Six-alarm fire at Maryland building housing Army intel group

[beltman713]

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Blog_Sixalarm_fire_at_Maryland_building_1020.html

Six-alarm fire at Maryland building housing Army intel group

(Beltman713: Isn't this where the anthrax, used in the anthrax attacks after 9/11, was traced back to?)

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6272/487/1600/ftmeadefire.jpg

A blogger is reporting that a six-alarm fire is burning at a Fort Meade, Md. compound that houses an Army counterintelligence group.

The blog, Mia Culpa, quoted the following information from an article at WJZ.com: "Officials say they do not know why the military building at 4554 Llewellyn Avenue caught fire."

When the blogger googled the address, it pulled up the website of the 902D Military Intelligence Group, nicknamed "The Deuce." The site describes the group as the "US Army's largest Counterintelligence Unit, conducting the full range of CI activities, throughout the spectrum of conflict, and at all echelons, from tactical to strategic."

More on the story as it develops...

[Gold9472]

No. That's Fort Detrick.

[beltman713]

Ok.

[Tonya]

Hmmm....wonder what this is all about. Keep us updated!

[Gold9472]

Blaze guts spy unit's building at Ft. Meade

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2006/10_21-25/TOP

By RYAN BAGWELL and PAMELA WOOD, Staff Writers

A massive fire roared through a sensitive building at Fort George G. Meade yesterday, causing damages that U.S. Army officials were reluctant to talk about.

Thick brown smoke billowed for hours from Nathan Hale Hall, a four-story World War II-era building apparently home to a military intelligence unit.

Sixty-nine firefighters started streaming to the scene just after 3 p.m., said Lt. Russ Davies, a spokesman for the county fire department. Firefighters from other counties and Fort Meade also aided in bringing the blaze under control.

A sign outside the building said it was the headquarters of the 902nd Military Intelligence Group. Scaffolding and a trash chute were set up outside, apparently for some kind of renovation.

At least three ladder trucks pumped water onto the brick-clad building, while high winds fanned flames and blew smoke that could be seen from several miles away.

Firefighters from Fort Meade and Anne Arundel, Howard and Prince George's counties battled the six-alarm blaze, according to Lt. Col. James Peterson, director of emergency services at Fort Meade.

At a news conference last night, Col. Peterson said part of the roof of the three-story building collapsed onto a lower floor before the fire was contained. Efforts to contain the flames were complicated by strong winds.

"We don't really know the cause. We just know it started on the roof of the structure," he said. He added that minor construction was under way in the area of the roof where the fire started.

The building was evacuated and everyone got out, he said, but one firefighter twisted his leg fighting the blaze. There is no damage estimate and base officials will investigate the cause today Peterson said.

Jennifer Downing, a Fort Meade spokesman, would only confirm a fire was burning at 4554 Llewellyn Ave., deep inside the west county Army post. She directed calls to a spokesman with the Army's Criminal Investigation Division, who did not respond to two telephone messages.

Fort Meade's fire chief also did not return calls for comment. Later, a public affairs officer told The Capital to file a Freedom of Information Act request for information.

Ms. Downing told The Associated Press a firefighter suffered a minor leg injury.

Army CID representatives forced a reporter and photographer from The Capital to leave the base about 30 minutes after they were allowed in. Officials told the photographer to erase all photos from his digital camera, and started ordering dozens of onlookers to clear the scene by about 5 p.m.

Nicknamed "The Deuce" and led by Col. Christopher L. Winne who took command in July, the 902nd is the Army's largest counterintelligence unit with more than 1,000 people.

According to the its Web site, the group "conducts counterintelligence activities in support of Army commanders and to protect Army forces, secrets and technologies by detecting, identifying, neutralizing and exploiting foreign intelligence services and international terrorist threats."

Its "core competencies" include espionage, computer forensics, surveillance and polygraph, the Web site states.

NBC's Dateline program reported last December that members of the 902nd infiltrated an anti-war Quaker group in Florida called the Truth Project.

The Truth Project was deemed to be a threat, NBC reported.

The archives of Soundoff!, Fort Meade's in-house newspaper, said Hale Hall is named for Capt. Nathan Hale, a spy for the colonies who was hung by the British.

He's known for his famous last words: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

[Gold9472]

http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/nsabriefing/hershstmt12006.pdf

[Gold9472]

http://web.archive.org/web/20040618163546/http://www.inscom.army.mil/902nd/index.asp

The 902d Military Intelligence Group conducts Counterintelligence (CI) activities in support of Army Commanders and to protect Army forces, secrets, and technologies by detecting, identifying, neutralizing and exploiting Foreign Intelligence Services (FIS) and International Terrorist Threats.

