GENERAL QUARTERS AND EMERGENCY STATIONS

General quarters stations for evacuees should be in their assigned berthing spaces. In the event that emergency stations are ordered, evacuees should remain in their assigned living spaces until directed to assemble at a topside station to abandon ship. In emergency situations, orders should be given to evacuees over the 1MC announcing system.

The administrative assistant should be in command of evacuees during an abandon-ship evolution and should direct their movements through the designated unit leaders.

The Administrative Assistant should provide instruction to evacuees on the various alarms for general quarters and emergency stations and the action required.

PRISONERS OF WAR

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Identify who is responsible for the Prisoner of War bill. Outline the responsibilities of the various shipboard officers with regard to prisoners of war. Explain the procedures to be followed when prisoners are taken and describe how prisoners of war should be treated.

The XO is responsible for establishing a Prisoner of War bill aboard ship, assigning responsibilities, and providing procedures for handling prisoners of war.

This bill applies equally to combatant forces of the enemy and to individuals traveling with an armed force. Individuals following the armed forces of the enemy (such as newspaper correspondents, contractors, technicians, and vendors) and the officers and crews of enemy merchant ships, if detained, should be entitled to treatment as prisoners of war if in possession of proper identification. Prisoners of war are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

RESPONSIBILITIES

The First Lieutenant should do the following:

Take custody of prisoners, and make sure they are properly searched separate, guarded and deprived of means of escape, revolt, or acts of sabotage.

Prepare muster lists of prisoners.

Have the prisoners photographed for record purposes.

Arrange with the Supply Officer for provision of standard rations.

Arrange with the Wardroom Mess Treasurer and Personnel Officer for provision of bedding and suitable living spaces for both officer and enlisted prisoners.

Prepare identification papers for each prisoner, using description, fingerprints, and photographs.

The Wardroom Mess Treasurer and Personnel Officer should provide bedding and suitable living spaces.

The Medical Officer should do the following:

. Examine all prisoners and provide necessary medical treatment. 

. Prescribe personal effects necessary for prisoner's health.

The Supply Officer should do the following:

l Provide the standard rations as requested.

l Issue items of clothing or small stores as directed by the Commanding Officer or as requested by the First Lieutenant/Commanding Officer of the Marine Detachment.

l Provide suitable storage for the safekeeping of valuables removed from prisoners and delivered to his or her custody.

The Intelligence Officer (if assigned) or Communications Officer should take possession of all arms, military equipment, and military documents in the possession of the prisoners. All effects and articles of personal use should remain in the possession of the prisoners, including protective clothing. In particular, the identity card issued to the prisoner, pursuant to the Geneva Convention (relative to the treatment of Prisoners of War) of 12 August 1949, should not be taken from him or her. Badges of rank and nationality, decorations, and articles having a personal or sentimental value should not be taken from prisoners of war. Sums of money carried by prisoners of war should not be taken from them except by order of an officer and only after the amount and particulars of the owner have been recorded in a special register and an itemized receipt has been given, legibly inscribed with the name, rank, and unit of the person issuing the receipt. Articles of value may be taken from prisoners only for reasons of security; and when such articles are taken away, the procedure for impounding sums of money should apply.

The Personnel Officer should maintain a list of qualified interpreters aboard.

The Photographic Officer should provide photographs of all prisoners of war as requested by the Commanding Officer of the Marine Detachment.

The CMAA should provide suitable storage for personal gear, other than valuables, removed from prisoners, and delivered to his or her custody.

PROCEDURES

Upon being taken, prisoners should be thoroughly searched and immediately delivered to the First Lieutenant/Commanding Officer of the Marine Detachment for safekeeping. He or she should then be charged with the primary administrative responsibility for ensuring compliance with the provisions of this bill.

Prisoners of war should be treated with humanity and should NOT be subjected to abuse, deprivation, or ridicule. They should be accorded their rights under existing treaties, conventions, and other valid provisions of International Law dealing with the treatment of prisoners of war.

Pending interrogation for intelligence purposes, if practical, no communication should be allowed between officer prisoners, noncommissioned officer prisoners, and their personnel. When possible, prisoners should be separated individually; or, if this is not possible, they should be separated by units, and such units or individuals should not be allowed to mingle at anytime.

Prisoners of war aboard a naval unit maybe required to disclose only their name, rank and serial number. They should be interrogated only by a designated, qualified officer and then only for information of a routine nature or when it is believed that the prisoners may volunteer information of immediate operational assistance. No physical torture, mental torture, or any other form of coercion should be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure information of any kind. Prisoners of war who refuse to answer should not be threatened, insulted, or exposed to unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of any kind.

No member of the Armed Forces of the United States should be placed in confinement in immediate association with enemy prisoners or other foreign nationals not members of the Armed Forces of the United States.

For further guidance on procedures for prisoners of war. Refer to Program for Prisoners of War and Other Detainees, SECNAVINST 3461.3.

SUMMARY

In this chapter, we covered the duties of the CMAA and MA force aboard ship. Burial at sea and the control and inventory of personal effects were also discussed.

Next, the evacuation of civilians was considered, followed by the procedures to be used when prisoners of war are taken.