publish anything to do with Islam or jihad: Both the Bush and Obama administrations have policy banning such language that could be viewed as inflammatory to Muslims. But honestly, these languages are spoken in countries that have vast majorities - if not 100% Muslim populations. And they may have been in contact with Pakistani terrorists. But does it matter what religion they are? If they are a threat to our national security, let's investigate. According to the Constitution, we are all equal under the law, regardless of religious affiliation.

[Gene Retske]

Crushing Chris - You are absolutely right, the Islamists have knitted themselves a cloak of invincibility by use of political correctness. There is a trial in the Netherlands that all of us should be watching carefully, that of Geert Wilders. Wilders is a Dutch MP (Member of Parliament) who has been very outspoken about the Islamic threat in the Netherlands and Europe. He is on trial for "hate speech." As goes this trial, so goes Europe. . . . .

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