Camp Arifjan hosts Detainee Operations Conference

Photo By Giancarlo Casem | Lt. Gen. Jim Lovelace, U.S. Army Central commander, talks to attendees of the Detainee Operations Conference at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, March 4.  

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

03.19.2008

Story by Spc. Christopher Grammer 

50th Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - Representatives from all over the U.S. Army Central area of operations, U.S. African Command, U.S. European Command and Guantanamo Bay attended the two day, Detainee Operations Conference held at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, March 4 and 5.

The conference happens twice a year in the spring and fall and allows representatives to discuss the security, intelligence and legal issues involved in the handling of detainees.

Starting off the conference was Lt. Gen. Jim Lovelace, USARCENT commanding general who opened up the discussions with a few remarks on the importance of the conference and those contributing to it.

"We've had a drought as far as the sharing of information," Lovelace said. "The sharing of information is powerfully important."

Lt. Col. Paul Bezzek, chief of the security operations division for the Joint Security office, began the discussion of one of the most important issues involved in detainee operations.

"One of the biggest things in Iraq right now is the long term detention," Bezzek said.

Eventually the goal is to hand over detainee operations to the host nation who will take over every aspect of handling suspected insurgents, Bezzek said.

Also discussed were the transfer of prisoners to Iraqi control, the decline in detainee population and the separation of detainees less than 18 years of age from the adult population.

"This conference allows you to meet counterparts face-to-face instead of through e-mail traffic and share points of view," Bezzek said.

The conference is a prelude to the Worldwide Detainee Conference where issues which cannot be resolved immediately by USCENTCOM will be brought up for additional discussion.

• Date Taken: 03.19.2008
• Date Posted: 03.19.2008 02:37
• Story ID: 17517
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW