News: Ethical Training in Interrogation
Story by Sgt. LaToya Nemes
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Retired Army Col. Stuart Herrington, author of “Silence Was a Weapon,” specialized in counterespionage and interrogation during the Vietnam War. He once witnessed a detainee being tortured during an interrogation.
Though he and fellow soldiers may have been gridlocked in the heat of battle, he felt that methods of collecting information from enemy combatants could be improved. As a highly qualified subject matter expert in his field, he was dispatched on three separate missions after retiring from the military. On one mission he evaluated interrogation methods used in facilities. The second was evaluation of methods used for detainees on the ground. The last mission he trained interrogators how to question detainees in a smart, legal and humane manner.
Herrington shared his 30 years of experience and influence in military intelligence with soldiers assigned to 502nd Military Intelligence Battalion Jan. 29, 2014.
“There is nothing more important now than to invest in our leaders, “said Lt. Col. Justin Haynes, Commander of the 502nd MI.
Throughout the training Herrington shared key points the soldiers could utilize when faced with having to interrogate a detainee.
Some keys point included understanding what makes military intelligence missions unique and challenging, seizing moral high ground by offering unconditional decent treatment, and creating conditions for success, such as studying history.
“Good ethics make good operations and successful missions,” said Herrington. “Our country was founded on deep ethical and religious principles,”
He said history is forsaken if soldiers lose sight of that in their daily activities.
The Army today is much different from the Army in the late 60s because. Vietnam wreaked havoc on the Army, he said. After years of non- stop warfare on Central Asia, Herrington said the Army today is much more impressive and it comforts him.
“Sometimes the lessons from an older soldier like me, for younger Soldiers… they see these lessons are sort of the same of what they’ve been learning. It gives more meaning to them and to the value of their training and experience,” said Herrington.
“If there is one thing to take away from this training,” said Haynes. It’s the simple truth… that ethical leaders are combat effective.”
Haynes added the training could be useful for both deployments now and in the future. He said it taught the guidelines for ethical foundations that could help soldiers make the right decision.