its jurisdiction to the visiting country in some criminal and civil cases. The main purpose of the SOFA is to clearly define the status of military personnel of one country stationed in the territory of another. Some of the topics covered by the Status of Forces Agreement are as follows: Freedom  of  troop  movement  within  the  host country Passport requirements Criminal jurisdiction Taxes Imposition of customs duties Regulations covering driver’s licenses These  are  just  a  few  of  the  items  covered  by  the SOFA. (Provisions of the SOFA vary from country to country.) Remember, when you are overseas, YOU are the foreigner. Many customs of the host country may seem strange to you, but you must follow them as well as the  local  laws.  You  should  receive  a  briefing  on  the Status of Forces Agreement that pertains to the country you are visiting. If you have any questions concerning the SOFA while you are in a foreign country, consult your division officer. GENEVA CONVENTION Prisoners of war (POWs) have certain rights and are required to observe certain rules, as established by the Geneva Convention of 1949. The Geneva Convention prescribes the following rights of POWs: To be treated humanely at all times To  be  protected  against  insults  and  public curiosity To  have  decent  housing,  nourishing  food,  and adequate clothing To  be  permitted  to  communicate  with  their families To be given medical care To be allowed to worship To  be  allowed  to  excerise  and  participate  in sports and intellectual pastimes The Geneva Convention prohibits punishment for refusing to answer questions other than your name, date of birth, rate, and social security number. A prisoner must salute enemy officers and may be required to perform work if such work is not related to military  operations.  POWs  are  subject  to  the  laws, regulations,  and  orders  of  the  armed  forces  of  the captors and may be punished for violating them. The Geneva  Convention  recognizes  the  prisoner’s  right  to try to escape by limiting punishment for such attempts to disciplinary action only, which may consist of 2 hours extra duty daily, loss of half a month’s pay (earned as a prisoner),  stoppage  of  any  extra  privileges,  and confinement.  A  prisoner  may  not  be  punished  more severely for repeated escape attempts. Prisoners of war are  prohibited  from  renouncing  any  of  the  rights  to which they are entitled under the Geneva Convention. Most countries of the world follow the articles of the Geneva Convention. North Vietnam agreed to the convention in 1957 but violated most of its provisions. In 1965, Hanoi violated the convention by announcing the execution of three American POWs in retaliation for the  legal  execution  of  Viet  Cong  terrorists.  The Communists  also  paraded  handcuffed  Americans through the streets of Hanoi where the people subjected them  to  ridicule  and  humiliation.  The  Geneva Convention  expressly  forbids  such  actions.  Evidence also  indicates  that  Iraq  violated  some  articles  of  the convention during the Persian Gulf crisis. If you have contact with enemy prisoners of war, treat  them  according  to  the  articles  of  the  Geneva Convention, just as you would expect to be treated by them. If you should become a POW, you should conduct yourself according to the Code of Conduct as well as the Geneva Convention. LAW OF ARMED CONFLICT Every  nation  calls  upon  its  military  personnel  to defend  its  national  interests  by  going  to  war.  Our country  believes  those  people  involved  in  armed conflict during war are entitled to fundamental human 22-19 Student Notes: