Observer USAF Policy, Procedure and SOFA Guide

[John Burroughs]

Here you go type away I'm waiting with baited breath!!!

[John Burroughs]

Still waiting!!

[puddlepirate]

Thanks but it's the wrong one....this one deals with US personnel who have been nicked by the police when serving abroad

1–1. Purpose
This joint regulation prescribes policies, procedures, and responsibilities for the protection of U.S. personnel who may become subject to foreign jurisdiction, proceedings, or imprisonment. It also provides uniform reporting procedures on the exercise of foreign
criminal jurisdiction.

[Daniel]

From SOFA

Code: Select all

Article VII
...
6.
           a.The authorities of the receiving and sending States shall assist each other in the carrying out of all necessary investigations into offences, and in the collection and production of evidence, including the seizure and, in proper cases, the handing over of objects connected with an offence. The handing over of such objects may, however, be made subject to their return within the time specified by the authority delivering them.

           b.The authorities of the Contracting parties shall notify one another of the disposition of all cases in which there are concurrent rights to exercise jurisdiction.
...
10.
           a.Regularly constituted military units or formations of a force shall have the right to police any camps, establishment or other premises which they occupy as the result of an agreement with the receiving State. The military police of the force may take all appropriate measures to ensure the maintenance of order and security on such premises.

           b.Outside these premises, such military police shall be employed only subject to arrangements with the authorities of the receiving State and in liaison with those authorities, and in so far as such employment is necessary to maintain discipline and order among the members of the force.


MOD Police, assuming one was allocated to the base, was probably made aware of the situation of a possible downed aircraft, thus giving permission for military personnel to investigate under concurrent jurisdiction.

[John Burroughs]

dan92
There was no Mod police at Bentwaters while I was stationed there. Under Sofa we were allowed to do certain things! If you look closley at our night a decision was made that we had a possible down aircraft after what was reported and after contacting Eastern Radar. 3 of us were allowed to go off base unarmed and investigate what happened! The British police were contacted and responded. We did have some kind of contact with somthing unknowen which also was observed from the WSA tower. By the time the British police showed up the incident was over. When they showed up the next day to look at a area they had no problem with us being out there. If there was infact some Top Secreat operartion going on by us why would they go back out into the woods and look around and call the British police out again? As far as how and why they went out when Halt responded is totally different. My guess is they did contact somebody within the British government and they received permission to go out there if somthing happened again. If there were trying to cover somthing up they would not have sent out more personal from our base again to draw more attention to the area.

[puddlepirate]

Very broadly speaking the Status Of Forces Agreement (SOFA) is a reciprocal agreement whereby service personnel serving abroad are subject to the law of the host nation should they commit an offence off base. It means that their service will co-operate fully with the forces of law and order of the host nation to bring the perpetrators to justice.

When the row blew up over US extraordinary rendition flights landing on UK soil it was because when on UK soil those flights came under UK not US, jurisdiction but the US had, apparently, failed to inform the UK authorities about those flights. Therefore, when the USAF went off base into the forest they would have come under UK jurisdiction. That makes the whole RFI thing even more peculiar. Someone on the Brit side of the fence must have known what was going on from day one. That's why it was deemed to be of no defence significance - our lot damned well knew and someone, somewhere must have authorised it and to authorise it they had to know the reason why.

[puddlepirate]

b.Outside these premises, such military police shall be employed only subject to arrangements with the authorities of the receiving State and in liaison with those authorities, and in so far as such employment is necessary to maintain discipline and order among the members of the force.

So the USAF were acting in accordance with SOFA. Given SOFA does not cover UFOs or odd lights, this can only mean that (a) as per b. above the USAF were in liaison with UK authorities and (b) given the purpose of SOFA, that almost certainly a crime of some sort had been committed by USAF personnel on UK soil.

Following agreement with the UK authorities as required by SOFA it appears then, that the USAF LE/SP were allowed to go off base to investigate / deal with an illegal activity being perpetrated by USAF personnel.

Interesting... but - and I say but because I know there are many other opinions as to what happened and several key players are now the focus of much public attention within the UFO fraternity, particularly as the 30th anniversary of the event draws near - if that was indeed the case then there is nothing to be gained from taking this further. Personally, I have absolutely no intention of embarrassing anyone or besmirching the reputation of the USAF by dragging up something that happened 30 years ago and was successfully kept under wraps for approximately two years. I have every confidence that if - I stress IF - any USAF personnel broke UK law and / or USAF regulations then they will have been dealt with appropriately by the USAF.

Researching the RFI over the last four years or so has proved to be fascinating, challenging, frustrating and not a little infuriating at times but worthwhile nonetheless. However, all good things must come to an end and for me, it's the end of the road.

Good luck everyone.