Department of the Army
Headquarters Forces Command
Fort McPherson, Georgia 30330-6000
FCJA
14 April 1992
MEMORANDUM THRU COMMANDER, U.S. ARMY AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY CENTER AND FORT BLISS, FORT BLISS, TEXAS 79916-0058
FOR CAPTAIN B. H. FRIESEN, CHIEF, TRAINING DIVISION, DIRECTORATE OF PLANS, TRAINING, MOBILIZATION AND SECURITY, FORT BLISS, TX 79916-0058
SUBJECT: Letter of Reprimand
1. It has come to my attention that while serving as Commander, I Troop, 3d Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment during Operation DESERT STORM, elements of your command conducted a combat assault on a neighboring airfield during the early morning hours of 27 February 1991. During this assault, elements of Company C, 54th Engineer Battalion, were engaged resulting in the death of Corporal Lance Fielder.
2. A review of the attached report of investigation reveals that you were negligent in executing your mission. After reviewing the report, I have sound appreciation for the conditions at the time. It is my understanding that you were working with old maps, in bad weather, and at night. I also realize that you were conducting maneuver operations along a Corps boundary, which is difficult under circumstances of precise friendly locations and high fidelity communication, circumstances not attendant to your situation. You were further challenged with severe sleep deprivation, having to conduct this complex operation as your first fire fight under night vision device conditions, receiving erroneous spot reports of incoming fire and accommodating to adjacent friendly forces with inadequate and non-operating anti-fratricide devices.
3. Despite these extenuating conditions, I am unable to explain or excuse the death of Corporal Fielder as an unfortunate incident of war. By negligently failing to ensure that you did not violate the Corps boundary on your right flank, you indirectly contributed to this tragic incident.
4. This reprimand is imposed as an administrative measure and not as punishment under the provisions of Article 15, UCMJ. You are directed to acknowledge receipt of this reprimand. You have 30 days from the date of this reprimand to make any statement you wish me to consider concerning this matter. I have not decided if this letter will be filed in your Official Military Personnel File. I will make that decision after receipt of your acknowledgment and a review of any statement that you may elect to make, or the lapse of thirty days without receipt of any statement, whichever is sooner.
EDWIN H. BURBA, JR.
General, USA
Commanding General