The 902d Military Intelligence Group is under the command and control of the Commander, United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (USAINSCOM) during peacetime and wartime. The 902d Military Intelligence Group Commander is responsible to the Commander USAINSCOM for the Group's mission performance and compliance with national level policy as implemented by DA and USAINSCOM policies and directives.

The 902d Military Intelligence Group provides direct and general support to Department of the Army activities and all Army Major Commands. It also provides general support to other Military Department CI and Intelligence Elements, all Unified Commands, several Defense Agencies, and National Agency CI and Security Activities and Organizations.

[Gold9472]

The website is gone...

http://www.yourbbsucks.com/forum/902nd.gif

[Gold9472]

308th Military Intelligence Battalion Lineage

http://www.army.mil/CMH/lineage/branches/mi/0308mibn.htm

Constituted 31 January 1952 in the Organized Reserve Corps as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 308th Communication Reconnaissance Battalion

Activated 1 April 1952 at New York, New York

(Organized Reserve Corps redesignated 9 July 1952 as the Army Reserve)

Reorganized and redesignated 23 January 1956 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 308th Communication Reconnaissance Battalion

Redesignated 1 September 1956 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 308th Army Security Agency Battalion

Inactivated 1 July 1959 at New York, New York

Redesignated 1 February 1990 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 308th Military Intelligence Battalion; concurrently withdrawn from the Army Reserve and allotted to the Regular Army

Redesignated 17 October 1991 as Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company, 308th Military Intelligence Battalion, and activated in Panama (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated)

Battalion inactivated 16 September 1995 in Panama

Activated 16 October 1996 at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland

[Gold9472]

310th Military Intelligence Battalion
Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, ^July-Sept, 2003

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IBS/is_3_29/ai_106699550 ^

Oriental blue is the primary color associated with the Military Intelligence Corps. Black and silver symbolize overt and covert operations and the organization's around-the-clock vigilance. The organization's Griffin embodies alertness; it is black, recalling determination and stealth. The unit's collection and exploitation mission is highlighted by the cramps or hooks. The hooks simulate flashes, representing speed and combat electronic warfare while alluding to the ability to catch and hold. Attached around the base is a black scroll doubled and inscribed "ARRECTIS AURIBUS, "Latin for the unit's motto.

Tracing its lineage directly from the U.S. Army Technical Services Detachment (USATSD), the 310th MI Battalion's lineage and honors originate with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 310th Communications Reconnaissance Battalion.

On 12 April 1976, the USATSD redesignated as the U.S. Army Operational Security Group (OSG).

Reformed on 2 May 1977 as the 91st MI Battalion (Provisional), the Battalion received the U.S. Army Security Detachment Region I assets from the Signal Security Activity, Vint Hill Farms Station, Virginia. This enabled the Battalion to provide intelligence support covering the entire intelligence spectrum.

On 1 January 1978, the Battalion's designation changed to the Counterintelligence and Signal Security Support Battalion. Then on 1 October 1984, the Battalion redesignated as the MI Battalion (Counterintelligence) East Coast (known as the "East Coast Battalion").

On 1 October 1986, after four more realignment phases, the Battalion redesignated as the MI Battalion (Counterintelligence) (Technical). Under the new alignment, all previously assigned subordinate MI Detachments and Resident Offices were assigned to MI Battalion (Counterintelligence) (Security) [currently the 308th MI Battalion]. On 24 May 1991, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment formally activated and in July 1991 consolidated into Headquarters and Headquarters Company. On 25 May 1992, the Army reassigned the Pentagon Counterintelligence Force [now a company] to the Battalion.

Redesignated as the Counterintelligence (Counterespionage) Battalion in the spring of 1993, the Battalion developed a multidiscipline approach to CI investigations, shifting away from single-discipline technical services to comprehensive counterespionage investigations. As part of this reorganization, the Battalion integrated several detachments into the Technical Support Detachment (TSD). TSD redesignated as the Technical Operations Company on 6 June 1994 and again redesignated as B Company on 1 October 1994.

On 16 October 1995, the Battalion shifted from a table of distribution and allowances (TDA) to an modified table of organization and equipment (MTOE) unit and redesignated as the 310th MI Battalion (Provisional).

The Battalion officially redesignated as the 310th MI Battalion on 1 July 1996 and unfurled its colors on Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, at the 902d MI Group change of command ceremony.

In early 1999, the Battalion transferred its Resident Offices to the 308th MI Battalion; the 310th Battalion received several elements from the inactivating 716th MI Battalion. These were the Army Counterintelligence Center, the Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Office, and the Investigative Records Repository.

ALWAYS ON THE ALERT!

COPYRIGHT 2003 U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

[PhilosophyGenius]

So is there a conspiracy or something?