Classified Documents re Bowe Bergdahl Capture (Compliments Bradley 'Chelsea' Manning)

[flowers]

https://www.michaelyon-online.com/

https://www.michaelyon-online.com/images/pdf/AFG20090630n1790.pdf

[Oceander]

anyone want to translate?

[Chieftain]

anyone want to translate?

On its face, and assuming (for now) that this is not an excellent forgery, it appears to be an official page from an Afghan War Diary, initiating a formal report up the chain of command of a missing soldier.  It appears to back up, and could in fact be the basis of a number of written reports that have been emerging concerning Bowe al Ameriki's detention in Afghanistan.

Military units all have formal reporting procedures established for certain emergency situations, and a missing man is one of them.  A morning muster or roll call is mandatory for exactly this reason.  When you have a discrepancy like a missing man in a combat zone there are certain formal reports that must be filed within a very short time reporting the initial event, and then updating it as time goes on.  "Broken Arrow" is a good example, one many people can relate to, of a mandatory report that must be filed in the event of a mishap with any nuclear weapon.  There is a particular format, a set group of addressees, and a specific set of basic information that must be sent up the chain of command immediately.  This document appears to me to be of that same immediate report nature.

It certainly talks the talk....

[Oceander]

On its face, and assuming (for now) that this is not an excellent forgery, it appears to be an official page from an Afghan War Diary, initiating a formal report up the chain of command of a missing soldier.  It appears to back up, and could in fact be the basis of a number of written reports that have been emerging concerning Bowe al Ameriki's detention in Afghanistan.

Military units all have formal reporting procedures established for certain emergency situations, and a missing man is one of them.  A morning muster or roll call is mandatory for exactly this reason.  When you have a discrepancy like a missing man in a combat zone there are certain formal reports that must be filed within a very short time reporting the initial event, and then updating it as time goes on.  "Broken Arrow" is a good example, one many people can relate to, of a mandatory report that must be filed in the event of a mishap with any nuclear weapon.  There is a particular format, a set group of addressees, and a specific set of basic information that must be sent up the chain of command immediately.  This document appears to me to be of that same immediate report nature.

It certainly talks the talk....

tip o' the hat

Thanks!

[truth_seeker]

During my time in the US Army I prepared the "Morning Reports" for 4 companies, making up my battalion.

It covered names, ranks, status, location to account for everybody.

It tied into what is/was called the TO & E, which is the authorized strength by headcount, rank, and equipment of a unit.

I am sure it is far more automated than when I did it. I do remember if an individual went AWOL, my report was the official document recording his status change, for the official record.

We did NOT hold muster each morning to count heads. Squad leaders, company commanders and company clerks would phone reports to me, to prepare the reports. I would dial Heidelberg and give a verbal summary over a secure field phone line, and later prepare computer versions as well.

[Chieftain]

During my time in the US Army I prepared the "Morning Reports" for 4 companies, making up my battalion.

It covered names, ranks, status, location to account for everybody.

It tied into what is/was called the TO & E, which is the authorized strength by headcount, rank, and equipment of a unit.

I am sure it is far more automated than when I did it. I do remember if an individual went AWOL, my report was the official document recording his status change, for the official record.

We did NOT hold muster each morning to count heads. Squad leaders, company commanders and company clerks would phone reports to me, to prepare the reports. I would dial Heidelberg and give a verbal summary over a secure field phone line, and later prepare computer versions as well.

Lucky you.  We held muster in port on the Flight Deck every single morning, unless it was pouring rain, and then we held muster in the Hangar Bay.  When at sea we held muster on station every morning and had to submit a formal muster report.

Every. Single. Day.

It came in handy to have all hands drilled in prompt muster times when someone got blown overboard and we had to figure out quickly if it was one guy or two in the water.  In a combat zone, someone is counting heads every single day.  Like you say, it is part of the official record of the unit.