2004 Baghdad refusal of orders

Last updated

On October 13, 2004, [1] American Army reservists participating in the Iraq War refused an order to drive a convoy of fuel tanker due to the fuel being contaminated. The Army claimed that the reason for their refusal was due to the poor conditions of the vehicles. Although, the vehicles were old and lacked armor, the Soldiers involved stated that their refusal was due to the fuel contamination. They felt that supplying contaminated fuel to aviation units would have put their fellow soldiers at risk and that was not something they were willing to do. They brought this to the attention of their leadership and their concern was ignored. They felt they had no other choice but to refuse the mission and face disciplinary action. This was an outcome they were willing to face in order to not put their fellow soldiers in harms way. Their actions led to claims that their actions constituted a "mutiny";. [2] The Army continued with the narrative that the Soldiers were concerned about the condition of their vehicles.

The 343rd Quartermaster Company, based in Rock Hill, South Carolina, had earlier been forced to turn back from an abortive 3.5 day journey to another army base which had refused their load of contaminated fuel. [3]

Returning to Tallil Air Base, the same company was ordered to take their cargo to Taji, north of Baghdad. The journey would be through dangerous terrain known for ambushes by Iraqi insurgents and would be made without the usual infantry and helicopter escort. [3]

Fallout

Of the 19 soldiers who refused the order, [2] 18 were placed under investigation. [3] In the end, the army decided not to pursue a court-martial against the soldiers, but rather to seek non-judicial punishments against five of them. [1] Five soldiers were reassigned to different units. [4]

The Army ordered the 120-troop company put on stand down, and taken off active duty while their vehicles were repaired and upgraded with steel armor plates. [3] They returned to active status on November 11. [1]

On October 21, the Army announced that they had replaced the commander of the unit at her own request. [5] The first sergeant was also replaced as a result of the action. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Infantry Division (United States)</span> Active US Army formation

The 2nd Infantry Division ("Indianhead") is a formation of the United States Army. Since the 1960s, its primary mission has been the pre-emptive defense of South Korea in the event of an invasion from North Korea. Approximately 17,000 soldiers serve in the 2nd Infantry Division, with 10,000 stationed in South Korea, accounting for about 35% of the United States Forces Korea personnel. Known as the 2nd Infantry Division-ROK/U.S. Combined Division (2ID/RUCD), the division is bolstered by rotational Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) from other U.S. Army divisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Infantry Division (United States)</span> US Army combat formation

The 1st Infantry Division (1ID) is a combined arms division of the United States Army, and is the oldest continuously serving division in the Regular Army. It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917 during World War I. It was officially nicknamed "The Big Red One" after its shoulder patch and is also nicknamed "The Fighting First". The division has also received troop monikers of "The Big Dead One" and "The Bloody First" as puns on the respective officially sanctioned nicknames. It is currently based at Fort Riley, Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Armored Division (United States)</span> Inactive US Army formation

The 2nd Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army. The division played important roles during World War II in the invasions of Germany, North Africa, and Sicily and in the liberation of France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. During the Cold War, the division was primarily based at Fort Hood, Texas, and had a reinforced brigade forward stationed in Garlstedt, West Germany. After participation in the Persian Gulf War, the division was inactivated in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4th Infantry Division (United States)</span> Active US Army formation

The 4th Infantry Division is a division of the United States Army based at Fort Carson, Colorado. It is composed of a division headquarters battalion, three brigade combat teams, a combat aviation brigade, a division sustainment brigade, and a division artillery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Cavalry Division (United States)</span> United States Army combat formation

The 1st Cavalry Division is a combined arms division and is one of the most decorated combat divisions of the United States Army. It is based at Fort Cavazos, Texas. It was formed in 1921 and served during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, with the Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Iraq War, the War in Afghanistan as well as Operation Freedom's Sentinel and Operation Inherent Resolve. As of July 2023, the 1st Cavalry Division is subordinate to the III Armored Corps and is commanded by Major General Thomas M. Feltey.

Citizens of Israel have refused to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) or have disobeyed orders on the grounds of pacifism, antimilitarism, religious philosophy, or political disagreement with Israeli policy such as its occupation of the West Bank. Conscientious objectors in Israel are known as sarvanim which is sometimes translated as "refuseniks", or mishtamtim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">80th Division (United States)</span> US Army formation

The 80th Training Command is a formation of the United States Army Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 6th Infantry Regiment ("Regulars") was formed 11 January 1812. Zachary Taylor, later the twelfth President of the United States, was a commander of the unit. The motto, "Regulars, By God!" derives from the Battle of Chippawa, in which British Major General Phineas Riall noticed that the approaching regiment wore militia uniforms. Having defeated militia troops in the Battle of Queenston Heights, Riall assumed another easy victory. Instead, the American regiment pressed the attack. According to the memoirs of regimental commander Winfield Scott, later commanding general of the United States Army, when Riall realized his error, he remarked "Why, these are regulars!."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Cavalry Regiment (United States)</span> Armored cavalry regiment of the III Armored Corps, US Army

The 3rd Cavalry Regiment, formerly 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army currently stationed at Fort Cavazos, Texas.

