Deleted:James W. Harrison Jr.
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Colonel James W. Harrison Jr. (born Sept 27,1959, died May 6 2007) was an American GI who was killed at the Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Afghanistan.[1] Harrison is survived by his wife and three sons.
Education
| date | institution or course |
|---|---|
| 1981 | |
| 1994 | |
Col. James W. Harrison Jr. attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He received his commission as a 2nd Lt. upon graduation in 1981. During his senior, or Firstie year, at West Point he served as his company's commanding officer. While at West Point he received his Parachute Badge during summer training.
Military career
At the time of his death Harrison was the director of the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A) Detention Capability Directorate.[3] Harrison had formerly been the commandant of the Fort Leavenworth Disciplinary Barracks and the director of the School of Command Preparation at the Command and General Staff College.[4]
Harrison delayed his retirement in order to take his last deployment, deploying to Afghanistan in December of 2006.[2][5]
In 2004 Harrison served as the director of the United States Joint Forces Command Strategy and Policy Directorate.[6]
According to Harrison, his Directorate's responsibilities included preparing plans to:"...directly support the DoD priorities of the global war on terrorism, joint warfighting capabilities, transforming the joint force, optimization of intelligence capabilities, and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as well as DoD efforts to more effectively deal with pre-war opportunities and post-war responsibilities."
From 1998-2000 Col. Harrison served as the commanding officer of the 5th MP Battalion (CID), Kaiserslautern, Germany, provided Criminal Investigation command and support to the European Command and deployments in the Balkans and Africa.
During the Persian Gulf War, Harrison served as Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General of the First Armored Division, deployed to Saudi Arabia, supporting operations to combat Iraqi forces that had crossed into Kuwait.
In 1987 Harrison, then a Captain, was one of the first recipients of the Distinguished Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award. The award is designed to "This program recognizes company grade officers who demonstrate the ideals for which General MacArthur stood - duty, honor, country. The award promotes and sustains effective junior officer leadership in the Army." "MacArthur Leadership Awards". United States Army Website. http://www.armyg1.army.mil/macarthur/default.asp. When asked to if he could give advice to a young Army officer....
“Always take care of your Soldiers…this will mean tough training and many days in the field, but ultimately it will bring them together as a team and may…save their lives. ”
The Pul-e-Charkhi incident
As director of the CSTC-A's Detention Capability Directorate Harrison had an oversight role in the design of a new wing in Afghanistan's Pul-e-Charkhi prison, and in the training and mentoring of its guard force.[1][3] The United States was paying for the $30 million USD expansion, and was paying an additional $18 million USD to pay, train and "mentor" the guards who would be required to staff the new wing.
The new wing was built to house captives transferred from United States custody in its Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba, and its Bagram Theater internment facility.[1]
On May 6 2007 Harrison, Master Sergeant Wilberto Sabalu, and two other GIs were fired upon by a member of the Afghan guard force, after exiting from the prison's gates.[1][2] Sabalu also died, while the two remaining GIs were wounded.
The Afghan guard was killed by other Afghan guards. Reports described him as a "'rogue soldier' with a history of mental problems". [7] The attack was said to have been unprovoked, and that the rogue soldier was killed by fellow Afghan soldiers.
Later reports came out that the Afghan soldier had been a Taliban infiltrator, not mentally ill as earlier reported.
All the remaining guards were subjected to background checks, and close to twenty of them were dismissed.[1]
Harrison was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star.[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Tim Golden (January 7, 2008). "Defying U.S. Plan, Prison Expands in Afghanistan". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/07/world/asia/07bagram.html?ref=asia&pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Colonel killed in Afghanistan". Fort Leavenworth Lamp Online. May 10 2007. http://www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/articles/2007/05/10/news/news1.txt. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tech. Sgt. Cortchie Welch (November 2007). "CSTC-A honors true heroes". The Enduring Ledger. pp. 3. http://www.cstc-a.com/News/The%20Enduring%20Ledger%20November%202007.pdf. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ↑ Tisha Johnson (Thursday, November 8, 2007). "Street honors former USDB commandant - Harrison family joins ceremony for colonel". Fort Leavenworth Lamp Online. http://www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/articles/2007/11/08/news/news1.txt. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ↑ Tech. Sgt. Cortchie Welch (Friday, October 5, 2007). "Camp Eggers buildings named in honor of MPs". Fort Leavenworth Lamp Online. http://www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/articles/2007/10/05/news/news2.txt. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ↑ Jon Cupp, Megan Walsh (January 9, 2004). "USJFCOM to continue shaping the future of joint warfighting in 2004". United States Joint Forces Command. http://www.jfcom.mil/newslink/storyarchive/2004/pa010904a.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
- ↑ Ben Goldberger (May 9, 2007). "Chicago soldier killed in Afghanistan; 'Rogue' member of Afghan army". Chicago Sun-Times. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20070509/ai_n19065115. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ↑ Scott Thompson (Thursday, May 17, 2007). "Friends, family honor Harrison". Fort Leavenworth Lamp Online. http://www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/articles/2007/05/17/news/news1.txt. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
