Steven L. Jordan

Infobox Military Person
name = Steven L. Jordan
born =
died =
placeofbirth = South Dakota
placeofdeath =
placeofburial=


caption =
nickname =
allegiance = Flagicon|USA, United States of America
serviceyears =
rank = Lieutenant Colonel
branch = United States Army Reserve
commands = Joint Interrogation Debriefing Center at Abu Ghraib prison
unit =
battles = Iraq War
awards = Purple Heart Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal Joint Service Commendation Medal Army Commendation Medal Army Achievement Medal
laterwork =
Lieutenant Colonel Steven L. Jordan is a Civil Affairs officer for the United States Army Reserve. He volunteered to return to active duty to support the war in Iraq, and with a background in military intelligence, was made the director of the Joint Interrogation Debriefing Center at Abu Ghraib prison. Jordan is the only officer to face trial over the Abu Ghraib detainee-abuse scandal. Jordan was born in South Dakota, and currently resides in Fredericksburg, Virginiacite news | url=http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/04/29/jordan/index_np.html | title=First officer is charged in Abu Ghraib scandal | date=April 29 2006 | accessdate=2007-01-27 | publisher=Salon (magazine) | author=Mark Benjamin ]

Taguba report

In a report by Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, Jordan was among several described as being "directly or indirectly responsible for the abuses at Abu Ghraib".cite news
url=http://www.svherald.com/articles/2004/05/08/local_news/news4.txt
title=Former fort soldiers implicated in Iraqi prisoner abuse investigation
author=Bill Hess
publisher=Sierra Vista Herald
accessdate=2007-01-27
date=May 8 2004] Jordan supervised the interrogation task force at Abu Ghraib, and was the second highest ranking military intelligence officer there, serving under Col. Thomas Pappas who has been granted immunity from prosecution so that he can testify against Jordan.cite web
url=http://www.yuricareport.com/PrisonerTortureDirectory/ChargesSoughtVsLtColStevenLJordan.html
title=Charges Sought Against Officer at Abu Ghraib
publisher=mirror of "Los Angeles Times"
date=January 13, 2006
accessdate=January 27
accessyear=2007
author=Richard A. Serrano, Mark Mazzetti] On April 28, 2006, Jordan became the highest ranking Army officer to face charges relating to the Abu Ghraib abuse when charges were filed against him, including oppressing detainees, lying about abuse, and dereliction of duty.cite news
url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002960310_ghraib29.html
title=Army officer charged in Abu Ghraib prison abuse
date= April 29, 2006
author=Ann Scott Tyson
publisher=Seattle Post Intelligencer
accessdate=2007-01-27]

Recommendations of the Fay report

Major General George Fay and Lieutenant General Anthony Jones were appointed to look into the abuse at Abu Ghraib.cite web
url=http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/reports/ar15-6/AR15-6.pdf AR 15-6
title=Investigation of the Abu Ghraib Detention Facility and 205th Military Intelligence Brigade (.pdf)
date=August 25 2004
publisher=US Department of Defense
accessdate=January 27
accessyear=2007] In an appendix the report contained recommendations as to the actions the authorities should take against the officers and men implicated in the abuse — including Lieutenant Colonel Jordan:

:"Finding: LTC Stephen L. Jordan, Director, Joint Interrogation Debriefing Center. A preponderance of evidence supports that LTC Jordan did, or failed to do, the following::* "Failed to properly train Soldiers and civilians on the ICRP.:* "Failed to take full responsibility for his role as the Director, JIDC.:* "Failed to establish the necessary checks and balances to prevent and detect abuses.:* "Was derelict in his duties by failing to establish order and enforce proper use of ICRP during the night of 24 November 2003 (IP Roundup) which contributed to a chaotic situation in which detainees were abused.:* "Failed to prevent the unauthorized use of dogs and the humiliation of detainees who were kept naked for no acceptable purpose while he was the senior officer-in-charge in the Hard Site.:* "Failed to accurately and timely relay critical information to COL Pappas, such as::** "The incident where a detainee had obtained a weapon.:** "ICRC issues.:* "Was deceitful during this, as well as the MG Taguba, investigations. His recollection of facts, statements, and incidents were always recounted to avoid blame or responsibility. His version of events frequently diverged from most others.:* "Failed to obey a lawful order to refrain from contacting anyone except his attorney regarding this investigation. He conducted an e-mail campaign soliciting support from others involved in the investigation.

:"Recommendation: This information should be forwarded to LTC Jordan's chain of command for appropriate action.

