For some reason, fellow Fort Bragg soldiers of Phillip Roach felt it necessary, even funny, to "promote" him with a mallot.
The disturbing video came to light Thursday, Aug. 30, when CBS affiliate WWMT's in Michigan aired the footage.
The video comes on the heels of a congressional investigation into hazing related suicides at the same Army installation. The Army reported to Ken Roach, Phillip's father, that the Sergeant First Class, a rank of E-7, shown in the video still holds that rank, but has been fined and transferred.
Roach didn't seem satisfied, telling CBS, "Just the Article 15 and a $1,000 fine, and the letter of reprimand. Yeah, it will stay in his record, but it will probably get put behind somewhere and after a year he'll be promoted."
Promotion hazings in the service are common, with Marines conducting something called "bloodstriping," to signify the earning of the red band up the trousers of enlisted Devil Dogs.
Jeff Schogol of Stars and Stripes writes, "Back in the day, newly minted corporals would also get their legs pummeled when they got their (blood) stripe, but that was mostly phased out after hazing gained public notoriety."
Ken Roach said the video doesn't show that his son went into seizures after a hard fall.
CBS also reported that Roach needed staples in his head, and that doctors said a blow like that could cause commotio cortis, a condition fatal upward of 65 percent of the time.
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