No alcohol, no prostitutes. This is the stern message the head of the United States Northern Command has sent to his troops supporting the upcoming North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit in Chicago, the hometown of President Barack Obama.
The message comes as the US military finalises its probe into the conduct of 12 troops assigned to security for a recent presidential trip to Colombia, CNN reported.
Investigations continue into an alleged prostitution scandal involving military and Secret Service agents who were in the South American nation in advance of a trip last month by Obama, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the US forces.
The US military is about to offer its logistical support to the NATO summit that will be attended by Obama and other heads of state later this month here. US troops are expected to assist with communications, security, transportation and other functions throughout the high-profile event.
In memos obtained by CNN's Security Clearance blog, NORTHCOM commander General Charles Jacoby issued orders reminding troops about proper conduct.
"Military commanders routinely apply lessons learned from previous experiences. In this case, the recent events in olombia highlighted to the leadership at USNORTHCOM the importance of ensuring that there is absolutely no confusion on what is expected from the military and DOD (Department of Defense) civilians supporting these important national security events," US Northern Command spokesman John Cornelio said.
Jacoby, who oversees all troops in the continental United States, wrote "it is incumbent on all of you to perform your duties to the best of your ability and to represent your country and service in the best possible manner."
He reminded the troops they may not "solicit prostitutes or engage in conduct which is unprofessional or unbecoming as a member of the armed forces." That includes a ban on drinking any alcohol, except for approved summit social events. They also may not wear any ripped or torn civilian garments, or any clothing displaying profanity or slurs.
"Commanders at all levels are charged with the responsibility to ensure the members assigned to them during operations and other significant events, like the NATO summit, maintain good order and discipline," Cornelio said.
"We have learned lessons from the past and are applying them. Our commander wanted to make it perfectly clear to all military and civilian personnel supporting the Chicago summit what was expected of them."
