Novato Man Recalls duty at Guantanamo (My Nephew)

Marin Independent Journal ^ | July 22, 2005 | Rob Mitchell

[July20]

Josh Weaver has been back in the United States for just over a month, catching up with family and friends and trying to decide what he will do with his life.

First, he wants to clear up some misconceptions.

The 20-year-old Novato High graduate and specialist in the Army National Guard returned last month from nine months of guard duty at the controversial detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He says that his experience at the detention camp bears little resemblance to the perception people have from media reports.

"They keep raising what happened before," Weaver said, referring to allegations by human rights groups and the FBI of inhumane interrogations at the detention center. "But it is different now. We really turned that place around."

Starting in January 2002, the United States has brought alleged terrorists captured in Afghanistan, Iraq and other military operations around the world to Guantanamo Bay. Visits by representatives of the International Red Cross and other groups resulted in demands for improved conditions, including better medical care.

Accusations of inhumane interrogation techniques, some of which have been proven by the military's own investigations, have also dogged the detention center.

The military has also faced criticism by legal advocacy groups because the detainees have been designated "enemy combatants" instead of "prisoners of war," placing them outside the purview of Geneva Convention rules.

Sitting in a cafe on Grant Avenue in Novato, wearing torn jeans, a "Nor-Cal" belt buckle and a black Guantanamo Bay "Detainee Operations" T-shirt, Weaver said that the center is now as humane as it can be.

Weaver was a guard at Camp Delta, opened in April 2002, which holds about 500 detainees from 40 countries in eight-foot-square wire-mesh cells. The cells hold foam mattresses, metal toilets and sinks, and prayer rugs as well as limited personal items.

"Some of these guys are really bad. They want to die and take some of us with them," he said. Others were calm, inquisitive and told him they supported the removal of Saddam Hussein.

"They've got access to great medical care, good food, a library," he said of the detainees. "I sat in on a few interrogations. It was all just talking. I never saw any abuse."

Weaver was responsible for escorting the detainees around the camp, and had daily interactions with them.

"There were some who were so set in stone, hating Americans," he said. "You kind of take pity on them. You want them to get out and see things for themselves."

The detainees varied widely in their attitude, Weaver said.

"There was one guy who would call women cats and men dogs," he said. "He would bark at me when I would walk by, and I would bark back."

Another detainee attacked Weaver while they were in the camp hospital for a check-up. "He got really mad at me because I kept asking him to stop talking. He was cursing another guy in Arabic. He went for my throat, and I had to take him down," he said. But "the standard is to use the least force possible."

Weaver joined the Army National Guard with four friends from the Novato High School class of 2003, and was trained in artillery and corrections before being sent to Guantanamo Bay.

He had never been inclined to join the military, but was looking for something more than the party life waiting for him at Chico State University.

"Chico probably would have been a black hole for me," he said. "I wanted to do something that I'll never have a chance to do again."

Weaver's father, Dave, a third-grade teacher at Lu Sutton School, said his son's decision made him nervous at first. Three of his friends who joined up together are in Iraq. Another friend became a Marine and was wounded.

But Josh "really found some honor in this," Dave Weaver said. "To come out of high school and serve your country. He was more ready for that than sticking his head in a book again."

Dave Weaver and Josh's sister, Jennifer, sent care packages filled with cookies, beef jerky and books to relieve the monotony of 12-hour guard shifts five or six days a week.

Josh Weaver said life at the camp could be unusual.

On rare days off, he played golf on Guantanamo's course, which has no grass.

"You had to carry around a little patch of Astroturf" to hit the ball off of, he said. "Putting didn't work too well."

[July20]

Thought some Freepers might want to see some of what my nephew says about his duty at Guantanamo. I found it interesting!

[marmar]

Thank him for his service........

[bd476]

Please thank him for his service to our country and for the good report.

[chgomac]

Please thank your nephew for serving in what must have been dangerous, hot and miserable conditions.

If you want to give him an idea of how his fellow citizens feel, may I suggest you print this wonderful letter post

Subject: Atlanta Lady

posted yesterday by SLB. Sorry, I computer challenged & couldn't copy the link.

[DumpsterDiver]

If you want to give him an idea of how his fellow citizens feel, may I suggest you print this wonderful letter post

Subject: Atlanta Lady

Here is the link for you.

Subject: Atlanta Lady
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1448213/posts

[chgomac]

Thank you, he will enjoy it I bet!

[chgomac]

Thanks. Hope he gets to read it. As one other poster said re: all this stuff about the enemies "holy" books, land, sites & traditions requires an answer from us:

What about our Holy World Trade Centers and the Holy Pentegon you attacked?

[Justice]

Serving The USA bump.