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Deputy Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces, Visits U.S. Detention Facilty In Parwan, Meets With IA Sailors

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100325-09
Release Date: 3/25/2010 3:27:00 PM

By Lt. Kurt W. Larson, Joint Task Force 435 FWD Public Affairs

PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan (NNS) -- Deputy Commander U.S. Fleet Forces Vice Adm. Peter H. Daly visited the Detention Facility in Parwan (DFIP) and the adjoining Camp Sabalu Harrison in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, Mar. 20 to get a closer look at the contributions made by individual augmentee (IA) Sailors assigned here.

Task Group Trident, commanded by Cmdr. Michael J. Elbert, consists of 297 IA Sailors who directly support the mission of Joint Task Force (JTF) 435.

JTF-435, commanded by Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward, was activated Jan. 7 to assume responsibility for detainee operations in Afghanistan.

The tour began with a casual breakfast with 25 Sailors. During the breakfast Daly spoke with the Sailors about their duties as part of JTF-435 and their living conditions.

"[Vice Adm. Daly] was very approachable," said Mineman 2nd Class John Calens. "It was easy to be relaxed and speak your mind."

Following breakfast, Daly was led on a tour of the DFIP, a state-of-the-art theater internment facility, located several kilometers from Bagram Airfield, was completed in September 2009 and was occupied in late December 2009.

The design of the DFIP accommodates detainee reintegration efforts and enables JTF-435 to better align detainee operations with the overall strategy to defeat the extremist insurgency in Afghanistan. The facility provides a detention complex that is safe, more secure, and more accommodating, thereby substantially improving quality of life for detainees, guard personnel, and staff.

The DFIP is currently designed to secure approximately 1,000 detainees, with a surge capacity of about 1,300 detainees. That figure is based upon square footage per detainee in excess of the humanitarian requirements recommended by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The detention facility is equipped with modern medical facilities, an on-site family visitation area, expanded video teleconferencing capability, large recreation areas, vocational technical and education classrooms, and additional space to conduct legal proceedings.

Daly stopped several times throughout the tour to talk with Sailors.

"It was great to speak with [Vice Adm. Daly]," said Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Michael Pritchard. "I was honored that he took time out of his schedule to talk to me."

After touring the DFIP, Daly ate lunch with the Sailors and ended his tour with a thorough walkthrough of the facilities throughout Camp Sabalu-Harrison.

The walkthrough included a tour of the USO, crew berthing and the nearly completed computer lab.

JTF-435 is responsible for all DFIP operations to include care and custody of detainees, full implementation of detainee review procedures, and establishment of vocational and educational programs designed to facilitate the peaceful reintegration of detainees into society.

The command's mission also includes being responsible for all U.S. detention operations throughout Afghanistan and supports the overall strategy of defeating insurgent groups and of building the capacity of the Afghan government to provide security for its people.

The desired end state is the transfer of all detention operations in Afghanistan, including the DFIP, to the Afghan government once it has developed the requisite sustainable capacity to run those detention systems in accordance with Afghan and international law.