THE UTAH AMICUS

Torin Nelson ~ Candidate, Utah's 3rd Congressional District

Torin Nelson was born to Harold and Patricia Nelson in Washington, DC. While Torin was still a young child the family moved back to Utah. Torin grew up in Sandy, Utah, graduating from Jordan High School, and later attending the University of Utah. In 1992 Torin enlisted in the US Army and joined Army Intelligence as an Interrogator. After language training and intelligence school, he served overseas in Europe, based with the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade in Augsburg, Germany. Torin served honorably and with distinction. He performed a wide range of difficult and demanding duties, from debriefing defectors from the former Soviet Union, to assisting US and NATO weapons inspection teams in their work to oversee weapons reduction treaties. Torin also served as a liaison and Human Intelligence Collector in operations in Holland, Russia and Ukraine. In 1996, Torin deployed to Bosnia as a member of a Force Protection Team, ensuring Peace-keeping operations at the early stages of US and NATO presence in the Balkans. The work of both Torin and his team of intelligence agents helped identify organized crime rings, illegal weapons smuggling, and even Mujahedin/Al Qaeda satellite organizations.

In 1998 Torin finished his service in the regular Army (honorably) and returned to Utah with his new wife, Rosemarie (Rosi), a long-time friend (and a beautiful daughter of Bavaria). Shortly after arriving in Utah, Torin reenlisted in the military, this time in the Utah National Guard. As an experienced interrogator, Torin was quickly able to provide valuable experience and insight to his fellow soldiers. In 1999 he began working full-time on a national Language Reserve Program. Additionally, in 2000 and 2001, Torin provided training in interrogation and questioning methodology for soldiers who were preparing to deploy to Bosnia and Kosovo. In summer 2002 Torin was called to serve his country even further in the Global War on Terror. He and a small team of interrogators from the Utah National Guard served in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from 2002 to 2003. After his tour of duty, instead of returning home, Torin deployed once again, this time to Kuwait, with the rest of his unit, the 142nd Military Intelligence Battalion, for Operation Iraqi Freedom. He finally returned home in summer of 2003, but a few months later, found himself back in Iraq, this time as a civilian contractor and Senior Intelligence Specialist at the Abu Ghraib Prison. While some other US personnel thought it okay to take matters into their own hands and ignore International and US Army Rules of Engagement, Torin always maintained the highest level of principles and moral standards in his work. And when he observed questionable activities going on at the prison, Torin did his duty again and stepped forward to give testimony to military investigators working for Major General Anthony Taguba. After leaving Iraq in 2004, Torin traveled to Afghanistan, where he provided support to Special Forces units in their hunt for Taliban and al Qaeda fighters.

Torin returned to Utah in summer 2004 and continued to serve his country as best he could. First, as a consultant for Homeland Security and Intelligence Training, then later as an instructor at the US Army Intelligence School at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

Torin has worked with various government leaders and organizations, helping to provide expert testimony and suggestions on improving military and intelligence operations overseas. More recently, Torin was one of two interrogators invited to speak to a distinguished forum of retired flag officers in Washington, DC, regarding interrogation, torture, and the anti-torture amendment sponsored by Senator John McCain (R-AZ).

Torin and Rosi have lived in West Valley City, Utah since 2001. He currently works at Fidelity Investments, and has rejoined his old unit in the Utah National Guard.

Click HERE to view Torin's Website.

Photos by Steve C. Wilson, for the AP.