Magnifisyncopathological: Ralph Padula Returns to Ft Hood

April 11, 2003

Ralph Padula Returns to Ft Hood

Fort Hood soldier Ralph Padula returned to the post near Killeen on Wednesday morning after being absent without leave for nearly three weeks and seeking sanctuary in a Round Rock Catholic church.

Padula, 34, a specialist with a military police unit, said officials denied his request to be discharged as a conscientious objector. He fled the post on March 27.

His unit, the 720th Military Police Battalion, was deployed to Iraq last month, and Padula had said his commanding officers were planning to send him, too, despite his insistence that he was mentally unstable.

Fort Hood officials said Padula's case was being reviewed Wednesday.

"His claims of conscientious objector status are being evaluated," spokesman Dan Hassett said. "There is no decision as to whether he will face charges at any time."

He has the right to object to this war if he feels it is wrong. But I doubt he's kept many friends after behaving like this. A soldier who goes declares himself a conscientious objector, goes AWOL, and stays behind in Texas doesn't garner the trust of his fellow troops. Needless to say, his alleged mental problems don't help either. The military should just discharge him and move on.

Adding aggravation to insult, his unit is a military police unit, one of the most needed forces in Iraq now that the major fighting has ended. Someone should ask him how he feels shortening the manpower of his battalion helps Iraq, when that battalion is one of the forces most likely to do the most immediate good in-country.

Posted by Drizzten at April 11, 2003 02:11 PM

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Comments

You are absolutely correct in that it is his right to object to this war IF that were indeed what he was objecting to. Also, you have the right to have your opinion.

However, regarding friends, you are incorrect. Details in this case are clear. The military was, indeed, aware of his CO application long before the war - in fact, paperwork from over a year ago shows not only that they knew his intent but also supported it. Further, his fellow soldiers knew and supported it.

He has been a police officer, both military and civilian, all of his life. If there is any question in anyone's mind as to his mental state, one way to clarify might just be to send those people to Iraq, or even state side for that matter, and this soldier could be charged with the task of watching the back of those doing the questioning. Perhaps then they might understand.

Posted by: ME on April 14, 2003 07:58 AM

Well, I'm not aware of how long his application has been pending. If you are correct, then that does make an important difference. However, going AWOL rather than working it out can't be much of a confidence-builder.

Posted by: Drizz on April 15, 2003 01:42 AM

I do not understand... how can a man who is a conscientious objector join a volunteer military? It sounds rather like a vegan complaining about being asked to cut up meat after taking a job at a butchers.

Posted by: Perry de Havilland on April 16, 2003 11:16 AM

And of course you're right.

But a volunteer can object to a specific task that volunteer was asked to do, not because it's a task he didn't expect to do, but because he views the motives behind the task immoral. I'm not defending his choice, but I'm not certain he filed for CO because he didn't want to fight in a war, but because he felt this particular war shouldn't be fought. The only other news story which popped up after a Google News search was this one

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/
metropolitan/1862577

and it had nothing to say on why he wanted CO status.

But since he's a volunteer, that should be his right. Of course, he did sign a contract when he joined. I don't know the details of that, and they could be important.

Posted by: Drizz on April 17, 2003 12:30 AM

Here's the story. The soldier in question was in my unit at the time. He never filed for CO before hearing about news of the deployment. You can't join the Army as a CO. Only afterwards can you file then you will be discharged and barred from re-enlistment. He only claimed CO because he was a coward and scared to go while the rest of his 443 buddies left. The only reason he didn't go was for his safety. If he would have eventually ended up in Iraq, im sure the rest of the people in the unit would have made it known that they didn't like his little stunt. The Army in the end didn't court-martial him and let him go. Though what he did had a max sentence in a military prison to up to 20 years for deserting in a time of war and derelict of duty. Any questions you have about this certain case you can email me at the address provided.

Posted by: Corporal on October 22, 2003 02:39 PM

A freind of mine got arrested last week for being AWOL from his unit in virginia since september of 2003.He has not received his AIT or MOS.He did graduate from his basic training and didnt go back to his unit.I am wanting to know how much time will he have to serve????and what punishments will he have??Can you email me at LuvMeLotS2@aol.com with any kind of answers?

Posted by: Heather on February 9, 2004 10:39 PM