RUMFORD — Some of the Army’s top brass are promising to keep the family of Buddy McLain updated as the Pentagon investigates the details surrounding the deaths of McLain and five other soldiers in late November.

McLain’s body was buried after a military funeral Saturday. In a letter to U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe and to McLain’s family, John M. McHugh, secretary of the Army, writes that the Army Criminal Investigation Command is conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Pfc. McLain’s death.

“I have asked the Commander of CID, Brigadier General Colleen McGuire, to ensure that the McLain family is kept updated on developments in the case, including the final findings,” McHugh wrote.

In his letter, McHugh writes McGuire would also follow up with Snowe on any conclusions from the investigation.

McHugh then addressed Snowe’s other questions and concerns that something be done to prevent what happened to McLain and other American soldiers from ever happening again.

“I understand your concerns regarding the policies and practices governing the training of foreign soldiers and police officers, however, the review of Afghan training programs falls under the purview of U. S. Central Command,” McHugh wrote.

Snowe, in her letter to the Army that was made public on Dec. 2, said McLain’s shooting by an Afghan police officer “raised serious questions about the circumstances of his death.”

“As reported in the Lewiston (Maine) Sun Journal, Private McLain expressed to his wife ‘his misgivings about American soldiers training Afghan Border Police’ just a week before his death,” Snowe said.

“His wife also told the Sun Journal, ‘He said he didn’t think it was right to train these people and give them guns.’ In addition, I have been told that Private McLain sent correspondence before his death expressing his distrust of the very forces that killed him.”

“I am deeply troubled by these reports and urge you to ensure that all necessary resources are committed to a prompt and thorough investigation,” Snowe said.

These reports and others also raised a number of concerns on the policies and practices governing the training of foreign soldiers and police forces in Afghanistan, Snowe said.

She then quoted from a New York Times story published about the Nov. 29 ambush, saying it was “at least the fifth time in 13 months that Afghan soldiers or police officers have turned their weapons on their NATO partners.”

Given that information, Snowe asked the Army to specify how NATO partners have acted to eliminate the likelihood of future attacks by Afghan soldiers on U. S. troops.

Snowe has urged McHugh to “immediately review all ongoing programs used to train Afghan soldiers and police officers, including the processes used to select, vet, train, and arm such personnel and, in view of this most recent attack, take steps to substantially increase the protection of U. S. service members against such threats.”

She also demanded McLain’s family be immediately and regularly provided information about the details of the incident in which he was killed, and the status and findings of the ongoing investigation.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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