Originally Posted by
Tiger_mate
CG - It was accepted during WWII that aircrew, particulary bomber crews, were highly likely to end up dead or a POW. The Geneve Convention clearly states the treatment that is legal for Officers, SNCO, and other ranks. Work of a dangerous or objectionable nature is not permitted for any POW, but junior ranks can be made to work and SNCOs supervise only. Officers were too busy digging tunnels to supervise. It was felt by Govt that as bomber crews would probably be a POW through no fault of their own that they should be protected from subsequent employment shovelling **** in fields. This is why the minimum aircrew rank was Sgt as the war progressed. There was a time early in WWII that air gunners were junior ranks. The rank structure for none-commissioned aircrew was very different then than it is today.
Ref: Waterboarding. I saw a lot of things in SF training and Waterboarding was not one of them. The exercise administration with regarding to holding, questioning techniques, and exercise duration was controlled to the point of paranoia. That is not to say that in times gone by things may not have been different. PM Edward Heath publicly stated that the UK would not employ hoods as blindfolds......
There is truth in the fact that Iraqi officers void of rank were identified by their shoes, and by being invited to dine first. ... and that taking overt notice of your surroundings will get you unwanted attention; whereas head down deflated appearance = grey man.