Posted on 02/20/2005 11:26:14 AM PST by Former Military Chick
MAYS LANDING, N.J. - A former National Guard lieutenant said in a TV interview that the Army treated her "like a criminal" after she accused a fellow soldier of rape.
Jennifer Dyer, 26, said in the interview to be broadcast Sunday on "60 Minutes" that Army investigators sequestered her in a hotel after the incident and threatened her with arrest when she didn't return to the base following a two-week convalescent leave.
The Army "has done nothing but lie to me and treat me like a criminal," said Dyer, who is from Mays Landing and has agreed to be identified by name. CBS released a partial transcript of the taped interview on Thursday.
Her alleged attacker, Michael Hall, 35, also a National Guard lieutenant, is scheduled to go on trial on rape charges next month in a military court in Alabama. He has said the sex was consensual.
Dyer's lawyer, Frederick Klepp, said the alleged attack occurred after she went to an officer's club last August while training at Camp Shelby, near Hattiesburg, Miss.
Hall's lawyer, Victor Kelley, has said that Dyer made up the rape allegation to get out of the Army. She has since requested and received an honorable discharge.
Last month, a military hearing officer recommended that the rape charge be dropped.
Will go through my notes for other threads I posted on Free Republic.
Let me guess. Bush and Rumsfeld knew all about this and covered up, right? ;)
So she got an honorable discharge. It worked. She doesn't have to go to Iraq. Too bad the Army didn't make her go.
The Army "has done nothing but lie to me and treat me like a criminal," said Dyer
If she wouldn't show up to the base (any base) at all, then she was a criminal. Before you can do the other stuff, you have to at least not be AWOL.
I, like you, wonder what the "real" truth is---prolly somewhere in the middle of the stories, BUT
as your screen name indicates, you are more of an expert than I am, because I never served.
How prevelant is rape/sexual abuse in the service? We have heard horror stories in the last year here in Texas from up in Wichita Falls---I think Kay Bailey Hutchison is working on it---
Boy, I really hate to give an opinion except this: I am mainly suspicious of the story because where is it being exposed? Why, yes, that WOULD be 60 Minutes, the show that tries its hardest every week to discredit George Bush and with this being sweeps month......makes you go, hm.....
Previous thread on Free Republic Alleged Rape Victim Declared AWOL (but there is so much more to the story, it will anger you) .
OOPS--forgot to add that, even though this story isn't about Bush per se, I think anything that CBS brings up regarding the military is a back handed way to get to Bush and Rummy----
While I appreciate your compliment that I may know more on the subject as someone who has served -- there was this type of behavior 15 years ago or so and still continues today.
Frankly, there is a chain of command that should work for someone to report this rather going AWOL. I have a personal perspective of sexual harassment with the military. During the first Gulf War my ex-husband was gone and like with many things military our pay got screwed up and I needed to find a way to fix it. So, I went to the chain of command, during war time, the Rear Detachment. Folks who for medical or other reasons could not deploy. I met with a nice enough officer. He said there were medical reasons why he did to Iraq. He was married and had a daughter and his wife was in Iraq. He was a bit flirtatious. So I decided it best to meet from then on at headquarters. Still flirted I said stop and well it seemed we moved beyond his silly behavior.
His wife returned and he called and asked if I would like a home cooked meal and a visit with someone who just returned from Iraq and I jumped at the chance. His wife was witty, pretty perhaps to good for him (as I recalled his behavior).
Then came the experience of a life time. We sat in the living room and began watching the movie "Day's of Thunder" they were sitting at opposite ends of the long couch and he was in my view. He started man handling his equipment ... and made sure my eyes were in the line of sight. I moved my head to not see this and there I saw his arm going back and fourth. UGH! Of course they were under separate blankets and I finally jumped up said I had to go and well freaked out all the way home.
With really no one to turn to I talked with the COLs wife. I said I do not know what to do, and did find out the Army was rifting him. That perhaps his wife will find out and well what worse punishment could he receive. Basically she said look the other way.
