On August 8th 1st
LT Jennifer Dyer was attacked and raped and has stated it was 1st LT
Michael Hall of the 278th Regimental Combat Team at
Camp Shelby
,
MS
. This is where LT Dyer along with her unit, the 250th Signal
Battalion, N.J. National Guard had been sent for pre-Iraq deployment training.
Jennifer could be your
daughter; your sister; your fiancée; your wife; your neighbor. A degree in
Political Science, working for a career in law enforcement and serving her
country in uniform, she is without a doubt, the “all-American girl” so to
speak. All of that has been turned up-side down because of an animal posing as a
man, 1st LT Michael Hall, stands accused of her rape. Jennifer is as
much a casualty of war as anyone can be—only she was “wounded” by what was
supposed to be one of her own, someone wearing the same uniform.
After reporting the rape the
Army took Jennifer to a civilian Hospital emergency room for treatment, after
which she was held in seclusion by the Army for three days. During this time
military CID agent Eric Barreras informed Jennifer of her Miranda rights and
then proceeded to threaten her with criminal prosecution for filing a false
report. Further victimize the victim, that’s the Army way. And this nation has
the audacity to talk about the “rule of law.”
The Army took her to the
Hospital and now the Hospital is billing her for the charges as the Army has
refused to pay the bill according to Jennifer in a previous conversation.
Additionally, the Army told Jennifer she was to take a lie detector test which
she agreed to readily. When Michael Hall refused to take the same lie detector
test, the Army told Jennifer her test would not be necessary, but, I’m getting
ahead of myself.
It wasn’t until
Jennifer’s fiancée, Edward, who is a New Jersey police officer, arrived at
Camp Shelby on August 13th and took her off base was she finally able
to get some semblance of counseling and additionally medical treatment. The Army
had given her none and had not set any appointments for her even with the base
medical people. And it’s a good thing Edward did get her some additional
medical care—it turns out that her accused rapist, Michael Hall, is Herpes
Type 2 positive, and unfortunately, now, too, is Jennifer.
Under pressure, the Army gave
Jennifer two weeks leave to go home and “get over it.” In a phone
conversation with Edward a couple of weeks ago, he told me how when Jennifer
called
Camp
Shelby
to request an extension of her leave, so she would be able to continue with the
counseling and medical treatment she is now receiving, Lt Col. Powell, the base
psychiatrist, she told Jennifer that “two weeks was a generous amount of time
for leave” and that “it was enough time for the victim of such a crime to be
recovered and returned to duty.”
Right now Jennifer is listed
AWOL. Her attorney, Fredrick Klepp, klepplaw@aol.com,
is being stonewalled by the Army about Jennifer. The Army has demanded Jennifer
return to
Camp
Shelby
, the place where she was not only raped but where her accused rapist, Michael
Hall, is still running around as if nothing ever happened. There is something
terribly wrong with this picture!
Everyone involved with her
care all say the same thing, it would be an un-mitigated disaster for her to
have to return to
Camp
Shelby
. A compassionate transfer request by Jennifer was denied by the command of the
278th Regimental Combat Team, to which Jennifer is still attached.
Anyone in their right mind and with just a modicum of compassion would
understand that a transfer out of the 278th is warranted.
She should not be in this
position in the first place as she had resigned her commission in October of
2003. But due to a failure on the Army’s part, her paperwork had not been
completely processed and she was called back to active status in March of 2004.
What compounds this situation
Jennifer now finds herself confronted with is the “Feres Doctrine” which
VERPA—the Veterans Equal Rights Protection Advocacy, Inc.—has been fighting
for over ten years. This has turned all military personnel into second class
citizens as it prevents those in uniform, and veterans, from bringing action
against the military for harm done—you may find detailed information on the
Feres Doctrine at VERPA’s web site http://www.verpa.org/
According to Byron Holcomb,
an
Oregon
attorney, it was his case “Buckmiller v.
U.S.
” “in 1983 that first brought to the attention of the public the problem of
rape in the military. The Army relied on [the] Feres [Doctrine] saying that rape
was one of those incidents of military service. Until congress repeals Feres and
particularly this abomination, rape will continue to be a significant problem of
our military.” He goes on to say, “this will change when congress changes
the laws and every congressman should be made aware of this.” I am in total
agreement with Mr. Holcomb on this.
In the meantime we need to
give our support to this young woman, we must become the “cavalry to the
rescue.” We can help her by making calls and sending letters—actually as
many as needed for as long as needed. What has happened to Jennifer is an
outrage, what the Army is now doing to her is a complete act of betrayal.
Something is terribly wrong when citizens have to try and force the military to
treat a victim of a crime, rape, with the respect, compassion, and just
treatment she deserves.
When considering this, ask
yourself this, what if this were your wife, your sister, your fiancée, your
daughter—what would you do to help her, to protect her, and then take it from
there.
Below are some of the numbers
that should be called. If and when calling be sure to be as polite and courteous
as possible, but be firm in expressing your opinion at the treatment Jennifer is
receiving. This is an opportunity to truly support the troops by rallying to
Jennifer.
Also, as this is on-going,
there will be updates made public on a continuous basis until this is resolved.
I would start with Capt Price that is who Mr. Klepp has talked with to no avail.
Col. Powell’s number is listed also. At the end of the list of names and
numbers, is Jennifer’s statement about what happened and this whole sorry
chain of events.
Capt Price, Staff Judge
Advocate Office
Camp Shelby
,
MS
601-467-1990
I gathered as many numbers as
I could. If I am able to get any more, I will send them to you.
Thanks for your time and
efforts, I hope this is helpful.
·
Jen
278th
Regimental Command:
Regimental Commander:
Colonel Adams
(Unable to get a direct
extension, but can be contacted via administrative staff)
(601)558-4196
Regimental Executive Officer:
Lieutenant Colonel
Honeycutt
(601)588-2782
278th
Regimental Headquarters Headquarters Company:
Company Commander:
Captain Ray
(601)558-4501
Camp
Shelby
Medical Facility:
Psychiatrist:
Colonel Sara Powell
(601)467-1107
(601)558-2547
Medical Deployment Officer:
Major Sullivan
(601)297-4229
Senator
John H. Adler,
Democrat
District Office: 1916 Route 70
East,
Suite
3
,
Cherry Hill
,
NJ
08003
(856)-489-3442
And here is a listing of
New Jersey
newspapers if you would care to write or call them as well.
The
Star Ledger
1 Star Ledger Plaza
Newark
,
N.J.
07102
1-888-782-7533
This is the paper of
record in
New Jersey
The Courier Post
301 Cuthbert Boulevard
Cherry Hill
,
N.J.
08002
(856)663-6000
The
Burlington
County
Times
4284 North U.S. Highway
130
Willingboro
,
N.J.
08046
(609) 871-8000
The
Gloucester
County
Times
309 South Broad Street
Woodbury
,
N.J.
08096
(856) 845-3300
Philadelphia
Inquirer
53 Haddonfield Road
Cherry Hill
,
N.J.
08002
(856) 779-3840
New Jersey
Office
The Press of
Atlantic City
11 Devins Lane
Pleasantvill
,
N.J.
08232
(609) 292-4935
My name is Jennifer Dyer, and I
am a 1st Lieutenant in the 250th Signal Battalion of the
New Jersey Army National Guard. I
am currently on mobilization orders and attached to the 278th
Regimental Combat Team in
Camp Shelby
,
Mississippi
in preparation for deployment to
Iraq
.
In October of 2003, I had
resigned my commission with the National Guard to further my career in law
enforcement. However, in March of
2004, I received notification from the military that my resignation was not
fully processed by my unit and that I needed to return to duty for deployment.
The validity of this recall was highly questionable and I requested a
Congressional inquiry through the office of Congressman Frank LoBiondo.
Despite the promise of my unit and Battalion Commander, Lieutenant
Colonel Loretta Thomas, to proceed with my resignation and separation, I was
placed on mobilization orders and relocated to
Camp Shelby
,
MS
for training. The Congressional
inquiry has yet to be successful in even receiving a valid response from the New
Jersey Army National Guard in reference to my situation. Due to the lack of
response and cooperation from the military in this matter, I had resolved to
perform my duties with the military with little hope that a resolution would be
reached prior to my deployment overseas.
My recent situation has become
much more grave and cannot be ignored nor brushed aside as my initial complaint
had been. On
August 8, 2004
, a fellow Lieutenant at
Camp
Shelby
sexually assaulted me. I
immediately reported the incident and received emergency room treatment.
Following my discharge from the hospital, I was secluded in a motel room
on
Camp
Shelby
where I was unable to make or receive phone calls for approximately two days.
During this time, I endured an approximately 5 hour interview conducted
by CID Agent Eric Barreras (334-763-0684).