Court Martial

On August 20, 2007, the presiding judge at Jordan's court martial dismissed two charges against him after Major General George Fay admitted that he did not read Jordan his rights before interviewing him in reference to the abuses that had taken place. This admission contradicted his sworn testimony at a March 12, 2007 pretrial hearing in which he testified under oath that he had advised Jordan of his rights. The charges dismissed were making a false official statement and false swearing and obstruction of justice leaving only four of the original twelve charges still standing. He still faced charges of disobeying Fay's order barring him from discussing the investigation with others as well as failure to obey a regulation, cruelty and maltreatment of detainees and dereliction of duty. On the same day prosecutors narrowed the scope of the cruelty and maltreatment charge from three a three month period to one day. Jordan was only tried on this charge based on the events of November 24, 2003 during a weapons search.

For his part, Jordan claims he was a scapegoat "because he is a reservist, is considered expendable". He has claimed that interrogation procedures were the responsibility of Colonel Thomas Pappas, the intelligence brigade commander and highest-ranking officer at Abu Ghraib, and Captain Carolyn Wood, leader of a unit within the interrogation center called the Interrogation Command Element. Neither of these two officers has been charged, although Pappas was fined $8,000 for approving the use of dogs during an interrogation without higher approval. [cite web
url=http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,146618,00.html?ESRC=eb.nl
title=Army Drops Charges in Abu Ghraib Case |date=2007-08-21 |publisher=Associated Press via Military.com|accessdate=2007-08-22]

During the trial, witnesses for the prosecution appeared to support some of Jordan's claims. COL Pappas testified that Jordan's responsibilities involved improving the quality of life for soldiers at the base and "improving the flow of intelligence information". He admitted that he advised Jordon to "let the experienced interrogators run the interrogations." Pappas also testified that Jordan was not in charge of the military police who ran the prison and who were responsible for some of the abuses. He further stipulated that military police were in charge of the November 24, 2003 weapons search which he had personally observed, and found no issues with. Other soldiers testified that LTC Jordon was not present during any of the abuses. [cite web
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/22/AR2007082200692.html
title=Officer's Role at Abu Ghraib Played Down |date=2007-08-22 |publisher=Washington Post|author=Josh White|accessdate=2007-08-24] [cite web
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/22/AR2007082202387.html
title=Humiliation at Abu Ghraib, and Then at the Prosecution Table |date=2007-08-23 |publisher=Washington Post|author=Dana Milbank|accessdate=2007-08-24] [cite web
url=http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/08/ap_abughraib_070822/
title=Gen.’s memory at issue in Abu Ghraib case |date=2007-08-23 |publisher=Army Times|author=David Dishneau|accessdate=2007-08-24] [cite web
url=http://www.charlotte.com/nation/story/247108.html
title=Defense wraps up in Abu Ghraib trial |date=2007-08-23 |publisher=Charlotte Observer|author=David Dishneau|accessdate=2007-08-26]

On August 28, 2007, Jordan was convicted of disobeying an order not to discuss a 2004 investigation into the allegations, but found innocent on all other charges. Jordan faced a possible 5 year sentence for this conviction and dismissal from the Army, but on August 29, 2007, a military judge issued Jordan a reprimand; the most lenient punishment allowed for the offense for which he was convicted. [cite web
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/28/AR2007082800359.html
title=Abu Ghraib Officer Cleared of Detainee Abuse|date=2007-08-28 |publisher=Washington Post|author=Josh White|accessdate=2007-08-28] [cite web
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/29/AR2007082900391.html
title=Reprimand Is Sentence For Officer at Abu Ghraib |date=2007-08-30 |publisher=Washington Post|author=Josh White|accessdate=2007-08-30]

On January 8, 2008 Jordan's conviction and sentence were wiped clean by Major General Richard J. Rowe, commanding general of the Military District of Washington. Rowe did issue Jordan an administrative reprimand questioning Jordan's decision to disobey Fay's order. Rowe's action means that Jordan will have no record of a criminal conviction and will continue to serve as an active-duty officer at Fort Belvoir until his retirement. [cite web
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/09/AR2008010903267.html
title=Army Officer Is Cleared in Abu Ghraib Scandal |date=2008-01-10 |publisher=Washington Post|author=Josh White|accessdate=2008-01-11]

Awards

LTC Jordan has received the following awards: Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal and Good Conduct Medal.

LTC Jordan has also been awarded the following service medals and ribbons: Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon and the NATO Medal.

ee also

References

External links