Among those standing court martial is Seaman Trevor Slane, stationed aboard the USS Francis McInerney at Naval Station Mayport.

He pleaded not guilty to throwing an Iraqi detainee to the floor and repeatedly punching and kicking the man. He's also charged with obeying orders to lie about the May 14 assault and impeding the investigation.

Petty Officers Second Class Jonathan Armstrong, based in Norfolk, Virginia, and Thomas Broadway, stationed aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, also pleaded not guilty inside an NAS Jacksonville courtroom today for their roles in the alleged misconducts.

A fourth sailor, Petty Officer Second Class Adam White, stationed at Naval Nuclear Power School in South Carolina, postponed his arraignment and could agree to a plea deal at a Friday morning court appearance at NAS Jacksonville.

Chief Petty Officer Tracy Necaise, a guard duty officer at Camp Bucca now stationed in Pensacola, is alleged to have ordered the detainee assaults on May 14 after one detainee spit on a guard and a second detainee threw a mixture of human urine and feces at military guards.

Necaise is the focus of an Article 32 hearing this week, the civilian equivelant of a grand jury investigation that could result in charges and a general court martial for the senior enlisted sailor.

Necaise's attorney, Jeremiah Sullivan, argued during testimony that training is not adequate for Camp Bucca guards and ultimately upper level Navy officers are to blame for the abuse. One duty guard testifed during the Article 32 hearing that very few guards had prior experience working in detention facilites or law enforcement.

The chief petty officer says guards get ten days of detainee training before deployment and five days of hands-on training at the detention facility.

"All the personnel involved were immediately suspended from duty," Navy public affairs officer Commander Dan Bates tells WOKV. "We began an investigation because we want to make sure these allegations are taken very seriously."

None of the prisoners suffered major injuries, but two detainees suffered minor abrasions.

During testimony Wednesday, witnesses recalled Necaise bragging about the attacks and yelling at the detainees that this is what happens for "spitting at my [expletive] guards."

According to Navy reports, Necaise took one detainee into a bathroom, held the man down on the floor with his boot and told the lower enlisted men to "do what you have to do."

A report in the Navy Times alleges Necaise also held a group of detainees in a cell filled with pepper spray while the ventilation was cut off.

"The charges are conspiracy, cruelty and making false official statements and assault," Bates said.

The Judge Advocate General presiding over the Article 32 will recommend whether or not Necaise should be court martialed. The final decision ultimately rests with the Vice Admiral in command of Naval Forces Central Command.

If Necaise stands court martial and is found guilty, he could face a year or more behind bars and be demoted or dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Navy.

The courts martial and Article 32 are being hosted by Naval Air Station Jacksonville for logistical reasons, according to Bates.

WOKV's Jared Halpern is attending today's military hearings and will file reports throughout the day.