I was then told that I was not to speak about the incident to anyone
until the investigation was complete. I was not told how long the investigation
would last. I was able to secure my cellular phone on August 10th when
I received a phone call from my fiancé who told me at that time that he had
been notified of the details of the assault by the investigating authorities.
I spent the next two and a half
days secluded in my room with no follow-up care or means of communication other
than my personal cellular phone which receives spotty, at best, reception at
Camp
Shelby
. I was not contacted by any
medical or counseling services during this time. On August 12th, I
was again contacted by Agent Barreras who read to me my Miranda rights before he
proceeded to threaten me with charges of making a false police report. He
berated me for approximately three hours as to whether or not my report was
factual. I was made to feel as if I
should have never reported the incident at all and that I was the offending
party as opposed to the victim in this case.
Following this interview, I
discovered, through unofficial channels, that the offender had a history of
genital herpes. Extremely distraught and with no support to turn to, I then
immediately proceeded to the Troop Medical Clinic on Camp Shelby to inquire
about STD / pregnancy testing and treatment.
I spoke with Lieutenant Colonel Powell (601-467-1107), the post
psychiatrist. She stated that I
would have to wait two weeks for a follow-up medical exam and inquired as to the
progress of my counseling. When I informed her that no counseling had been
scheduled by the hospital, only then did she provide me with an appointment to
attend the local civilian operated counseling center in
Hattiesburg
,
MS
(601-264-7777).
On August 13th, my
fiancé arrived at
Camp
Shelby
and immediately took me to the local counseling session as well as assisted in
arranging a medical exam through a civilian health provider, the Women’s
Health
Center
in
Hattiesburg
,
MS
(601-544-4550), since the military was unwilling to promptly assist me in this
matter. The blood test taken at this facility confirmed the presence of Herpes
Type 2.
With the assistance of the 278th
RCT chaplain, Major Cruz (601-467-2016), and the recommendation from Lt Colonel
Powell, I was granted “at least two weeks” convalescent leave to begin on
August 16th, but told that if I wanted to return home to my family
for this time, that I would have to pay for the airline ticket.
This leave was approved by Lieutenant Colonel Waddle, the Deputy
Executive Officer of the 278th Regiment, and granted by Captain Ray
(601-558-4513), 278th Regimental Headquarters Troop Commander with
the stipulation that I telephonically check in every day.
I returned to New Jersey on the
night of August 16th and was contacted on the afternoon of the 17th
by a Camp Shelby medical official, Major Sullivan (601-297-4229), who began to
question why I was not already in counseling in New Jersey and inquired as to
“what took me so long” to begin the counseling.
That afternoon, I had contacted the Atlantic County Women’s Center
(609-646-6767) and was told that the earliest appointment available was on
Monday, August 23rd. I
had also contacted my local medical physician, Dr. Gewirtz (609-625-1600) and
was able to receive an appointment for the 23rd. I attended the
counseling and the doctor’s appointment.
I am scheduled for a necessary medical follow-up for lab work and
possible immediate treatment and was told to call again to schedule another
appointment for counseling. I did
so and was scheduled for the next available counseling session to be held on the
following Monday, August 30 and the next available medical visit for Wednesday,
September 1st. I
explained to the doctor that my leave was scheduled to expire prior to that and
he stated that it was only logical to extend the leave time and or transfer me
to a local duty station or be discharged so that I may receive continued and
appropriate care. He also annotated
in my medical file the importance of continued emotional counseling.
I have since requested an
extension of my convalescent leave to accommodate the scheduled treatment and
inquired as to the possibility of a transfer from the unit and location in which
the assault occurred. Both of these
requests have been vehemently denied and I have been ordered to report to
Camp
Shelby
for duty no later than
Monday, August 30, 2004
. When contacted in reference to the need for an extension and my emotional and
mental inability to return to the scene of the crime at this time, I was told by
Lt. Colonel Powell that two weeks was a generous amount of time for leave and
that it is enough time for a victim of such a crime to be recovered and returned
to duty. She stated that within 2-6
weeks, I would be fine and that she could not extend my leave beyond the two
weeks. I then made it very clear
that I would not be able to perform my duties in my current condition and
inquired as to the possibility of a separation from the military.
Lt. Colonel Powell then told me that my situation did not warrant a
separation and that I needed to contact Major Sullivan in reference to my status
for deployment.
Upon contacting Major Sullivan,
I was told that I had no options other than to return to duty at
Camp
Shelby
and that they had no flexibility in this matter.
She stated that she is a medical doctor and that I am fine. She also told
me that if I did not return to
Camp
Shelby
by Monday, she would have the Military Police arrest me and place me in prison.
