ABUSE CRISIS: Colonel Reprimanded Over Abu Ghraib Won't Be Prosecuted, page 1

posted on May, 11 2005 @ 05:30 PM

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Colonel Thomas M. Pappas, USA, will not be prosecuted in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, although, he did accept an Article Fifteen non-judicial punishment for two counts of dereliction of duty, for having ordered interrogators to use dogs to scare prisoners, without having gotten approval from his superiors. Pappas could have demanded a court-martial, but he declined to do so. He was received a letter of reprimand and an eight-thousand dollar fine. This action will effectively end his military career.

www.foxnews.com
[Col. Thomas M.] Pappas was not accused of ordering abuse or participating in it, but the Army said some soldiers under his command were involved and he was faulted for two instances of dereliction of duty.

Maj. Gen. Bennie Williams, who decided not to press criminal charges, ordered Pappas to repay $8,000 in salary and gave him an official letter of reprimand. Taken together the penalties essentially stop him from being promoted in rank and thus hasten the end of his career.

Pappas had the option of refusing the nonjudicial punishment and contesting the allegations in a court martial, but he chose not to, the Army official said.

The Army said it verified a finding by previous Army investigations that Pappas had failed to obtain approval from superior commanders before authorizing an unsanctioned interrogation method: the presence of military dogs during interrogations as a method of scaring prisoners.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

This punishment may seem minor, but for an officer, it is the kiss of death for a career. It doesn't seem from the article that this officer was directly involved in the abuses for which Abu Ghraib became infamous, but his orders to use dogs to scare prisoners was a breach of protocol. Pappas was the chief military intelligence officer at the prison.

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[edit on 05/5/11 by GradyPhilpott]

shots

posted on May, 11 2005 @ 08:00 PM

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It will only end his career if he wants to end it. Hasten his retirement is not the same as the way you put it when calling it the end of his career.

An aticle 15 more then likely will get him passed over for promotion for several years perhaps more, but that does not mean he has to retire.

GradyPhilpott

posted on May, 12 2005 @ 01:46 PM

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The former U.S. military intelligence chief at Abu Ghraib prison has been removed from his command as part of a punishment that also included a fine and reprimand, the Army said on Thursday.

Army Col. Thomas Pappas became the second senior officer relieved of command over the physical abuse and sexual humiliation of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib.

After an administrative disciplinary hearing on Monday, Gen. B.B. Bell, the commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, relieved Pappas of his command of the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade, Army officials in Germany announced.

The Army said on Wednesday Pappas was fined $8,000 and given a letter of reprimand for two instances of dereliction of duty at Abu Ghraib in late 2003 and early 2004.

news.yahoo.com.../nm/20050512/ts_nm/iraq_abuse_colonel_dc

Even though Pappas will not be drummed out of the Army, his career is dead in the water.

[edit on 05/5/12 by GradyPhilpott]

shots

posted on May, 12 2005 @ 02:24 PM

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Originally posted by GradyPhilpott

The former U.S. military intelligence chief at Abu Ghraib prison has been removed from his command as part of a punishment that also included a fine and reprimand, the Army said on Thursday.

Even though Pappas will not be drummed out of the Army, his career is dead in the water.

[edit on 05/5/12 by GradyPhilpott]

Well Col's get a pretty good retirement, why should he care after 20 he is out with good bennies and pay.