How Did We Get Here?

Perhaps one of my guilty pleasures has been watching "The Law And Order" franchise for the last 25 years. With different variations on the theme, the series pits New York's finest against an array of crimes and legal battles. The last series standing is "Law And Order SVU": a series devoted to dealing with the most vile offenders of society, the rapist.

"In the criminal justice system---sexually based offenses are considered to be especially heinous---"

That's the opening narrative to "Law And Order: Special Victims Unit." What was most notable about this show was a recent episode called "Military Justice." A female Coast Guard officer was arrested for being drunk and disorderly. In the investigation it turns out that she had been sexually assaulted. With The SUV Team going into action, arrests were made of 3 other officers who were at the bar on the night of the incident.  If you are "spoiler alert allergic," then I'm sorry to tell you, that it's not my job to make you happy that way.

Law & Order SVU Military Justice

The show was compelling to me because as you watch it, you see the military go into action doing damage control, including arresting the victim for adultery. (Even though she was not married and one of the accused officers is.) You later find that her commanding officer set up the attack and took part in it. The scenario in many ways is credible. And it's interesting to note that all of these officers were found guilty in a civilian trial. I thought "Nice! But we're not there yet where the civilian authorities can bring a military incident to trial, and get justice for the victim.

The year is about to end with the Military Justice Improvement Act ready to be voted on. The History of sexual assaults is long, and no doubt runs farther back than the Tailhook Scandal.

1991 US Navy

At the time it was considered to be the worse case of sexual harassment in the Navy's history. So-called "officers and gentlemen" were part of a situation at the Las Vegas convention that elevated from a PR nightmare for the Navy to a full blown media scandal. Full of stories, wild sex acts in the pool area, and a gauntlet where many Navy and civilian women were groped, their clothes torn off, and in some cases sexually assaulted. One of 2 women getting off the elevator of the third floor of the Hilton was Lt. Paula Coughlin. As she tried to make her way down the hallway about a hundred drunken officers tore at her clothes, grabbing her breasts and buttocks. She was knocked to the floor, and kicking, punching and biting, she managed to make it to safety. Later Paula reported the situation to her boss who replied, "That's what you get when you go down the hallway full of drunk aviators." The Navy at first wanted to label the situation as "misbehavior" according to Barbara Pope, former Assistant Secretary of the Navy. In what looked to be a military white wash Paula Coughlin said "enough!"  She went on National TV demanding that her attackers be brought to justice. Her appearances on National TV made her something of a celebrity to the female officers, but a whistle blower to her male counter parts.

LT. Paula Coughlin US Navy

"I had to walk into a room full of Naval aviators that felt like I had ruined their tribe. I had to  listen to a live talk show that talked about how I had ruined the Navy and what a slut I was. just treading water, and trying not to kill myself." -Paula Coughlin

After a tell-all investigation was conducted, and 90 victims were discovered, and 140 officers were involved, no one was prosecuted. Soon afterwards Paula left the Navy.

1996 US Army

The Aberdeen Proving Grounds was the focus of a sex scandal which involved 30 recruits. Some of the complaints ranged from unwanted touching, sexual advances, threats, intimidation, rape, and forcible sodomy.

"Aberdeen Proving Grounds is a location where Non- Commissioned Officers were assaulting and raping trainees, and passing the name of the person they had assaulted to another NCO" - US Army Retired Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy

Obviously because of the "Tailhook Scandal" The Army attempted to give out justice to 2 of the NCO's involved in the complaint. That is down from 19 of the original NCO's named in the original complaint.  Of course the brass at the Pentagon denounced the scandal as being "unacceptable" and they had "Zero Tolerance" for such behavior. All in all, 3 men at Aberdeen, Captain Derrick Robertson and SGTs Delmar Simpson and Nathanael Beech were accused of participating. The heaviest punishment was brought against Simpson. He was found guilty of 18 counts of  sexual assault plus 29 other offenses and sentenced to 25 years in military prison.

2003 US Air Force

US Air Force Academy

An Email made its way to The Secretary of the Air Force, The Chief of Staff, plus congressmen and the media. It alleged that there was a significant sexual assault problem at the prestigious Air Force Academy. And that complaints of the assaults were falling on deaf ears of the academy's leaders. An investigation was ensued, and the findings were that "of 659 women enrolled at the Academy at the time, 70 percent of the 579 women at the academy alleged they had been the victims of sexual harassment, of which 22 percent said they experienced "pressure for sexual favors. Rate of Rape at Academy Is Put at 12% in Survey". The New York Times. 28 August 2003. Retrieved 28 March 2005.

According to several sources, little had been done to correct the problem. Although it seemed that those who were disciplined were defined as scapegoats. Which included a new commander who was forced to retire only 2 months after the scandal broke out. The alleged attackers had since graduated from the academy and there not enough sufficient evidence for a court marshal.

2005 US Army- Iraq

PFC Laverne L. Johnson

 Lavena was a bright and cheerful young woman who proudly enlisted in the Army. The last conversation her parents had with her was July 17, 2005. "Looks like I'm going to be home for Christmas. Don't decorate the tree, until I get home." Two days later at 7:30 in the morning, the door bell rang. It was an official messenger from Army HQ.