She then referred me to my Commander and stated that any further
decisions would have to be made by the command. I then contacted the Regimental
Headquarters Troop Commander, Captain Ray who stated that he was only able to
follow the recommendations of Lt.
Colonel Powell and that he did not have the authority to extend my leave.
Following my conversation with
Captain Ray, I received a phone call back from Major Sullivan who continued to
address me in a very rude and uncaring manner and told me that if I did not
accept the order to return to duty as usual at Camp Shelby that she could have
me committed to the mental health hospital in Fort Gordon, Georgia.
I felt that this was an unacceptable response from a doctor toward
someone who is a rape victim and I told Major Sullivan that I felt it
inappropriate that she insinuates that I need inpatient psychiatric care.
At that time, Major Sullivan hung up on me and did not contact me again.
Later that same evening, I
received a phone call from another Lieutenant Colonel who stated that he was the
3rd Squadron Commander and was filling in for the Regimental
commander in his absence. He stated
that he had been asked by the chaplain to call me.
He then proceeded to tell me that there was to be no flexibility on the
part of the command in reference to an extension of my leave time and that it
was time that I “face my fear” and return to
Camp
Shelby
. He continued to remind me that if
I did not return to duty by August 30, that I would be carried as AWOL and that
I would be prosecuted and possibly imprisoned.
I again told him of my fear of returning to such an environment and the
devastation that I felt about being forced to perform my duties in a location
where I had been assaulted. He told
me my only option was to return to duty.
On
August 27, 2004
, I contacted the office of Senator Frank Lautenburg for assistance in this
matter. His office contacted the
National Guard Bureau, who stated that it was not their responsibility to deal
with the matter and that any inquiries should be referred to the Department of
the Army. It is my understanding
that the Department of the Army referred his office back to the New Jersey Army
National Guard. I have since contacted Major Brown (601-558-2190) from the Judge
Advocates Office at
Camp Shelby
,
MS
who stated that he referred my situation to the 278th Regimental JAG
office and that they would be in contact with Lt. Colonel Waddle in an attempt
to at least extend my leave time to avoid being listed as AWOL.
I have not yet received a response.
The Atlantic County Women’s
Counseling Service has attempted to contact Maj. Sullivan in an attempt to
lawfully resolve my continued needs but the negative response received from them
prompted the counselor to advise me to seek outside legal assistance.
I am contacting you, requesting
any assistance that you may be able to provide in this matter.
I am currently receiving the medical and emotional care that is necessary
for me to resume my life and return to a fully functional status without the
nightmares, flashbacks and fears that I face on a daily basis.
I have a very loving and supportive family that has made it possible for
me to begin to pull my life back together.
However, the military has made this struggle nothing short of horrifying.
I initially received no medical or emotional support from them and
continue on a daily basis to experience the cold and callous treatment of a
group of individuals who care more about the number of boots that they can
deploy than the best interests of the human beings that are affected.
I have been nothing but
completely cooperative with the military in all matters for the past 8 years of
my life, to include all that was required of me over the past three weeks, and I
have recently been met with complete resistance and an unprecedented lack of
caring and understanding. This
experience has made me an emotional wreck and I shudder to think of what further
damage the military is capable of inflicting upon me.
Please assist me in regaining control of my life, emotions and sanity.
I fear that a return to the military environment at this time will be the
virtual end of my life. It will do nothing but crush what little progress and
peace of mind I have been able to develop over the past two weeks.
This whole situation holds the door open for the military to continue
abusing me as they cold-heartedly disregard my status as a victim.
I do not think that my requests
are excessive considering the current situation that the US Army has exposed me
to. I would prefer to be discharged from the military so that I can attempt to
salvage my life separated from an environment that I am now terrified by. If
this is not acceptable to military authorities, I am prepared to finish my
active duty status within the State of
New Jersey
where I can receive the treatment and support of people that I feel comfortable
with, in an environment that does not make me relive the horror of this tragic
event. I am fearful that any other option forced upon me is tantamount to a
psychological death sentence. I did not ask to be raped. Why am I being treated
this way?
Respectfully and desperately
pleading for help,
Jack
Dalton is a disabled
Vietnam
veteran and a writer that lives in
Portland
,
Oregon
. His web site is www.ommp.org
and he also has a blog at http://jackdalton.bluelemur.com
He can be reached at jack_dalton@ommp.org
All comments are welcome, good, bad and everything in between. All are read but
not all are answered due to the volume of emails.
