In Kuwait, a chance to drop off illegal souvenirs before going home

[thedrifter]

In Kuwait, a chance to drop off illegal souvenirs before going home


By Rick Scavetta, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Wednesday, May 21, 2003


CAMP MATILDA, Kuwait ? Along a main trail through this dusty desert camp, stands ?Amnesty Man,? whose painted smile and staring eyes remind departing Marines not to take war trophies home.

Written on a sign beneath the glorified range target is ?Amnesty Man says: Don?t be a fool! Deposit illegal items.?

Beside him is a wooden box. Inside on Sunday were some Iraqi 12.7 mm bullets, several enemy bayonets and a collapsible saw for cutting trees.

Staff Sgt. Jesse Graves, 34, of Aberdeen, S.D., helped create the unique amnesty point, one of several drop boxes around the camp. Over the past two weeks, Amnesty Man has collected everything from grenades to a bazooka, Graves said.

He said military police and customs officials check Marines? gear before they head home.

?If [police] find something illegal on them, it?s an automatic court-martial offense,? Graves said.

In recent weeks, U.S. servicemembers have been accused of trying to smuggle war souvenirs, including gold-plated weapons, back to the States. The military also wants to avoid needless injuries to troops hoarding ammunition or unexploded ordnance.

On May 7, 11 Marines were injured from an explosion onboard the USS Saipan in the Persian Gulf. The blast originated in a trash receptacle and may have been caused by discarded ordnance. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

Troops wanting to take large items or weapons to their home station for historical purposes can fill out paperwork to make their booty legal.

?We had a piece of marble from Saddam?s palace, but they won?t let us take that back,? said Cpl. Jon Davis, 22, of Ocala, Fla.

Some Marines are allowed to take small mementos from the battlefield. Some collected Baath party stuff, uniforms and enemy dog tags, said Cpl. Jose Rodriguez, 22, of Lubbock, Texas.

Lance Cpl. John Kinsler, 20, of Tampa, Fla., is taking home a bayonet and an enemy gas mask. Some of his buddies captured Iraqi flags.

?A lot of people wanted to take rounds home, but thought twice after hearing what happened on the Saipan,? Kinsler said. ?It?s not worth it, taking things home that can get Marines hurt.?



Sempers,

Roger