Thomas Pappas
Encyclopedia
Thomas M. Pappas is a former United States Army
colonel
and is currently a high level, civilian intelligence officer with the Army's Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Monroe, Virginia. He was the Brigade Commander of the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade in Iraq
during the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal.
Pappas was the senior military intelligence
officer at Abu Ghraib prison. In May 2005, he received non-judicial punishment
for two counts of dereliction of duty
under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
for failing to ensure that subordinates were adequately trained and supervised in application of interrogation procedures and for failing to obtain approval of superiors before authorizing the presence of military working dogs during prisoner interrogations.
in New Jersey
and received his Master of Science
degree from Central Michigan University
. He also has a Master of Arts
from the Naval War College
in Newport, Rhode Island
.
. Military pathologists later ruled the death a homicide. During Sabrina Harman's article 32 hearing
, Reese testified that Pappas commented about Manadel's death "I'm not going down for this alone."
Major General
George Fay
was appointed by General Paul Kern to conduct an investigation of prisoner abuse at the Joint Interrogation Debriefing Center (JIDC) in Abu Ghraib prison. His findings were released in August 2004 and were known as the Fay Report
. He concluded that Pappas failed to properly organize the JIDC and ensure it performed its mission within applicable regulations, failed to incorporate checks and balances to prevent abuses, and failed to ensure his personnel were properly trained for the mission. Fay also found that Pappas showed poor judgment by leaving Lieutenant Colonel
Steven L. Jordan
in charge of the JIDC during critical stages and improperly authorized the use of dogs during interrogations, failed to take action regarding International Committee of the Red Cross
reports of abuse, failed to take aggressive action against soldiers who violated procedures and the Geneva Conventions
, failed to report that his unit would be unable to accomplish its mission due to lack of manpower and resources and allowed his subordinates to be subjected to inordinate pressures from higher headquarters, and failed to establish appropriate coordination between military intelligence and military police which would have alleviated confusion surrounding the abusive environment at the prison. Fay acknowledged that a significant number of systemic failures had occurred during the course of the scandal but asserted this did not relieve Pappas of his command responsibilities and recommended that Pappas' chain of command take action accordingly.
In May 2005, Pappas received non-judicial punishment
for two counts of dereliction of duty
under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
for failing to ensure that subordinates were adequately trained and supervised in application of interrogation procedures and for failing to obtain approval of superiors before authorizing the presence of military working dogs during prisoner interrogations.
In November 2006, human rights attorney Wolfgang Kaleck
filed a high profile criminal complaint at the German
Federal Attorney General (Generalbundesanwalt) against Donald Rumsfeld
and several other US officials and officers including Thomas Pappas for their alleged involvement in human rights violations at the Abu Ghraib
prison.
However, legal scholars speculated shortly thereafter that the case had little chance of successfully making it through the German court system.
In May 2007, a book written by Stanford psychology professor Philip Zimbardo, The Lucifer Effect, questioned the mental stability of Pappas when the abuses at Abu Ghraib were committed, suggesting that after surviving a mortar attack killing Pappas's driver, Pappas exhibited erratic behavior.
In August 2007, Pappas was granted immunity in return for his testimony at the court-martial
of his subordinate Lieutenant Colonel
Steven L. Jordan
.
, the Bronze Star
, the Meritorious Service Medal
with six oak leaf cluster
s, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Service Medal
with one service star
, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
, the Southwest Asia Service Medal
with three service stars, the Armed Forces Service Medal
, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal
.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and is currently a high level, civilian intelligence officer with the Army's Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Monroe, Virginia. He was the Brigade Commander of the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
during the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal.
Pappas was the senior military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
officer at Abu Ghraib prison. In May 2005, he received non-judicial punishment
Nonjudicial punishment
Non-judicial punishment in the United States military, is a form of military justice authorized by Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Non-judicial punishment or "NJP" permits commanders to administratively discipline troops without a court-martial...
for two counts of dereliction of duty
Dereliction of duty
Dereliction of duty is a specific offense under United States Code Title 10,892. Article 92 and applies to all branches of the US military. A service member who is derelict has willfully refused to perform his duties or has incapacitated himself in such a way that he cannot perform his duties...
under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
Uniform Code of Military Justice
The Uniform Code of Military Justice , is the foundation of military law in the United States. It is was established by the United States Congress in accordance with the authority given by the United States Constitution in Article I, Section 8, which provides that "The Congress shall have Power . ....
for failing to ensure that subordinates were adequately trained and supervised in application of interrogation procedures and for failing to obtain approval of superiors before authorizing the presence of military working dogs during prisoner interrogations.
Education
Prior to entering the army, he attended Rutgers UniversityRutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and received his Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree from Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
. He also has a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from the Naval War College
Naval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
.
Role in Abu Ghraib
In June 2004, Captain Donald Reese, the Commanding Officer of the 372nd Military Police Company, testified that Colonel Pappas was the senior officer present during the death in custody of Manadel al-JamadiManadel al-Jamadi
Manadel al-Jamadi was an Iraqi prisoner who died in United States custody during interrogation at Abu Ghraib Prison on November 4, 2003. His name became known in 2004 when the Abu Ghraib scandal made news; his corpse packed in ice was the background for widely-reprinted photographs of grinning...
