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BC Army Sgt. hit with mallet in hazing
Father of soldier wants stricter punishment
Updated: Friday, 31 Aug 2012, 11:22 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 31 Aug 2012, 10:32 PM EDT
BATTLE
CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) - A disturbing video taped at a U.S. military base
in North Carolina shows one soldier hitting another with a wooden
mallet, causing him to stumble backward and seconds later, collapse unto
the floor, hitting his head on a chair. Published : Friday, 31 Aug 2012, 10:32 PM EDT
That's where the video ends. But according to 22-year-old Sgt. Phillip Roach's father, Ken, the sergeant then had a seizure and had to be taken to a hospital for stitches.
Sgt. Roach flies a special type of plane, among other things, but is currently unable to do so because of the seizure, according to his father.
Sgt. Roach has been in the Army for five years and was recently promoted from specialist to sergeant. Being hit with the mallet was meant to be some sort of "initiation."
His father said both the soldier who struck his son with the wooden mallet and the one who filmed the incident are his son's superiors.
"He needs punishment. That was assault with a deadly weapon," he said. "He could've killed my son and he should pay for it."
After reaching out to the president's office, Roach's father received a letter back acknowledging the "unauthorized ceremony," calling it a "clear incident of hazing that caused injury to a great soldier."
The letter also confirms the soldier who hit him in that video has been reprimanded. But Ken Roach called it a "slap on the wrist" and said the punishment's not good enough.
"I'm not mad at the Army," Roach's father said. "I'm mad at the individuals who done it and who's trying to give a little slap on the wrist and say, 'It's good to go. Let's just sweep it under the rug. Send him somewhere else and be done with it.'"
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is also weighing in. Friday, he released a statement asking the Army to review this case.
"There's a possibility that he may never be able to clear medically and be able to do his job and they could medically discharge him just because of this stupid hazing," Roach's father said.
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Levin released the following statement Friday:
I never understand the whole hazing ritual,if you are that unpopular and need to get hurt for someone to like, you,then you need to get some self esteem ....
I mean its bad enough to join the army and get mortally wounded ,but this hazing shit amongst a bunch of dudes is really questionable ......
The army should fire this pricks ass and give him an honorable discharge ...yes its has been around forever ,but now media is everywhere .....
This young guy could have died then it would be murder .... oooopss!!!!!!!!!!!!! we forgot he is a soldier he signed up for god and country what pile of shit as far as i can see ...how does this whole thing pan out to be anything other than a sergeant getting his jollies but hitting someone weaker or less ranked than him ......a
oh yes here we go ...Its govt !!!! yes good old govt ..... yep there guys are in the govt....... we need to think govt....... its important that we have sergeants ,,, who go to war, and hit weak men who want to be liked ....i hope the guy who done this lets his kids see how much of a man father he is ..........
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