Speakers & Organizers   

Biography
Paul "Dave" Gaubatz, former Federal Agent with the equivalent rank of major, is a U.S. State Department-trained Arabic linguist and counterterrorism specialist. He has acquired over two decades of experience while working on assignments in Middle-Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, and Iraq. Currently Chief Field Investigator with the Dallas County Medical Examiner, Dallas, Texas, Mr. Gaubatz created Gaubatz Arabic & Counterterrorism Lecture Services in December, 2004.

The first U.S. civilian Federal Agent deployed to Nasiriyah, Iraq, in 2003, Mr. Gaubatz was able to travel to various cities throughout Iraq, using his Arabic-language training extensively. During this time, he led a mission to rescue the family of Mohammed Odeh Al-Rehaief, the Iraqi lawyer who saved the life of Private Jessica Lynch. Today, Mr. Al-Rehaief and his family live safely in the Washington, D.C. area.

Upon returning from Iraq in July 2003, Mr. Gaubatz wrote a practical, basic Arabic street survival guide, and began lecturing in schools and businesses, and also to law enforcement officers. He instructed criminal justice students of law enforcement and other security professionals in simple investigative Arabic words and phrases, and Middle Eastern customs, which soon led to the creation of Gaubatz Arabic & Counterterrorism Lecture Services in 2004. Mr. Gaubatz currently trains over 200 Law Enforcement officers weekly.

Mr. Gaubatz's career began in 1977 when he joined the United States Air Force. Before retiring from the USAF in 1999, he served his last 12 years as Special Agent with the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, AFOSI; his duties there included investigations of felony crimes against the USAF and U.S. government, as well as counterterrorism and counterintelligence investigative assignments. After spending one year with Target Corporation as National Investigator, in 2000 Mr. Gaubatz returned to AFOSI as U.S. Federal Agent. In 2002 he attended an intensive Arabic-language course at the U.S. State Department, Foreign Service Institute, which included a three-week immersion trip to Jordan. Arriving in the Middle East in January 2003, he was soon assigned to Nasiriyah, Iraq.

Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., Mr. Gaubatz was raised in Rocky Mount near Roanoke, Va. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in management from Saint Leo College, Saint Leo, Fla., and is married with two children.

While an OSI agent, both civilian and as a member of the USAF, Dave received a number of awards and medals for his service, including multiple Meritorious Service Medals with Oak Leaf Cluster, multiple Air Force Achievement Medals with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Department of the Air Force Performance Award, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster (for counterintelligence work), and the Department of the Air Force's Award for Exemplary Civilian Service.

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Session HS34: WDM Sites in Iraq; Sites that were Never Searched?
February 20, 14:00 - 14:45 Abstract:
The following will be discussed in an "unclassified" format:

1. My Credibility
A. Background
B. Active duty service
C. Civilian Federal Service
D. Performance reports and medals received; prior to, during, and after Operation Iraqi Freedom

2. Arabic Language School (U.S. State Department) Jan 2002 – Nov 2002
A. Study of customs/culture (Muslims and other citizens of the Middle East)

3. Deployment to the region of the Middle East
A. Jan – Mar 2003 (Arar Air Base, Saudi Arabia)
• My mission in Saudi Arabia
B. Apr – Jul 2003 (Talill Air Base, Nasiriyah, Iraq)
• My mission in Iraq

4. Search for WMD sites in Iraq
• My method of collecting information in comparison to others
• 4 sites identified (classified reports were filed per U.S. Government procedures; the reports included grid coordinates, identities and credibility of sources, photographs, and my overall assessments.
• Lack of assistance from the Iraq Survey Group
• Reasons ISG did not assist

5. The Frustration of U.S. Agents and Iraqi sources
• The lives of U.S. Federal Agents were "on the line" each day we left the confines of the U.S. base
• The lives of Iraqi sources were "on the line" each time they provided U.S. personnel information

6. Conventional weapons in Iraq
• Tons of conventional weapons located throughout southern Iraq
• They were in isolated communities (schools) and the majority were never recovered by U.S. personnel
• No doubt these same weapons were used and continue to be used by "Extremists" against U.S. forces

7. How to verify my credibility...
A. I can provide to the public my unclassified awards, performance reports, and other documentation

8. How to verify the information about the WMD sites that were never searched...
A: U.S. Government personnel who have "proper security clearances" need only review all of the classified reports myself and my fellow Agents filed at Talill Air Base from April through July 2003. The reports then need only be compared to the reports submitted by the ISG. This will reveal the sites I identified were never searched as required.

9. What we are doing in Texas to better prepare Law Enforcement in the "Fight against Terrorism"
A: Upon returning from Iraq I developed a course designed for U.S. Law Enforcement personnel which includes Basic Investigative Arabic, History, Geography, Customs/Courtesies of the Middle East, and the fundamentals of Islam.
B: Camille Hedrick and myself teamed together to train law enforcement and currently train over 200 officers a week in Texas. Every Texas State Trooper is required by Texas DPS to attend my training.
C: I wrote a quick reference guide pertaining to the above areas which is provided to law enforcement.

10. Conclusion
A: Before we can say there is no WMD in Iraq, we must first look.
B: If we do not check the sites I identified, WMD may get into the hands of the Extremists, and will subsequently be used against the U.S.
C: We must better train our local, city, and state law enforcement officers in counter-terrorism issues (how to best obtain information and build rapport from the law abiding members of the Muslim community)