Posted on 07/05/2005 12:21:04 AM PDT by Former Military Chick
FORT KNOX, Ky. - An Army captain who oversaw a basic training platoon riddled with complaints of trainee abuse was sentenced to six months in jail by a military judge Tuesday.
Capt. William C. Fulton, 35, was convicted of dereliction of duty and false swearing after a two-day court martial.
Lt. Col. Richard Anderson, the military judge, declined to discharge Fulton from the Army, as prosecutors had requested.
"I'd like to apologize to all my soldiers for not being the leader they deserved," Fulton said before he was sentenced Tuesday.
Fulton, who oversaw three drill sergeants who were recently punished, is the highest ranking officer to be convicted in recent abuse allegations at Fort Knox. A fourth drill sergeant under Fulton's command is facing court martial in August.
The 25 trainees were members of the 1st Battalion, 81st Armor Regiment, who started basic training on Feb. 3. That day, prosecutors alleged privates were pushed, punched and slammed into walls as Fulton looked on.
Fulton was acquitted Tuesday of a charge of maltreatment. He was also granted a 45-day credit to his prison sentence.
Fulton's father, Robert C. Fulton, a retired Army major, declined to comment after the sentencing.
"I don't think I can say anything decent right now," said Robert Fulton, of Alvaton, Ky.
On Monday, William Fulton testified that he did not see any abuse of trainees in his company during the first day of basic training. But several of the former trainees, now Army privates, testified that they saw Fulton standing nearby as drill sergeants punched, kicked and threw the trainees into wall lockers.
"When a commander has that power - to prevent abuse - he must exercise that power," said Capt. Joseph Krill, who prosecuted Fulton.
"He just stood there," Pvt. Jason Steenberger said of Fulton, who was seen in a 25-minute video shown during the court martial. Fulton could be seen standing near the drill sergeants, who prosecutors said were violating a military code that prohibits them from aggressively touching trainees.
Steenberger said he was struck in the chest by a drill sergeant and slammed into a wall locker on Feb. 3 as Fulton looked on.
Army officials began investigating the alleged abuse in on Feb. 8 after a battalion commander received reports of abuse.
Krill said Fulton also lied to an Army investigator about his knowledge of the abuse.
Fulton's attorney, Capt. Paul Streetman, challenged the credibility of the privates' testimony. Streetman argued that in the first "chaotic" hours of basic training, Army privates would have a hard time recalling events and remembering faces that they saw for the first time.
"The environment of chaos made it difficult for them to perceive what was going on," Streetman said.
Fulton made a tearful statement to Anderson before the sentencing. Fulton said he is destitute after a divorce from his wife, is suffering from a hip injury and has been diagnosed with Lyme disease.
"I failed as a leader and I have failed my soldiers," Fulton said to Judge Anderson. But "I love soldiers. I love being a soldier. There's no doubt about it."
Anderson said he "sincerely considered" Fulton's statements before handing down the sentence.
Two drill sergeants formerly under Fulton's command, Staff Sgt. David H. Price and Staff Sgt. Ricky L. Stauffer, were found guilty of maltreatment earlier this year and had their rank reduced by one grade. Michael G. Rhoades, a former staff sergeant, was found guilty of mistreating trainees and impeding an investigation. He was discharged from the Army on bad conduct.
A fourth drill sergeant, Staff Sgt. Bryan G. Duncan, is facing a special court-martial in August.
It is the cover story about Captain William C. Fulton who was charged and tried for trainee abuse at Ft Knox. He was convicted of dereliction of duty and false swearing after a two-day court martial. Fulton had been acquitted of a maltreatment charge.
If I were to say I am seeing red right now, take my word I am and I am not having a heart attack, although if I were it would be understandable, I am sure you will agree after reading the article. Yes, I am lady, but, all bets are off.
As I said, this was in the Army Times, so I did a google and frankly all the other articles really to not convey what I am so PISSED off about. We cannot post the Army Times, but I did find a couple of articles.
CPT Fulton was a leader and should have conducted himself in such a manner. To lead by example and not to abuse that power.
The prosecutor said, "When a commander has that power -- to prevent abuse -- he must exercise that power," said CPT Joseph Krill, who prosecuted Fulton.
What I find most shocking and revolting that the LTC chose to not separate him from the Army but did double the time the prosecutor's asked for from 3 to 6 months. Here is what has me so angry:
Anderson rejected the recommendation that Fulton be discharged from the Army. He may be allowed to return to duty AFTER he serves his sentence.
Are these folks out of their fricken minds. Unbelievable. Utter none sense. As I grew up around the military, dad was a commander, he had to make tough choices when it came to those who broke the law. But dad said, those in the enlisted ranks tend to get a second chance but NOT OFFICERS. The reasons speak for themselves.
Are we that hard up for folks to join the military that we will keep this trash in the military. What type of example does this show. He should never even had the consideration of returning to active duty after serving his time. Frankly I think his fellow soldier's would have something to say about it.
This is just over the top, Fulton was given an opportunity to address the court, in his own words, I am penniless as a result of a divorce, injured while in Iraq and diagnosed with Lyme disease. The Judge deliberated for about an hour, said he "sincerely considered" Fulton's statements before handing down the sentence.
