Janesville native talks about tour at Guantanamo Bay
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Janesville native Capt. Todd Cabelka on Sunday night spoke to a small audience at Kienow-Hilt VFW Post 1621, Janesville, about his recent tour of duty at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
His opinions were his own, and not the military's, he said.
But many of the facts Cabelka shared can be found at www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil.
JANESVILLE — Someday, Capt. Todd Cabelka will write a book about JTF Guantanamo.
But for now, he is content to talk to small groups and debunk what he calls rumors and false information about the facility.
Cabelka on Sunday night spoke with passion and some humor to a group of about 20 people at the Kienow-Hilt VFW Post 1621, 1015 Center Ave., Janesville. Cabelka's presentation is called "Defending Guantanamo—The Real Story Behind the Wire."
He recently returned to Janesville after a 14-month tour at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The image the world has of Guantanamo comes from photos that are more than seven years old, said Cabelka, an attorney and a Janesville native. The familiar images of prisoners in orange jump suits surrounded by barking dogs come from the four months in early 2002 when Camp X was in operation, Cabelka said.
Camp X was a refugee camp for Haitian migrants, Cabelka said.
"Those conditions do not exist and did not exist three months after those pictures were taken," he said.
The mission at Guantanamo is to detain prisoners of war safely and humanely, he said. Many of the 240 prisoners housed at the facility provide valuable, real-time information to U.S. forces fighting terrorism, Cabelka said.
They do so voluntarily, Cabelka said. Torture is not used, he said.
"It wasn't done at Guantanamo," Cabelka said to an audience member who asked about water boarding.
Cabelka talked about many aspects of the facility that has been toured regularly by politicians and the media since 2002. He could not talk about the area of the camp that houses "high value" detainees.
While on duty, Cabelka talked daily to detainees. He was responsible, among other things, for working with those who were being repatriated into their own countries to make sure they felt safe, he said.
The camp's operations are divided into three functions: information, detention and medical.
Detainees are asked to share information that is relevant to fighting the global war on terror.
Detainees are well fed, and guards adhere to strict rules that prevent interrupting detainees from practicing religion.
All the detainees are men, Cabelka said.
Dozens of linguists work to make sure than no detainee is isolated by a language barrier, he said.
Detainees receive medical, dental, vision and mental health exams, he said. About 15 percent of the population at Guantanamo Bay has a diagnosed mental illness compared to about 28 percent in federal prison facilities, he said.
Jul 22, 2009 at 6:59 p.m.
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Andre..." It looks like plenty of people are starting to regret that they fell for the "hope and change"
Not when you remember what the alternative was...
Jul 14, 2009 at 4:18 p.m.
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andre.....Let's not forget: You are now part of the political minority, not I.
In fact I'll bet he throws a 95 mph fastball when he tosses out the first pitch in tonight's All Star Game. Or maybe he'll just levitate and toss the Bama Jama.
Jul 14, 2009 at 1:29 p.m.
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ARRRGH! Me own flesh n blood wher there. He give me this to better understand whats what. RAmen
www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil/
Jul 14, 2009 at 12:19 p.m.
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we were supposed to believe one persons account on puppy mills the other day. what's wrong with one person accounts?
Jul 14, 2009 at 12:18 p.m.
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Another "mainstream media" conspiracy buff....great.
And no one is knocking this person's service. But are those who have served there and have a different perspective less credible?
Jul 14, 2009 at 11:15 a.m.
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I believe this man was telling the truth as he saw it and we can take him at his word. I don't believe everything in the mainstream media, you have to go to people who actually were there and saw. Thank you to this young man for serving so I could be free! and to all the service men and women! Thank you Thank you!! The land of the free because of the brave!!!!
Jul 14, 2009 at 9:42 a.m.
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Don't you find it a bit limiting to take one person's account as the Gospel? Apparently not. You might want to do a bit of research of your own as to what others have said. But then again, that might cloud what you wanted to believe all along.
And one more thing.....George who?
Jul 13, 2009 at 10:04 p.m.
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NVgrf....where you came up with that i'll never know. please show proof/documentation of the MANY who have not told the same story. MANY? i have always suspected you of being liberal, but to be in denial of the wonderful conditions they have is just another way for you to show you are actually a left wing nut with your hate for george bush destroying your life and credibility.
Jul 13, 2009 at 10:04 p.m.
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Club med? Get a grip on reality NVGRF, your head in the sand liberalism is getting way too old.
Jul 13, 2009 at 7:40 p.m.
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Yep the TRUTH about Gitmo....you can't believe everything you hear in the news. I'm sure there are some things he can't talk about but come on folks we are fighting a war on two fronts now and who knows where in the future. You can not tell me that if the tables were turned around that "they" would be so nice to our service men and women. Just ask John McCain. he has been there and done that. We have to follow the rules but for anyone else all rules go out the window. Thank you Todd for sharing and serving our country..and yes to ALL Vets! Thank You Too!! KEEP GITMO OPEN!!!!!!!!
Jul 13, 2009 at 5:26 p.m.
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Wow...sounds like Club Med. I'm surprised the "detainees" want to go home at all. It should be noted that many others who have served there don't tell quite the same story.
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