LJWorld.com

Posted by Joel Mathis August 21, 2007 at 8:31 a.m.

Chicago Tribune finds Leavenworth residents wary of Gitmo prisoners

On Monday, [the Chicago Tribune ventured to Fort Leavenworth][1] to see what residents there thought of proposals to bring Guantanamo Bay prisoners to the military prison there.The conclusion: "The plan has drawn criticism from many residents around Ft. Leavenworth."Some highlights from the article:¢ "The prison holds some of the world's most dangerous terrorists from around the globe," said Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), whose district sits across the Missouri River from the Ft. Leavenworth prison. "They have threatened Americans and in some instances they have killed Americans. Having terrorists held so close to Americans would pose a significant risk if they were to escape or if the prison were to become a target for other terrorists."¢ Janet Wray, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, said prison officials were not commenting on the potential move. Yet a look at the prison by the numbers illustrates that an influx of the estimated 360 detainees in Guantanamo would require a shifting of some of Ft. Leavenworth's current inmates to other federal facilities. Members of Congress recently estimated that the prison has space to take on 80 or so more prisoners right now.¢ Local business leaders, who have spent years working to brand the community as something other than a prison town, worry that the move will make it nearly impossible for potential residents or new businesses to focus on Leavenworth's beautiful brick buildings or the legend of "Buffalo Bill" Cody, who lived in town for years. Yet there is no denying the economic bond between Leavenworth and the prisons. When the federal penitentiary shifted from maximum security to medium security a couple of years ago -- a change that meant a much smaller guard staff was needed -- the town estimated its economy took a $1.5 million hit.¢ Many lawyers for Guantanamo detainees are skeptical that a change in address would do much to change the lives of these suspects, particularly since many guards at Guantanamo are military police officers based in Ft. Leavenworth who rotate to Cuba for duty.Other Kansas military headlines today:Fort Riley ¢ 1st Infantry Division[(AP) 9-year-old girl dies in fire at Fort Riley:][2] A 9-year-old girl is dead after fire swept her family's home in a housing complex at Fort Riley. The Army says the girl died at Irwin Army Community Hospital after the fire in the Colyer Manor housing area Monday night. The girl's name hasn't been released, and the cause of the blaze is under investigation. [(49abcnews.com) Dedication honoring fallen soldier brings pride to loved ones:][3] Brandy Sacco's husband, Dominick, was killed fighting in Iraq in November of 2005, leaving her alone to raise their young son Anthony. Dominick served in the army at Fort Riley for 12 years. He played softball at the fort every season. "Nick loved softball more than I could stand. He drove me nuts," says Brandy, "It was every night 'Hey babe, the team's short a man. Can I go play?'" Nearly two years after his death, Dominic was remembered as the entire Fort Riley softball complex was renamed and dedicated in his honor.[(49abcnews.com) Valuable IED search training prepares soldiers for harsh realities overseas:][4] IED blasts are the number one killer of soldiers at war, and that's why Fort Riley soldiers went looking for them Sunday. Shells rained down over humvees during the very real combat patrol exercise. Navy Hospital Chief Benjamin Lee and his medics were on the ground, learning what to do if or when their convoys are hit in Afghanistan. About every ten minutes the soldiers stop to look for IEDS or snipers in the area But that's when they become most vulnerable to sniper attacks. Navy medic Katie Clifford was killed during the practice mission, but hopes the fake scenario can save a life if faced with the real thing. [1]: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-leavenworth_20aug20,1,969658.story?ctrack=1&cset=true [2]: http://cjonline.com/stories/082107/bre_fire.shtml [3]: http://www.49abcnews.com/news/2007/aug/20/dedication_honoring_fallen_soldier_brings_pride_lo/ [4]: http://www.49abcnews.com/news/2007/aug/20/valuable_ied_search_training_prepares_soldiers_har/