While I would have gladly stood with a sign welcoming Fulton to United States Military Barrack's he will not be serving his sentence here. Instead, he will serve it Knox. Because his sentence was not more than 6 months, he will not lose his pay or benefits while in jail.
He indeed was in track to a very successful career. He served in Iraq, received the Bronze Star and ArCom.
Have to say it again, what message does this send. I hope this is not the start of similar trial outcomes in the future, it would be a very sad day for the military, I am certain of that.
Army captain will serve six months in jail.
First, I hope all had a wonderful 4th of July.
Now, to a news item that has me seeing red and frankly disappointed in the military legal system, at least as it pertain's to this case.
If I am missing something, let me know cuz right now, once Fulton finished his sentence he should be separated from the United States Army.
PING
What I'm seeing red about is that this:
"privates were pushed, punched and slammed into walls"
is considered abuse.
I went to a military school when I was 13 that was tougher than that.
Sounds like you were abused in military school then. I went to boot camp, punching and slamming into walls would be considered abuse, pushing isn't a big deal though.
"He was a cruel man, but fair."
I went to Navy boot camp, where my biggest problem was not laughing. And OCS was even a bigger joke than that, except for the academics, which could be a bit challenging.
They are training people to go meet the enemy on the field of battle and kill him, and they've got their panties in a knot over a little grab-@ssing. It's insane, and it's not fair to the men who will be cast into battle without proper training.
On the other hand, the Captain will never get another command of anything, he will never get a promotion, and the Army will dismiss him in the normal course of events within 4 years.
One aspect of training is to learn to obey orders, which this captain failed to do.
Dishonorably discharged. I agree.
I just attended a 35 year reunion for an OCS class at Fort Benning. We spent three days reliving the leadership-building techniques employed then.
If, what these drill sergeants did consitutes abuse and cruelty, then what we endured in Infantry OCS in the late 60's would be considered war crimes.
We took it, kept our mouths shut, and soldiered on. Then, and again, we knew that where we were headed would be a damned sight tougher than what we were dealing with at the Benning School for Boys.
I can see the points argued by the folks who think the rough treatment is no big deal, but you know what?
The Capt. lied because he knew he was wrong, and that says all I need to know. He knew he was in the wrong from the get-go. Otherwise, with his military career already on the line, why didn't he stick out his chest proudly and claim he was "building soldiers like they did back when"...? Not even this Capt. had faith in what he was doing.
I have a hard time with what was apparently honorable service from him while in the Gulf. I still want to boot him out for conduct unbecoming for his lack of integrity alone.
I have a hard time walking through my lawn without getting a tick. As a result, I wear insect repellant, do my lawn work and when I'm done, put my clothes in the washer and take a shower. Preventing tick born parasitic infection has got to be a major problem in the military.
I agree he should have been DDed, but for different reasons.My main bitches with the CPT are that he LIED and was too weak to properly supervise his NCOs. That is unacceptable in an Officer. My main complaint wuth the Army is that he was treated differently than his NCOs, at least one of whom WAS DDed.Having said that, and having been, back in the day, an Army Officer, the giuy's done. They'll never let him near troops again, and his OERs from here out will guarantee he's never promoted again. He'll be passed over, and cut.
IMO he has no career in the Military following such discipline. Such time as he has remaining will probably be spent in some desk job with little relevance. I keep reminding myself that the Army has changed from when I
served-to today-even as much as it had from the brownshoe
Army to my Basic Training. Nothing released in your article to suggest motive. Nothing to suggest the abuse by the DI was overt when one considers their purpose is to transform civillians into a fighting force capable of
withstanding the worst the enemy can throw at them and then
rising to overcome that force in such a fashion that there will be no comeback.Was the recruit slammed into a wall locker just on some sadistic wim-or was there some unknown
and justifiable cause? Had the DI in quesiton served in
combat-or was a book NCO? The article is so constructed that
one is given only that information gaurenteed to incite.
Much like the Letter purportedly from a professor at WestPoint who wrote to have the policy of Exclusion ended
because he thinks homosexuals are just like anyone else.
Problem with that Army Times letter earlier this year --is
it is not verifed by West Point. An dI do recall the Army
Times had a reputation of being about as credible as the
supermarket tabloids in their reporting(but that was in a much different world)
"They are training people to go meet the enemy on the field of battle and kill him, and they've got their panties in a knot over a little grab-@ssing. It's insane, and it's not fair to the men who will be cast into battle without proper training."
I guess that's why American deaths in this war have exceeded 1,000,000...
Oh, they haven't? nevermind...
That's interesting, because I attended Infantry OCS at Benning in 65-66. At that time, a senior candidate or even a TAC had to ask if they could touch you to correct something amiss on your uniform. We had Blue Monday, the first day of training, which involved screaming and assorted verbal abuses, but no touching. I had to low crawl through a swamp with a foot locker on my back, eat pizza in a cold shower, run laps around the company area until I dropped...but no touching. The mental "abuse" is what brings out leadership, not the kicking, pushing, punching and shoving. Wonder what changed.
Good morning, Former Military Chick. I agree with your assessment.
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