I’m a 3L student at Indiana University Mckinney School of Law. During my time at McKinney I have been pursuing a certificate in International and Comparative Law. While pursuing the certificate, I’ve taken courses such as International Law, Counterterrorism, and National Security. Observing the Hadi/Nashwan military proceedings at Guantanamo Bay from will be an excellent opportunity to gain real life experience with topics I’ve only learned about in the classroom. Also, this trip is especially exciting for me because I was recently notified that I was selected to the Air Force JAG Corps. Observing the proceedings in Guantanamo will give me a chance to experience the role of a military attorney.
This mission will mark the first time that Indiana University McKinney School of Law has been authorized to send two representatives as NGO observers on the same trip. During our mission to Guantanamo Bay we will have five main responsibilities. We must attend, observe and be observed, analyze, critique, and report. As the eyes and ears of the outside world into Guantanamo Bay, we are responsible to share the truth of what we observe.
In preparation for the trip I’ve been reading the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual, the Know Before You Go To Guantanamo Bay Manual, and reading previous blog posts on The Gitmo Observer page. Also, I have been researching the background information regarding Hadi Al-Iraqi/Nashwan Al-Tamir and other similar proceedings. After spending the day in Washington D.C. today, I depart to Guantanamo Bay on Sunday, January 6, 2019. Tomorrow will be an exciting day as it will be my first trip on military aircraft and my first time landing in Cuba. I’m very much looking forward participating in the project as an observer.
Garrett Welch