"He stepped into our foyer and said 'This morning Lavena L. Johnson died of self-inflicted wounds.' I was overwhelmed. I fell back on the steps--- Linda started bellowing so loud--- it was a horrible echo--- it was so loud." -John Johnson

John turned to the messenger, and questioned, "Are you saying my daughter's death was a suicide?"  The messenger answered that the incident was still under investigation. The Johnsons retrieving their daughter's body from the airport, felt the irony of seeing Lavena in a pine box draped with the American flag. Linda Johnson recalls "---the last time I was here, she's running with open arms--- 'Hey Mom!' ---and this time she's in a box!" After a full report the Army ruled that she died of a self inflicted wound. Immediately red flags went up for the Johnsons. A self inflicted gun shot wound from an M-16 rifle? "Impossible!" they both said. "No way!" Further investigations would reveal Lavena's nose was broken, she had a dislocated shoulder, teeth were missing as though someone had brutally beaten her.

The worse of it all was her vaginal area was surgically removed. The pictures of the tragedy showed that Lavena was found in a contractors tent instead of her own quarters. And someone had tried to burn the tent down with her in it. After 6 years of a big, fat cover-up the Army still refuses to investigate any farther than their original conclusions. But the Johnsons fight on.

The Story of Lavena Johnson Courtesy of "Protect Our Defenders" 

2006 US Marine Corps

Only the best and the brightest are admitted to Marine Barracks in Washington DC. "The Best of The Best" was the Marine credo. And yet the tarp was yanked of a nest of sexual harassment, and rape that reached the media. What made this so shocking was Marine Barracks is just down the street from the Capitol. This Marine Barracks showcases the might and discipline of America's finest, handling everyone from the President, to dignitaries, plus security at the White House, and the splendor of the Silent Drill Team.

Ellie Helmer

Being the "Best of The Best" apparently comes with plenty of ego, and the tenacity to believe that female officers are the object for sexual harassment and assault. Two cases of this outrageous behavior are showcased in the documentary, The Invisible War. Where on July 16, 2006 LT. After The Silent Drill routine, and several rounds of drinks a the local pub, Ellie Helmer had been coerced by her company commander to come to his office because he need to talk to Helmer about military related business. After reaching his office the commander attacked the female Marine, knocking her unconscious. When she came to and wearing his underwear she knew that she had been violated. After reporting the rape, NCIS could not find any evidence to substantiate her story. In return LT. Ellie Helmer was under investigation for public intoxication, and conduct unbecoming an officer. This was an obvious misogynistic cover up and smear campaign by the top brass again to silence another victim of sexual battery.

Arianna Klay

Marine Barracks is also known for it's drinking culture. Following anther Silent Drill Team ceremony in 2010, all Marines were ordered to "Happy Hour" after midnight which ended at 2 in the morning.  Lt. Arianna Klay was brutally attacked by a superior officer, and his friend. The assailants threaten to kill her if she told anyone what happened.

"I think the thing that makes me the most angry was not even the rape in itself--- it's the commanders who were complicit in covering up everything that happened." -Arianna Klay

Although both assaults were reported, no one was ever convicted of these crimes.

Today

After living through 25 years of Military Scandals both in the media, and those gone unreported it is apparent that enough is far beyond enough! There have been scores of hearings on Sexual Assault in the Military.

• The answers from high ranking officials are: we're implementing changes now.
•  Sexual Assault is unacceptable in the military.
• More victims need to report the crime to us.
• We have Zero Tolerance for Sexual Assault  

So now our top brass of the military have the gall to cry foul when the victims, advocates, veterans, and some senators have proposed a bill that would remove commanders as convening authorizes, over sexual assault cases. They say that commanders must have complete authority over their command in all matters, or it will break down discipline and order. But when you have a reported 26,000 cases of rape since 2012, where is the discipline and order? Where was it when men and women were being violated, their careers put in jeopardy, and in the worse cases such as Laverna Johnson silenced forever?  We can't wait forever for this scourge to be eradicated for our military. We give you our potentially best and brightest, and you return them to us broken; without hope, and even some with life.

L-R Sen R. Blumenthal, A. Klay
Sen. K. Gillibrand Sen. D Heller, K.Webber

That is why the Military Justice Improvement Act is needed. It doesn't take away authority from the commanders. It just empowers the victims to have fair justice in this democracy. And so as you read this blog, whoever you are, please contact your senators. Do it through email, Facebook, or Twitter, but do it now. We can't keep sending our future generations into a torrent of a destructive organization, that is beyond broken, and beyond repair. We can only hope it will give the "Law And Order" needed for our victims of sexual assault.

Source for this blog come from:
Protect Our Defenders: http://www.ProtectOurDefenders.com
The Invisible War: http://invisiblewarmovie.com/
Law And Order SVU: 2013 NBC/Universal Television

Next week: Male Survivors of Sexual Assault In The Military