Peter Brownback

Peter E. Brownback III
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service / branchUnited States Army
RankColonel
Unit173rd Brigade
Battles / warsVietnam War
Other workPresiding Officer
Lawyer

Peter E. Brownback III is a retired military officer and lawyer.[1] He was appointed in 2004 by general John D. Altenburg as a Presiding Officer on the Guantanamo military commissions. The Washington Post reported: "...that Brownback and Altenburg have known each other since 1977, that Brownback's wife worked for Altenburg, and that Altenburg hosted Brownback's retirement party in 1999."[2]

Brownback is also a combat veteran who served two tours in Vietnam, the first as part of the 173rd Brigade and later as a member of the US Special Forces. He was the honour graduate of his special forces course that he completed in 1972.

Defense attorneys challenged the bias of five of the six presiding officers at the Guantanamo military tribunal, including Brownback.[3] Altenburg removed three officers but retained Brownback. He was the only officer appointed to the first commission who had any legal training.

  1. ^ Toni Locy (August 24, 2004). "Guantanamo hearings start today". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-06-07.
  2. ^ John Mintz (September 16, 2004). "Presiding Officer At Guantanamo Faces Questions". Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 11, 2006. Retrieved 2007-06-07.
  3. ^ "Three Guantanamo panellists dismissed over bias allegations". USA Today. August 21, 2004. Retrieved 2015-07-15.