Enemy Prisoners of War/Detainees

Question 1

The term Enemy Prisoner of War (EPW) refers to

Answer 1

a detained person as defined in Articles 4 and 5 of the Geneva Convention. It is one who, while engaged in combat under orders of his or her government, is captured by the armed forces of the enemy

Question 2

a prisoner of war may be, but is not limited to, any person belonging to one of the following categories who has fallen into the power of the enemy:

Answer 2

 A member of the armed forces, organized militia or volunteer corps.
 A person who accompanies the armed forces without actually being a member thereof.
 A member of a merchant marine or civilian aircraft crew not qualifying for more favorable treatment.
 Individuals who, on the approach of the enemy, spontaneously take up arms to resist invading forces

Question 3

Other Detainee (OD) are what

Answer 3

individuals (frequently known simply as “detainees”) who are in the custody of the US Armed Forces but who have not been classified as an EPW. They shall be treated as EPWs until their legal status is ascertained by competent authority.

Question 4

You are required to treat any prisoner in your custody in accordance with

Answer 4

the rules of the Geneva Convention

Question 5

Initial Actions Upon Capture are

Answer 5

 Search. Search
 Silence. Tag
 Segregate. Report
 Safeguard. Evacuate
 Speed. Segregate
 Tag. Safeguard

Question 6

An EPW Search team consists of

Answer 6

a cover man and a search man

Question 7

There are three types of searches

Answer 7

hasty, detailed, and strip search

Question 8

When conducting a hasty search, the searcher quickly

Answer 8

pats down the EPW looking for any obvious weapons and/or documents and equipment.

Question 9

Detailed Search is what

Answer 9

a more thorough search, made in a secure location or before transport of the EPW

Question 10

A strip search is performed by

Answer 10

removing all clothing and objects from the EPW. It is an in-depth search that only qualified personnel (i.e., a Medical Officer or Human Intelligence [HUMINT)/Counterintelligence [CI] personnel) can perform.

Question 11

Examples of items that an EPW may retain:

Answer 11

Items of identification such as military ID card, dog tags, or a letter of authorization, reflecting a civilian EPWs status as an individual permitted to accompany the armed forces in the field, should never be taken away from an EPW

Religious items and badges of rank and personal decorations may be retained by an EPW.

EPWs are also allowed to keep personal protective equipment, such as field protective mask, flak jacket, and helmet after they have been thoroughly searched

Question 12

Example of items that EPWs may not retain:

Answer 12

 Weapons.

 Any item (e.g., a compass or map) which may facilitate escape.

Question 13

EPWs should remain in possession of all articles of personal use such as

Answer 13

their clothing, food, and personal equipment.

Question 14

Confiscating items with no military value can be characterized as

Answer 14

looting, which could be considered a violation of the Geneva Convention and the UCMJ.

Question 15

All prisoners of war and retained persons will, at the time of capture, be

Answer 15

tagged using the appropriate forms

Question 16

The capture tag must indicate the following information:

Answer 16

 Name of the EPW.
 Rank.
 Service number.
 Date of birth.
 Date of capture.
 EPWs unit.
 Location of capture.
 Capturing unit.
 Special circumstances of capture.
 Description of weapons/documents

Question 17

A capture tag is perforated in three parts A, B, C for

Answer 17

Part A is attached to the detainee with wire, string, or other type of durable material. Part B is retained by the capturing unit and maintained in the unit’s records. Part C is attached to the property confiscated from the detainee

Question 18

Other documents that may need to be filled out when dealing with EPWs:

Answer 18

 Coalition Provisional Authority Forces Apprehension Forms (CPA form)
 DA Form 2823, Sworn Statements
 NAVMC 11130, Statement of Force

Question 19

Do not let the EPWs talk to each other. This keeps them from

Answer 19

planning escapes, fabricating stories, threatening one another and cautioning each other on security. If necessary, use gags or seclude them.

Question 20

EPW may be interrogated in the combat zone, however this is to be only conducted by

Answer 20

properly trained personnel, i.e., HUMINT/CI Marines.

Question 21

Evacuate is required in

Answer 21

getting the EPWs humanely evacuated to a designated Collection Point.

Question 22

During transport, instructions given to prisoners during evacuation from the combat zone will be, if possible, in

Answer 22

their own language and as brief as possible

Question 23

Segregation of EPW’s and OD’s into these catagories

Answer 23

 Male and Female.
 Officer and Enlisted.
 Military and Civilian.
 Ethnic groups.
 Old and Young.

Question 24

EPWs that are wounded are entitled to

Answer 24

medical assistance and will not be denied immediate first aid or medical care, as appropriate. However, priority for medical care will go to friendly casualties first.

Question 25

EPWs will receive humane treatment without distinction founded on race, nationality, religious belief, political opinions or other similar criteria. The EPW may not be

Answer 25

murdered, mutilated, tortured, degraded or punished for alleged criminal acts without a previous judgment pronounced by a legally constituted court.

Question 26

EPWs are safeguarded as they are moved and they must be

Answer 26

restrained but not abused

Question 27

Prisoners will not be located next to obvious targets such as

Answer 27

ammunition sites, fuel facilities, or communications equipment.

Question 28

Detention of EPW on board naval vessels will be

Answer 28

limited.

Question 29

EPW may be temporarily held aboard naval vessels while being transported between

Answer 29

land facilities

Question 30

Use of immobilized vessels for temporary holding of EPW is not authorized without

Answer 30

Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) approval.