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long-range reconnaissance patrol need not make itself militarily ineffective by handing over allits supplies to POWs whom it has captured. 178 However, the patrol should take reasonable stepsunder the circumstances to help ensure the POWs’ safety and survival, such as providing themwith a modicum of food and water. 1799.9.3.3 Accountability Measures. In addition, it is a best practice to take feasiblemeasures to account for the persons captured and released, such as recording: (1) full names, (2)serial numbers, (3) unit affiliation, and (4) the time, date, and location of capture and release.9.10 TRANSIT OR SCREENING FACILITIESPOWs may be sent to transit or screening facilities before internment in a POW camp.For example, special interrogation centers have been used as screening facilities to interrogatePOWs before their internment in the POW camp. 1809.10.1 Sending of Capture Cards in Transit or Screening Camps. Even in transit orscreening camps, POWs are to be enabled to send capture cards within one week after arrival at acamp. 1819.10.2 Transit or Screening Camps Near Military Operations. Facilities within a zone ofmilitary operations are often established in order to house POWs captured during militaryoperations in that particular zone that, due to their proximity to the fighting, are not able to meet178 Cf. XV OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE CDDH 384 (Committee III Report, CDDH/236/Rev.1, 24) (“Paragraph 3dealing with the release of prisoners who could not be evacuated proved quite difficult. The phrase ‘unusualconditions of combat’ was intended to reflect the fact that that circumstance would be abnormal. What, in fact, mostrepresentatives referred to was the situation of the long distance patrol which is not equipped to detain and evacuateprisoners. The requirement that all ‘feasible precautions’ be taken to ensure the safety of released prisoners wasintended to emphasize that the detaining power, even in those extraordinary circumstances, was expected to take allmeasures that were practicable in the light of the combat situation. In the case of the long distance patrol, it need notrender itself ineffective by handing the bulk of its supplies over to the released prisoners, but it should do all that itreasonably can do, in view of all the circumstances, to ensure their safety.”).179 1958 UK MANUAL 137 note 1 (“Whether a commander may release prisoners of war in the circumstances statedin the text [commando operations and other situations in which it is not feasible to care for POWs] is not clear. Noprovision is made in the Convention [the GPW] for such release, and there may well be occasions when such arelease will deprive the prisoners of war of such maintenance and food as is available, as, for example, if they arereleased in a desert or jungle or in mountainous districts. If such a release be made, it would seem clear that thecommander should supply the prisoners with that modicum of food, water, and weapons as would give them achance of survival.”).180 For example, John Brown Mason, German Prisoners of War in the United States, 39 AJIL 198, 203 (1945) (“InAmerican practice [during World War II], the prisoners are questioned at special interrogation centers. Practicallyno complaint has been made by the prisoners to the Swiss Legation about the treatment in these transient centers.”).181 Refer to § 9.20.1 (Capture, Health, or Transfer Card).536