I am sure there are worse sexual harassment cases but they are not just within the military ranks.
I will never EVER watch the movie "Day's of Thunder" again. Oh after about 3 months our pay was finally fixed.
I hope I was not to graphic.
I am sending your comment #5 to my beloved "No Longer Free State" he is still one of our finest serving our country and might be able to give you more timely answers then I might be able to offer.
BTW, excellent discussion questions.
Would YOU want to be in the platoon commanded by her?
I am only sure of one thing, I have no idea what the real story is, but I do know the treament CBS will give it, This will be a one sided attack on the military of the United States.
Get women out of the service and into their own service, it just doesnt work mixing the two together.
I'd be very surpised if Dan Rather's current employer treats this fairly in any way shape or form.
No, your story was not too graphic, but I am sorry that you had to go through that---
I have had similar things happen (just friends of my husband, not military involved)--- I had a hard time distancing myself from them without telling my husband---I just didn't know what to do, because they were his friends long before I met him---
Long story short, during an extremely stressful time in our marriage that was unrelated, I told him about the episodes--he never spoke to any of them again and told me he was sorry that I didn't feel comfortable telling him--
I have such mixed emotions regarding this story, because I also don't want to unfairly deem this guy a jerk, when she could have used him or something---
Thanks for answering my post, and would you please keep me informed about anything regarding this case?
Ann Coulter is one of the bigger conservative advocates of getting women out of the military---at least in combat arenas---
Of course that is just one more things that she gets bashed about, but I am thinking that she is right---
I think military troops need the least amount of distraction that is necessary to keep themselves and their comrades alive---
BTW, just saw on Fox that Jessica Lynch is riding in the pace car at the Daytona 500 today----
CBS Supports the troops -- as long as they're AWOLs, deserters, or other malcontents. Last time I was in the city I had my little CIB lapel pin and I swear it got hot; little varmint was picking up the raw hatred radiating from Black Rock. Dan and the gang must have been having their Two Minutes Hate. I wonder who's their Immanuel Goldstein? Baron von Steuben, maybe? Grant? Patton? Aaron Bank?
Like you I agree that her story is possible but far from proven. Her dodgy conduct since making the accusation calls the accusation into question. Likewise, it's pretty strange for a rape victim to turn into a camera hound. She comes across as Tawana Brawley -- another "victim" celebrated by CBS and the MSM.
I would say that equally plausible explanations include a desire to get out of the military "free," or some antipathy to the "suspect." It's hard to figure out because rape and other sex crimes are not only the most under-reported crimes (including in the military) but also the most falsely-reported crimes (including in the military).
The MPs and JAGs went through a period where they just assumed any presenting "victim" was telling the stone truth. Now they are a little more savvy. (Not much... very unimpressed with JAGs this war, most of them might as well have a poster of Osama in their offices).
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
For your information. I have no opinion of this one or another. Just thought you might like to see this page. I have not followed this story so I don't know enough to judge the veracity of it.
I have no idea why they linked a NY Times article to the pro Dyer website. I in no way made any remarks of her ethnicity nor did anyone else on the thread.
There is a FR member "Jack Dalton" who has been pushing that Jennifer was raped and doing his best to sway those on the thread. I can only imagine that is the person who hijacked the thread to their website.
Frankly I am unaware of FR policy when someone links an article to different website.
"Would YOU want to be in the platoon commanded by her?"
People like that wind up as assistant S-3 or S-4 officers. She wouldn't be a platoon leader.
found at: http://houston.indymedia.org/news/2004/10/34109.php
SNIP
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."
So six days after the attack a blood test "confirmed the presence of Herpes Type 2."
found at: http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/health-info/dis-cond/commdis/genherpe.html
"A blood test checks for these antibodies to the virus, not the virus itself. It can take two weeks to three months after exposure to HSV for antibodies to be detected in the blood."
Almost looks like she got herpes from someone (not her fiancee), then claimed a rape to put the blame elsewhere (and get out of going to Iraq). She got that positive blood test less than a week after the alleged rape.
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