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February 3,2006 Volume 27, Number 3 the Carolinas For Over 25 Years! Probed on Pom By Bob Roehr . Contributing Writer Seven paratroopers in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina are under investigation for possibly participating in a gay pom video available at a pay per view web site. The paratroopers being were moved from their barracks Monday to protect their privacy, according to a report in The Fayetteville ■ Observer (1/31/06). The 82nd Airborne is one of the most celebrated units in the military. Its 15,000 troops are brained to deploy any where in. the world within 18 hours. Soldiers from the division have served extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan, and several thousand troops remain overseas. **• v'<r"' . The division began the inquiry violated Justice. duct unbecoming, both of which can carry a prison sentence." Those are more serious charges and punishment than under DADT. Each scene in a video might be filed as a separate charge, and each charge can carry up to a five year prison sen tence.'Ralls said, "It has the potential to be a very serious problem for die sol diers involved." three production companies — Active Duty Productions, Pink Bird Media and New Fame Media. County real estate records indicate that the man is a Fayetteville resident living in a one story brick house in a local subdivision. He told his neighbors that he ran a graphic design firm and a computer company. Most of the neighbors said the owner is a race man. c/tner saiu he often threw late-night parties and had male guests, most with military style haircuts, who visited at all hours. "We understand it is legal to shoot pom out of your house said^neuJ^ttH who asked not tmRnc^m^ fied. "You would expect ' him to be quiet. This is a faxrlily heignRSifixxl" •" The manager of the site For the Pentagon to raise DADT is very unusual and far off the mark of what they should be concerned about" Ralls said it is unlikely that SLDN would get involved with criminal charges associated with this investiga tion. "Butwewill watch closely andif it looks like the military is prosecuting them on harsher charges or going after a harsher sentence man they would with a heterosexual case, then we would certainly call the Pentagon on that" It is unclear how the Army came to be aware of the video. Under the rules implementing DADT the military is not supposed to conduct fishing expedi tions but it may pursue information that is brought to its attention. Past prosecutions of gay and lesbian service members have come from leads offered by disgruntled roommates and spumed lovers. The website that is believed to be the center of the investigation has a military theme and is based in Fayetteville, the dty closest to Fort Bragg. According to the Fayetteville Observer, the website is registered to the owner of and the director ofthempvies goes by the name "Dink Flamingo." 'Dink himself films all of the videos featured on [the site], and takes all of the photographs," according to the site's page of frequently asked questions. Some of the movies produced try Pink Bird Media include Another Tour of Duty, Band of Lovers and a series called Bareback Barracks Buddies. The site stresses that its operations are legal. "All of the men featured on this site are 18 years of age or older, proof of which is on file. All of the men are fully aware that they are being taped," the ate says. Meanwhile cm January 25, a report written under contract for the Pentagon warned thatthe Army was "in a race against time" to modernize "or risk 'breaking' the * force." Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld downplayed its findings." SLDN called the report "a wake-up call to Congress that our armed forces must welcome, not turn away, qualified Americans who want to serve our country." It has called cm Congress to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." majui jrusiy iimuiau, uivi&iua spokeswoman, confirmed that an inquiry is underway but would offer no details as to how many soldiers are involved or if any of them have been charged. It is unclear when the investigation will be completed, Hannah said. 'rWe are concerned about the privacy and rights of each trooper involved and that they are treated with dignity and respect," she added. ' Military spokesmen linked the inves tigation to homosexual activity and the antigay policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't TelL" t Maj. Todd* Vidan, 1 a Defense Department spokesman in Washington, said the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy states that "homosexual orienta tion alone is not a bar to service, but homosexual conduct is incompatible with military service." "We define homosexual conduct as homosexual acts or verbal or nonverbal communication that a member is homosexual," Vidan said. • That is "troubling" to Steve Ralls, spokesman for fire Servicemembers IParatroopers of the 82nd Airtx)me Division descend over a drop zone on Fort Bragg during“Large Package Week.” Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army. Legal Defense Network (SLDN). "Given the Crinunal charges that tihe sol diers involved are potentially facing,’ the fact that die Pentagon is focusing on this as a DADT story seems absurd; and troubling." ■ . The Uniform Code erf Military Justice (UCMJ) prevents soldiers from partici pating in activities such as pornogra phy, regardless of whether they are gay or straight, he explained. About a year a go a female soldier lost her job as a result of posing for Playboy. "Depending on what is in the video and what charges the Army decides to bring against mem, the soldiers poten tially face charges of sodomy and con Visit us on the web at www. I tit i i n'nu rn < i t i ■ • i ri iu 1 m i t- rnrri i i '. i ' t' k * •? ’H 1 -L ' i • 1 i 1 1 i' i ' l * ’£ v i i /• s.com
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