Cleared soldier
still set on task

The Waianae grad's sister
describes his continued resolve

The Waianae soldier who last week was cleared of mistreating a Taliban prisoner in Afghanistan still wants to remain in uniform and continue the fight against terrorism, according to his sister.

Sgt. Joseph Simpliciano, who enlisted in the Army seven years after graduating from Waianae High School in 1993, told his sister, Kim Santiago, that his problems with the Army haven't changed his plans.

She said Simpliciano, who fought in Iraq from February to August 2003, told her that before he entered Iraq he "made a decision and a promise" that he would stay in the Army.

Simpliciano, 28, and Staff Sgt. Marcus Edwards, 30, were charged in January for allegedly abusing a Taliban prisoner Nov. 2 at Forward Operating Base Cobra in Afghanistan. The two are with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry.

They hired civilian attorney Eric Seitz, who flew to Kandahar from Hawaii in late February to represent them before an Army hearing, because they believed they were not getting adequate military legal advice.

This week Maj. Gen. Eric Olson, commander of the 25th Infantry Division, who also commanded Combined Joint Task Force 76 until he relinquished the job Tuesday in Kandahar, dismissed the charges against both soldiers, according to Lt. Col. Gerald O'Hara, Army spokesman in Kandahar.

"All allegations of detainee abuse are taken very seriously," O'Hara said in an e-mail to the Star-Bulletin. "There is zero tolerance for mistreatment of any persons from members of CJTF-76. The incident involving Simpliciano and Edwards was fully investigated, under Article 32, Uniform Code of Military Justice."

O'Hara said the two soldiers are expected to return to Schofield Barracks with the 25th Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade. They were sent to Afghanistan a year ago.

Santiago said her brother told her that the case has not changed his perception of the Army and that he understands "that every tree has its bad apples" and he won't let them ruin his career as a soldier.

Simpliciano, a squad leader of a 60 mm mortar section, told his sister that he is "glad that this case is resolved."

He has said that he re-enlisted in January 2004 because he wanted to be assigned to the 25th Division's 2nd Brigade, which will be converted to be one of the Army's new Stryker brigades.

Santiago said she never believed the Army's charges because "my brother just isn't that type of guy. He's very shy and modest."

She said her brother told her that there were more than a dozen soldiers present when the Taliban prisoner was interrogated. Her brother's first contact with the suspect was when he first searched him at the entrance to the forward operating base, she said. He later escorted the suspect back to a holding area, she said.

Simpliciano was a gate guard when the alleged beating occurred, his sister said.

She said her brother's unit was briefed on Nov. 1 that the suspected Taliban -- a contractor working on building walls at the base -- was plotting to attack it.

Simpliciano has said it was a local interpreter who accused him of taking part in the beating and torturing the prisoner. Simpliciano said the interpreter had been accused of stealing soldiers' property and lied to protect himself and get himself a deal.

During last month's Article 32 hearing, which is similar to a preliminary hearing in the civilian court system, Seitz said the suspect and the interpreter provided conflicting testimony and couldn't identify the soldiers.