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Kovco Tragedy - What Else Could the Army Lose? |
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Thursday, 18 May 2006 |
 Senior army logistics specialist Brigadier Liz Cosson has lost a
computer disc containing a top-secret report on how the soldier's body
was left behind in Kuwait after he was shot in Baghdad last month.
The disk was found by a traveller in the Qantas Club at Melbourne airport and handed in to radio personality, Derryn Hinch.
It is the latest in a series of departmental blunders that included two
damning reports by the Audit Office in a fortnight and the $1 billion
failure of the Sea Sprite helicopter purchase.
Dr Nelson said he had asked Defence Force chief Angus Houston, the
three service chiefs and department secretary Ric Smith to a meeting
next week.
"In light of this latest incident it's my intention to engage a
complete, independent management review of the department," Dr Nelson
said. "I will also be looking for a full report of the circumstances
leading to this inexcusable loss of the computer disc of the draft
report in relation to the Kovco inquiry."
The lost report — left in a Qantas Club computer — blames an army
sergeant and close friend of Private Kovco for the identification
blunder that left his body in Kuwait three weeks ago. A traveller who
found the disc handed it to broadcaster Derryn Hinch, who went to air
with its findings — that the return of Private Kovco's body was poorly
managed and the process was vulnerable to failure.
Air Chief Marshal Houston phoned the family to apologise to Private Kovco's widow, Shelley, and his mother, Judi.
Private Kovco, a highly trained sniper and member of the security
detachment that protects Australian officials in Baghdad, died on April
21 after being shot in the head in his quarters, apparently with his
own service pistol.
He was the first serving member of the ADF to die in Iraq.
Soon after his death, Dr Nelson announced that the private was
maintaining his weapon when he was shot. He was later forced to correct
that, saying his first information was wrong and the soldier was not
handling the pistol when it discharged.
On its way home from Iraq, Private Kovco's body was left behind in a
Kuwait mortuary. The body of Bosnian Juso Sinanovic, who died of a
stroke, was sent to Australia instead.
Senior army logistics specialist Brigadier Liz Cosson was sent to Kuwait to investigate the body mix-up.
On her way home, Brigadier Cosson left the disc containing her draft report at Qantas Club.
"I am angry and disappointed that this has happened," Dr Nelson said.
Air Chief Marshal Houston spoke on air to Hinch, saying he took full
responsibility. He said Brigadier Cosson told him on Monday of the lost
report.
Hinch told The Age last night that the report indicated that Private
Kovco's platoon sergeant was responsible for wrongly identifying his
body in Kuwait.
The sergeant — who had been with Private Kovco when medical staff in a
US military hospital tried to resuscitate him — was assigned to ensure
that his body was returned home.
"He'd been instructed that he had to escort the body all the way to
Australia and virtually not to let (Private Kovco) out of his sight,"
Hinch said.
"The sergeant made a very cursory exam of the body in Kuwait. Brigadier
Elizabeth Cosson made the point that environment was dark, and (the
sergeant) wasn't ready, hadn't been prepared at all, psychologically
for the fact that he had to identify his friend's body."
THE TRAGIC SAGA OF PRIVATE KOVCO
Private Jake Kovco dies in Baghdad on April 21 after being shot in the head, apparently with his own pistol.
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Brendan Nelson says he was shot while maintaining his firearm.
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Nelson later says that was wrong and soldier's pistol was not in his hand when it discharged.
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Private Kovco's body left behind in a Kuwaiti mortuary. Bosnian Juso
Sinanovic, who died of a stroke, is sent to Australia instead.
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Long delay in sending Mr Sinanovic's body home to Bosnia.
- Senior army logistics specialist Brigadier Liz Cosson sent to
Kuwait to investigate body mix-up. On way home she leaves disc
containing report behind in Qantas Club.
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