. Military pathologists later ruled the death a homicide. During Sabrina Harman's article 32 hearing
Article 32 hearing
An Article 32 hearing is a proceeding under the United States Uniform Code of Military Justice, similar to that of a preliminary hearing in civilian law. Its name is derived from UCMJ section VII Article An Article 32 hearing is a proceeding under the United States Uniform Code of Military...
, Reese testified that Pappas commented about Manadel's death "I'm not going down for this alone."
Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
George Fay
George Fay
George Fay, while an officer in the United States Army, was the lead author of an investigation into the scandal at Abu Ghraib, more commonly known as the Fay Report....
was appointed by General Paul Kern to conduct an investigation of prisoner abuse at the Joint Interrogation Debriefing Center (JIDC) in Abu Ghraib prison. His findings were released in August 2004 and were known as the Fay Report
Fay Report
A report commonly known as The Fay Report was appointed to look into the scandal at Abu Ghraib.General Paul Kern was the appointing authority for the report....
. He concluded that Pappas failed to properly organize the JIDC and ensure it performed its mission within applicable regulations, failed to incorporate checks and balances to prevent abuses, and failed to ensure his personnel were properly trained for the mission. Fay also found that Pappas showed poor judgment by leaving Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
Steven L. Jordan
Steven L. Jordan
Lieutenant Colonel Steven L. Jordan is a Civil Affairs officer with the United States Army Reserve. He volunteered to return to active duty to support the war in Iraq, and with a background in military intelligence, was made the director of the Joint Interrogation Debriefing Center at Abu Ghraib...
in charge of the JIDC during critical stages and improperly authorized the use of dogs during interrogations, failed to take action regarding International Committee of the Red Cross
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...
reports of abuse, failed to take aggressive action against soldiers who violated procedures and the Geneva Conventions
Geneva Conventions
The Geneva Conventions comprise four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for the humanitarian treatment of the victims of war...
, failed to report that his unit would be unable to accomplish its mission due to lack of manpower and resources and allowed his subordinates to be subjected to inordinate pressures from higher headquarters, and failed to establish appropriate coordination between military intelligence and military police which would have alleviated confusion surrounding the abusive environment at the prison. Fay acknowledged that a significant number of systemic failures had occurred during the course of the scandal but asserted this did not relieve Pappas of his command responsibilities and recommended that Pappas' chain of command take action accordingly.
In May 2005, Pappas received non-judicial punishment
Nonjudicial punishment
Non-judicial punishment in the United States military, is a form of military justice authorized by Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Non-judicial punishment or "NJP" permits commanders to administratively discipline troops without a court-martial...
for two counts of dereliction of duty
Dereliction of duty
Dereliction of duty is a specific offense under United States Code Title 10,892. Article 92 and applies to all branches of the US military. A service member who is derelict has willfully refused to perform his duties or has incapacitated himself in such a way that he cannot perform his duties...
under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
Uniform Code of Military Justice
The Uniform Code of Military Justice , is the foundation of military law in the United States. It is was established by the United States Congress in accordance with the authority given by the United States Constitution in Article I, Section 8, which provides that "The Congress shall have Power . ....
for failing to ensure that subordinates were adequately trained and supervised in application of interrogation procedures and for failing to obtain approval of superiors before authorizing the presence of military working dogs during prisoner interrogations.
In November 2006, human rights attorney Wolfgang Kaleck
Wolfgang Kaleck
Wolfgang Kaleck is a German civil rights attorney. He is also the General Secretary for the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights...
filed a high profile criminal complaint at the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Federal Attorney General (Generalbundesanwalt) against Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
and several other US officials and officers including Thomas Pappas for their alleged involvement in human rights violations at the Abu Ghraib
Abu Ghraib
The city of Abu Ghraib in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq is located just west of Baghdad's city center, or northwest of Baghdad International Airport. It has a population of 189,000. The old road to Jordan passes through Abu Ghraib...
prison.
However, legal scholars speculated shortly thereafter that the case had little chance of successfully making it through the German court system.
In May 2007, a book written by Stanford psychology professor Philip Zimbardo, The Lucifer Effect, questioned the mental stability of Pappas when the abuses at Abu Ghraib were committed, suggesting that after surviving a mortar attack killing Pappas's driver, Pappas exhibited erratic behavior.
In August 2007, Pappas was granted immunity in return for his testimony at the court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
of his subordinate Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
Steven L. Jordan
Steven L. Jordan
Lieutenant Colonel Steven L. Jordan is a Civil Affairs officer with the United States Army Reserve. He volunteered to return to active duty to support the war in Iraq, and with a background in military intelligence, was made the director of the Joint Interrogation Debriefing Center at Abu Ghraib...
.
Decorations
During his career, Colonel Pappas was awarded the Legion of MeritLegion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
, the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
, the Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
with six oak leaf cluster
Oak leaf cluster
An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...
s, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
with one service star
Service star
A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...
, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
, the Southwest Asia Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal
The Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
with three service stars, the Armed Forces Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
The Armed Forces Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created on January 11, 1996 by President Bill Clinton under...
, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
The Armed Forces Reserve Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that has existed since 1950. The medal recognizes service performed by the Reserve and National Guard forces of the United States of America....
.
See also
- 205th Military Intelligence Brigade