THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 10, 1995 TAG: 9505100456
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
The Army has hired an independent contractor to evaluate the future of the School of Americas after years of protests by church activists who branded the Georgia training facility for Latin American soldiers the ``school of assassins.''
But Lt. Col. Tom Begines, an Army spokesman, said Monday the $23,572 contract, awarded to PROSOFT of Virginia Beach, does not mean the Army is considering closing the controversial school, which has survived two votes in Congress in the past two years to eliminate its funding.
``I would not in any way characterize this current assessment as being done in reaction to anything in the media or any congressional interest,'' he said. ``It is part of the normal review procedure we use.''
In the contract given PROSOFT in March, the Army states that the company is to provide recommendations ``concerning the future need'' for the School of the Americas and ``what purposes the school should serve.''
Citing changes in the Army's mission as a result of the end of the Cold War, the contract states that the ``question of the continued need for SOA has surfaced. There is a need to determine whether the SOA should exist and for what purpose.''
Begines said such language is typical when the Army wants ``an absolutely objective, ground-up kind of a look'' at a program. And he noted that Defense Secretary William Perry stated in March that he supports the school and has no plans to close it. by CNB