Allegations Arise Of Threats Made By Top Fort Bliss Command

[Guest guest]

Allegations Arise Of Threats Made By Top Fort Bliss Command

Novick-KFOX News Weekend Anchor/Reporter

Posted: 4:00 pm MDT April 14, 2010

Updated: 9:19 pm MDT April 14, 2010

KFOX El Paso

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/23153192/detail.html

EL PASO, Texas -- As KFOX has extensively reported, some soldiers and their

families have had to live in deplorable conditions at Fort Bliss, dealing with

black mold, lead paint and asbestos affecting the health of them and their

children.

Now there are allegations of threats and intimidation by top commanders if

soldiers and their families spoke out about the problems.

When Dave Hemmingsen's daughter and son-in-law moved to Fort , Ga., they

moved into some of the worst housing the military has to offer.

" They're house was horrible. It had mold and mildew, it was rotting, the whole

neighborhood looked horrible, " said Hemmingsen.

Hemmingsen started a Facebook Web page about the problems, and on the discussion

board there, he started hearing about similar issues at Fort Bliss.

While at Fort , Hemmingsen said the command followed up and took care of

the problems, but at Fort Bliss, he said the command followed up in a very

different way.

" If they posted something, somebody showed up at their door within about an hour

and told them to get it off of the Facebook page, " Hemmingsen told KFOX.

Then his daughter one day responded to a Fort Bliss posting, and his son-in-law

heard about it all the way in Fort .

" Preston's battalion commander was told to get that soldier in line and tell him

to get his wife in line, teach him what the Army was all about, " he said.

Hemmingsen said his son-in law was allowed to read the e-mail his battalion

commander received.

" The e-mail apparently came from the Garrison Commander's office at Fort Bliss

from Col. Manning, " said Hemmingsen.

So Hemmingsen flew all the way from South Carolina for Wednesday's Fort Bliss

town hall meeting, to confront Fort Bliss' command on the issue of intimidation,

a meeting KFOX was denied from attending, but was televised.

" I want to know what you're going to do to stop that, my daughter is not in the

military, she should not be threatened by one of your officers, " said Hemmingsen

as it was broadcasted on Fort Bliss' channel on cable.

" I'm not aware of the specific case you are talking about, because I haven't

seen the e-mail, I'm happy to look at any e-mails where someone has been

threatening somebody. It's not something we tolerate, we don't tolerate it in

regular units so I just need the information so I can go look at it, " said Maj.

Gen. Bromberg in response.

Manning was not in attendance at Wednesday's town hall, as he was just recently

reassigned to a position off of post.

KFOX had a number of other questions for Bromberg about this story, but again,

KFOX was denied access to the town hall meeting.

Hemmingsen said he has filed a formal complaint with the Inspector General about

the e-mail and alleged threat.

Finally, Hemmingsen said several dozen families have moved out of sub-standard

living conditions in the last few months at Fort Bliss, and he hoped that

continues.