Response from Brigadier General Tony Cucolo, Chief of Army Public Affairs: Response to Inappropriate Behavior Toward Injured Dog

[Guest guest]

This is a great example of how positive changes can be made for the animals. I

am grateful to all that took action and spoke on behalf of that poor little

doggy. Can everyone, please, also write the Department of Defense on behalf of

the Okinawan Animals being abandoned by Military Families left and right. This

is a small Island, and yet, the animals that are gassed annually is 10 times

higher than Tokyo. OAARS has saved many but we cannot make an impact on those

numbers unless those responsible for abandonment are held responsible. Please

write the Generals of the Air Froce, Army, Marine Corps, we have all branches of

the Military on Okinawa.

 

I know changes can be made, unfortunately, many of our members fear a backlash

on spouses careers if they are too vocal. My husband is retired and supportive,

I have spoken up and will continue to do so, we just need a worldwide effort on

this.

 

Thanks to all,

 

Liz

 

Kim Bartlett <anpeople wrote:

<http://www.army.mil/-news/2007/02/02/1638-response-to-inappropriate-behavior-to\

ward-injured-dog/>http://www.army.mil/-news/2007/02/02/1638-response-to-inapprop\

riate-behavior-toward-injured-dog/.

 

Response to Inappropriate Behavior Toward Injured Dog

Feb 02, 2007

BY Brig. Gen. Tony Cucolo

Chief of Army Public Affairs

 

To All Concerned:

 

My sincere thanks to all who brought to the Army's attention a

personal and unsanctioned video showing three Soldiers behaving in an

appalling and unacceptable manner toward an injured dog in Iraq. I've

read many of your comments on the internet and received letters and

e-mails concerning this tape and am grateful, too, that many of you

recognized the actions of these three Soldiers are not representative

of the US Army.

 

We continue to carefully examine the video footage. We know from the

uniforms and the unit patches the video was shot in the late 2003 to

late 2004 timeframe. Again, we know the unit, but have yet to

identify the individuals who were present three years ago. We

consulted the appropriate experts, who are making inquiries into the

matter, along with the unit's present-day leadership. We are trying

to determine who is responsible as well as what appropriate actions

can and should be taken.

 

Cruelty to animals is not in keeping with our values-based

organization. I ask to you understand this is not at all

representative of our Soldiers. In fact, it has been my personal

experience in 27 years of service, and in deploying to difficult and

challenging environments such as the Balkans in the mid-1990's, and

both Afghanistan and Iraq, that American Soldiers - the overwhelming

majority of all American Soldiers - are kind to animals, in

particular dogs, because they remind us of home. On a personal note,

there has always been a canine companion in the Cucolo family. Like

the vast majority of my fellow Soldiers, I have soft spot in my heart

for all animals.

 

The airing of this video has had other effects, too. Part of my

duties includes training critical communication skills to our senior

officers and non-commissioned officers (sergeants) who are headed to

key command positions. I now use this video in that training as a

tool to show Army leaders the far-reaching impact of the negative

acts of a misguided few.

 

The American Armed Forces remains one the most respected

institutions in the United States today. But all of us in uniform

know how perishable such a position is: the images of a few

undisciplined individuals, the images of heartless acts perpetrated

against fellow human beings or helpless animals, can destroy support

for our institution and all that we stand for. Every day my fellow

Soldiers and their teammates conduct themselves in a manner of which

you could be proud. They commit many acts of personal bravery and

great sacrifice - sometimes resulting in their wounding or death. I

ask all those reading this not to assume those in the video in

question are typical of this wonderful group of men and women.

 

We will continue to pursue this issue and strive to see that this

does not happen again.

 

Proudly serving you,

 

Tony Cucolo

Brigadier General, US Army

Chief, Public Affairs

 

--

Kim Bartlett, Publisher of ANIMAL PEOPLE Newspaper

Postal mailing address: P.O. Box 960, Clinton WA 98236 U.S.A.

CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS IS: <ANPEOPLE

Website: http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/ with French and Spanish

language subsections.

 

 

[Guest guest]

> I know changes can be made, unfortunately, many of our members

fear a backlash on spouses careers if they are too vocal. My husband

is retired and supportive, I have spoken up and will continue to do

so, we just need a worldwide effort on this.

>

> Thanks to all,

>

> Liz

 

 

>

Actually, while abandonment of pets in Okinawa by service members is

rampant, this statement isn't completely accurate.

 

It's not a " fear of reprisal " against a military member's career that

causes military service members or their family members from

being " too vocal " ... as there are regulations in place that make

abandonment of pets illegal and punishable via an article 15 and

worse.

 

Speaking up on any issue, as a service member's spouse, has never..

NEVER.. caused any reprisal on my husband's career, and I've been

doing this for the past decade. He has done just fine. Our rights

are not suppressed simply by virtue of what our spouse's career is in

the military.

 

However -- the problem IS that service members cannot afford the high

cost of getting their pets OUT of Okinawa, and in the stress of

moving ignorantly consider pet shipment as one more added stress.

 

We also have the issue of military family members (and service

members) breeding pets on the island! This is AGAINST military

regulations, however, if they live off of the base, then they cannot

be cited for breaking the rules.

 

There are rules that need to be changed - but if OAARS is going to

request a letter writing campaign, then facts need to be better

stated (and referenced completely) in order to be taken seriously by

the various Military branches.

 

Okinawa's already long-existing pet over-population and animal

welfare issues (neglect, cruelty, etc) in general are compounded by

those in the military who breed or abandon pets in Okinawa.

 

ENFORCEMENT of the current military's pet regulations, and changes

made to bringing animals INTO and OUT of Okinawa are the primary

issues at hand.

 

No one's career is in jeopardy unless they are the ones doing the

illegal breeding while in government housing, or if they illegally

abandon their pets on the island. Anyone who states that they cannot

speak up out of fear of reprisal against their spouse's career is

using that as an excuse for their cowardice & laziness.

 

My husband is in his 20th year as an Army Officer - and I have

attended protests, rallies & animal rights/welfare events (and have

conducted my own), and I have done extensive letter writing to

governments, senators, congressman, and to every military branch over

the past decade - to no detriment to my spouse's career. It has

never crossed my mind NOT to do these things. Ever.

 

~Kim

voices4animals.com