Mark S. Martins
Encyclopedia
Mark S. Martins is an officer in the United States Army. A graduate of the United States Military Academy and Harvard Law School, Martins is also a Rhodes scholar.
Starting in October of 2011, Martins will become the Chief Prosecutor in the Office of Military Commissions, overseeing the trial of Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four co-defendants.
Martins, an Army judge advocate and former infantryman, led the rule of law campaign in Iraq
from 2006 to 2008 while serving with Army Gen. David Petraeus
in Multi-National Force - Iraq. While in Iraq, Martins coordinated the work of United States and coalition investigative, corrections, and judicial experts and directed MNF-I support to Iraq’s courts and law enforcement institutions. In September 2009 he was appointed the Deputy Commanding General of Joint Task Force 435
, charged with reforming military detention operations in Afghanistan
. By February 2010 he was overseeing detainee operations at the Detention Facility in Parwan (DFIP) which replaced the Bagram Theater Internment Facility
.
In the fall of 2010, Martins assumed command of the new Rule of Law Field Force - Afghanistan, which works to transform problem areas into secure and accountable legal environments. In a lecture following his acceptance of Harvard Law School's Medal of Freedom in 2011, Martins said, "[Afghanistan’s] lack of governance … is accompanied by a lack of confidence in the government’s ability to deliver justice, resolve civil disputes and address a perceived culture of impunity among the powerful. Establishing the rule of law in these districts is critical to the kind of sound governance that will enable an enduring transition of security responsibility to Afghan forces and deny that rugged country as a sanctuary for global threats.”
Starting in October of 2011, Martins will become the Chief Prosecutor in the Office of Military Commissions, overseeing the trial of Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four co-defendants.
Martins, an Army judge advocate and former infantryman, led the rule of law campaign in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
from 2006 to 2008 while serving with Army Gen. David Petraeus
David Petraeus
David Howell Petraeus is the current Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, sworn in on September 6, 2011. Prior to his assuming the directorship of the CIA, Petraeus was a four-star general serving over 37 years in the United States Army. His last assignments in the Army were as commander...
in Multi-National Force - Iraq. While in Iraq, Martins coordinated the work of United States and coalition investigative, corrections, and judicial experts and directed MNF-I support to Iraq’s courts and law enforcement institutions. In September 2009 he was appointed the Deputy Commanding General of Joint Task Force 435
Joint Task Force 435
Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435 is a task force created to control detention operations for the United States Department of Defense in Afghanistan. It was established by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in September, 2009 to assume responsibility for U.S...
, charged with reforming military detention operations in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. By February 2010 he was overseeing detainee operations at the Detention Facility in Parwan (DFIP) which replaced the Bagram Theater Internment Facility
Bagram Theater Internment Facility
The Parwan Detention Facility , also called the Bagram Theater Internment Facility, is a United States-run prison located next to Bagram Airfield in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan.It was formerly known as the Bagram Collection Point...
.
In the fall of 2010, Martins assumed command of the new Rule of Law Field Force - Afghanistan, which works to transform problem areas into secure and accountable legal environments. In a lecture following his acceptance of Harvard Law School's Medal of Freedom in 2011, Martins said, "[Afghanistan’s] lack of governance … is accompanied by a lack of confidence in the government’s ability to deliver justice, resolve civil disputes and address a perceived culture of impunity among the powerful. Establishing the rule of law in these districts is critical to the kind of sound governance that will enable an enduring transition of security responsibility to Afghan forces and deny that rugged country as a sanctuary for global threats.”