Page 4 - aruba-today-20201209

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 9 december 2020
14 Fort Hood soldiers fired, suspended over violence at base

WASHINGTON (AP) — The suspended were Maj. Gen.
Army on Tuesday said it has Jeffery Broadwater, the
fired or suspended 14 of- 1st Cavalry Division com-
ficers and enlisted soldiers mander, and his Com-
at Fort Hood, Texas, and mand Sgt. Maj. Thomas C.
ordered policy changes to Kenny. The administrative
address chronic failures of actions are expected to
leadership that contributed trigger investigations that
to a widespread pattern of could lead to a wide range
violence, including murder, of punishments. Those pun-
sexual assault and harass- ishments could go from a
ment. simple letter of reprimand
In a sweeping condemna- to a military discharge.
tion of Fort Hood’s com- The Army did not provide
mand hierarchy, Army Sec- the names of the other
retary Ryan McCarthy fired lower-ranking soldiers who
three top commanders face possible discipline.
and suspended two others The base commander,
pending a further investi- Army Lt. Gen. Pat White,
gation. He also ordered a will not face any adminis-
separate probe into staff- trative action. Asked about
ing and procedures at the that, McConville said White
base’s Criminal Investiga- was deployed to Iraq as
tion Command unit, which Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, left, accompanied by Gen. James McConville, Chief of the commander there for
is responsible for investigat- Staff of the Army, right, speaks during a briefing on an investigation into Fort Hood, Texas at the much of the year so wasn’t
ing crimes on Fort Hood. Pentagon, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, in Washington. at the base. “Leadership is
The actions come after a Associated Press about presence,” said Mc-
year that saw at least 25 Conville.
soldiers assigned to Fort sexual assault and harass- we will fix this.” and to do everything they Army leaders had already
Hood die due to suicide, ment, “are directly related McCarthy also ordered can to locate the soldier to delayed Efflandt’s planned
homicide or accidents, in- to leadership failures.” He a new Army policy that determine if the absence is transfer to Fort Bliss, where
cluding the bludgeoning said he was gravely disap- changes how commanders voluntary before declaring he was slated to take over
death of Spc. Vanessa Guil- pointed in the command- deal with missing soldiers. anyone AWOL. leadership of the 1st Ar-
len. Guillen was missing for ers there, adding, “without The panel found there were The firings include Army mored Division. Efflandt’s
about two months before leadership, systems don’t no detailed procedures for Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt, move was paused while
her remains were found. matter.” what commanders of small who was left in charge of the team of independent
Speaking to reporters at Gen. James McConville, units should do if a soldier is the base earlier this year investigators conducted its
the Pentagon, McCarthy the chief of staff of the missing, but not necessar- when Guillen was killed, as probe into whether lead-
said based on an indepen- Army, told reporters that he ily AWOL, or absent with- well as Col. Ralph Over- ership failures contributed
dent panel’s review, he spoke to Guillen’s mother out leave. The new policy land, the 3rd Cavalry Regi- to the killings of several
concluded that the issues on Tuesday morning and requires leaders to list ser- ment commander and his people, including Guillen,
at Fort Hood, including ma- told her, “We are holding vice members as absent- Command Sgt. Maj. Brad- and who should be held
jor flaws in the response to leaders accountable, and unknown for up to 48 hours ley Knapp. Among those accountable.q

Los Angeles deputies break up underground party, arrest 158

desert city of Palmdale cant home in a residential that deputies received in-
came after Sheriff Alex Vil- neighborhood without the telligence about the party,
lanueva vowed to crack owners' knowledge. The and the people inside were
down on "super-spreader sheriff said the organizers, not wearing masks. Sheriff's
events" even as he instructs who were also arrested officials said they want to
his deputies to avoid en- and had reportedly also send a message to other
forcement of the county promoted previous parties potential party promoters
and state health orders for in Pomona and Ontario, and attendees.
restaurants and other small broke in and used a mov- "We just want to make sure
businesses. ing truck to bring in their that this doesn't happen,
The party, however, re- equipment. especially in our area. We'll
sulted in the arrests of 158 Villanueva said his depart- let them know that this is not
people, 35 of whom were ment is tracking other un- acceptable," Zarris said.
juveniles. Authorities found derground parties, which Villanueva has said his
This photo from Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office stream- six weapons at the home typically happen weekly deputies would focus on
ing video shows Sheriff Alex Villaneuva discussing the arrest of
nearly 160 people at a party in the high desert city of Palmdale, and were able to rescue a and could also be super- education and voluntary
at a news conference in Los Angeles Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. 17-year-old human traffick- spreader events. compliance for county and
Associated Press ing victim. KTTV Fox 11 first reported state health orders.
"Even without the health the Palmdale party and ar- The sheriff said his depart-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los spreader" party over the order, these actions were rests. ment would not enforce
Angeles County deputies weekend despite surging criminal in nature," Villan- "It was what we call a su- the orders at struggling
arrested nearly 160 people coronavirus cases, authori- ueva said Tuesday during a per-spreader for COVID," businesses "where they're
— many of whom were not ties said Tuesday. news conference. Sheriff's Lt. Paul Zarris told deciding between comply-
wearing masks — who at- The Saturday night raid The "massive underground KTTV. ing with the orders and put-
tended an illegal "super- on a location in the high party" occurred at a va- Zarris told the TV station ting food on the table."q