The 9th Engineer Battalion is a unit of the United States Army that deploys to designated contingency areas and conducts combat and/or stability operations in support of a brigade combat team. It is a divisional mechanized combat engineer unit, composed of three line companies and a headquarters company. Its mission is to provide assured mobility, counter-mobility, general engineering, and survivability support, with well trained sappers ready to deploy anywhere at any time. The unit's history spans service in 1917 in the US southwest, World War II in France and Germany, multiple deployments to the Balkans, and multiple deployments in support of the global war on terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is most famous for the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge across the Rhine River. As of 18 May 2015, the battalion exists as the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion in Fort Stewart, GA under 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ehren Watada</span> Iraq war resister

Ehren Keoni Watada is a former first lieutenant of the United States Army, best known as the first commissioned officer in the US armed forces to refuse to deploy to Iraq. In June 2006, Watada refused to deploy for his unit's assigned rotation to Operation Iraqi Freedom, saying he believed the war to be illegal and that, under the doctrine of command responsibility, it would make him party to war crimes. At the time, he was assigned to duty with the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, part of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, as a fire support officer. He was brought before a court-martial in 2007 which ended in a mistrial; the Army subsequently discharged him under "Other-Than-Honorable-Conditions" (OTH) in 2009. An OTH discharge is the least favorable type of administrative discharge from the Army, and is reserved for a "pattern of behavior that constitutes a significant departure from the conduct expected of Soldiers of the Army."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camp Taji</span> Human settlement in Iraq

Camp Taji, also known as Camp Cooke, is a military installation used by Iraqi and Coalition forces near Taji, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq. The camp is located in a rural region approximately 27 km (17 mi) north of the capital Baghdad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">64th Brigade Support Battalion (United States)</span> Military unit

The 64th Brigade Support Battalion, nicknamed "Mountaineers," is a United States Army support battalion, assigned to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division in Fort Carson, Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">528th Support Battalion (United States)</span> Military unit

The 528th Support Battalion is a battalion of the United States Army. The 528th Support Battalion's mission is to provide rapidly deployable CSS and HSS to ARSOF as directed. The 528th Support Battalion's strengths lie in its capability to support ARSOF-unique and low-density weapons and vehicles. The 528th complements [organic] 22 ARSOF CSS, HSS, and signal units. The support battalion consists of a headquarters and main support company (HMSC), three forward support companies and may receive augmentation from Theater Army. As part of Army Special Operations Command the unit, along with the 112th Signal Battalion, is tasked to provide full logistical support to Army Special Operations Forces forming along with several other units what was known as Special Operations Support Command, later reorganized as the 528th Sustainment Brigade. Brigade Troops Battalion includes a wide variety of military occupation specialists: riggers, drivers, medics, mechanics, engineers, fuelers, cooks, etc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">52nd Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 52nd Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Army.

The U.S. 41st Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. Its 1st Battalion is currently assigned to the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Its 3rd Battalion was assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, which was replaced in 2018 by 4th Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">206th Field Artillery Regiment</span> Military unit

The 206th Field Artillery Regiment is a United States artillery regiment, currently represented in the Arkansas Army National Guard by the 1st Battalion, 206th Field Artillery, Headquartered at Russellville, Arkansas. The 1–206th FA is an element of the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

The 59th Quartermaster Company is a bulk petroleum company designed to provide semi-portable storage for 2.5 million US gallons (9,500 m3) of fuel and to provide distribution of fuel to military units within a specified geographic area while deployed overseas. Its secondary mission is to provide an armed military escort to military cargo and civilian trucks during overseas contingency operations. It is a U.S. Army Forces Command combat service support unit stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado under the command of the 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. The 59th has deployed overseas to Algeria, Italy, France, Germany, Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The 59th is the only bulk petroleum company in the Regular Army; all sister units are part of the Army Reserve as of 2011.

The 67th Armored Regiment is an armored regiment in the United States Army. The regiment was first formed in 1929 in the Regular Army as the 2nd Tank Regiment (Heavy) and redesignated as the 67th Infantry Regiment (Medium Tanks) in 1932. It first became the 67th Armor in 1940. The regiment participated in World War I, World War II, Desert Storm/Desert Shield, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Spartan Shield, Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation Resolute Support, and Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">107th Cavalry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 107th Cavalry Regiment, Ohio Army National Guard, is a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, with headquarters at Hamilton, Ohio. It currently consists of the 2nd Squadron, 107th Cavalry Regiment, part of the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (BUCKEYE), Ohio National Guard located throughout southwest Ohio.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 CNN, GIs who refused fuel run won't face court-martial, December 5, 2004
  2. 1 2 Cogan, James. World Socialist Web Site, US soldiers mutiny over “suicide mission” in Iraq, October 18, 2004
  3. 1 2 3 4 Fox News, Army Reserve Commander Relieved of Duty, October 21, 2004
  4. Hudson, Jeremy. Clarion Ledger. "Actions initiated in order refusal"
  5. American Forces Press Service, Quartermaster Company Commander Relieved of Duties, October 21, 2004