Carolyn Wood Carolyn Wood , United States Army captain , is a military intelligence officer who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq . She was implicated by the Fay Report to have " failed " in several aspects of her command regarding her oversight of interrogators at Abu Ghraib . She was alleged by Amnesty International to be centrally involved in the 2003 Abu Ghraib and 2002 Bagram prisoner abuse cases . Wood previously served ten years as an enlisted soldier in the U . S . Army , rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant , before being commissioned as an officer . Featured in the 2008 Academy award - winning documentary Taxi to the Dark Side . Controversies . Bagram Abuse controversy , December 2002 . In July 2002 Wood was in command of about 20 analysts and interrogators in the intelligence unit located at Bagram Collection Point . She expanded the interrogation procedures with the use of stress positions , isolation for up to thirty days , removal of clothing , and exploitation of detainees ' phobias , such as the use of barking dogs . Two prisoners , Dilawar and Habibullah , were killed in custody in December . When Military Police guards were charged with their beatings they tried to mitigate their responsibility by attempting to link the intelligence unit ' s expanded interrogation procedures as leading to such abuse . The MPs had been trained to use non - lethal force on violent and combative detainees , including painful peroneal strike s referred to as " compliance blows " . These strikes are used in civilian law enforcement but were later determined to not be part of Army doctrine . Their arguments failed to exonerate them but was readily accepted by critics and opponents of the U . S . side in the War on Terror . Many of the enhanced interrogation procedures , such as the use of barking dogs , were later overturned after review by military lawyers . The practice of shackling a captive ' s hands above their heads was classified as criminal assault . Invoked her right to protection against self - incrimination . Wood was called as a witness during the court martial of Willie Brand the first GI to be charged . But , on legal advice , Wood invoked her right to protection against self - incrimination . The " Arizona Daily Star " quoted speculation over Wood ' s role , addressing the concern that Wood had been unaware of the most extreme abuse of her subordinates , and addressing the concern that Wood had merely passed on authorization for the abuse from more senior officers . Abu Ghraib Abuse controversy , August – December 2003 . Wood arrived in Abu Ghraib on August 4 , 2003 and took the initiative to recommend the establishment of the Hard Site in Abu Ghraib based on her experience in Afghanistan . The Hard Site was opened on August 25 , 2003 . This was intended as an isolation area to house detainees determined to be of intelligence value , but it was also used by MPs to isolate violent detainees . It became the location of the incidents that first provoked public controversy after criminal detainees were moved into the Hard Site for rioting , and then later revealed to have been humiliated by guards on the night shift . As in Bagram , the accused guards claimed they were ordered to do this to soften detainees for interrogation . Wood testified in the pretrial hearing against Lynndie England that the conduct went far beyond the intelligence orders she had given to the MPs at Abu Ghraib . England later admitted the intelligence rules had played no role in the incident but the incident had already provoked a major Army inquiry into Army practices at Abu Ghraib . Wood played a key role in drafting the interrogation rules that were issued from General Ricardo Sanchez ' s office on September 14 , 2003 . These were revised twice more , on legal advice that the originals could lead to violations of the Geneva Conventions . Many techniques remained , however , and some were to be permitted on a case - by - case basis only with General Sanchez ' s authorization . The Army inquiry concluded there was confusion on this matter under Captain Wood ' s leadership , and some interrogation techniques continued to be used without the required authorization . In testimony before the U . S . Senate Armed Services Committee : Findings of the Fay / Jones Report . The Fay / Jones Report ' s final mention of Wood contained the following findings : Courts Martial of the dog handlers . In late May 2006 Wood testified at the courts - martial of the Abu Ghraib dog handlers that all personnel at the prison had signed General Sanchez ' s memo authorizing extended interrogation techniques . When asked if she would have approved the use of dogs against detainees Wood testified : " " Using an unmuzzled dog goes against the CG ' s ( commanding general ' s ) policy , " " Military career . Captain Wood was awarded two Bronze Star s for the services she provided in Afghanistan and Iraq . According to a CBC documentary on Abu Ghraib a Bronze Star awarded to Wood following the deaths in custody was awarded for valor . On January 22 , 2003 , Capt . Carolyn A . Wood receives a Bronze Star for “ exceptional meritorious service ” as the head of military intelligence interrogators at Bagram . She and her small platoon of 15 interrogators from the 519th Military Intelligence Battalion returned from Afghanistan to their base at Fort Bragg , North Carolina earlier in the month . On May 8 , 2003 , Wood receives her second Bronze Star According to an article published in " The Guardian " on June 23 , 2004 , six months after her withdrawal from Abu Ghraib Wood was taking an advanced interrogation course at Fort Huachuca , the Army ' s primary intelligence training centre . " The Guardian " reported that although Wood hadn ' t been charged , she had been allocated a military lawyer . According to the " Arizona Daily Star " on March 26 , 2005 Wood was still stationed at Fort Huachuca . According to the CBC , Carolyn Wood was only a First Lieutenant when her company was sent to Bagram , and that her second Bronze Star was awarded to after her return from Abu Ghraib . The CBC said , on November 16 , 2005 that Wood was still an interrogation instructor at the Army ' s military intelligence instruction centre at Fort Huachuca . As of October 2008 , CPT Wood remains on Active Duty , assigned to the 501st Military Intelligence Brigade , and is the Company Commander of the Headquarters and Operations Company of the 527th Military Intelligence Battalion .