Hutto on the left.
Posted on 02/22/2007 3:42:34 PM PST by Anti-Bubba182
For my generation of activists born post the Civil Rights and Peace Movement of the 1960´s, the struggle against the Vietnam War conjures up images of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King´s advocacy and the conscientious objection of heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali . For others, images of peace activists being viciously beaten and attacked by Chicago police in the summer of 1968 and Jimi Hendrix giving his rendition of the "Star Spangle Banner" at Woodstock holds a place in our national conscious.
Over thirty years after the U.S lost the war in Indochina, my generation is coming to know the history of the GI resistance in Vietnam . As documented by David Cortright ‘s "Soldiers in Revolt", first published in 1975, and David Ziegler ‘s 2005 documentary film "Sir No Sir ", the movement of soldiers and sailors against the occupation of Vietnam was pivotal in ending U.S Imperialist aggression against the Vietnamese people.
The GI Movement was also instrumental in advancing reforms to the military command structure. In the aftermath of the racial rebellions of the early 70´s on the USS Kitty Hawk and the USS Constellation, the military attempted to address racism and discrimination through the creation of Equal Opportunity (EO) advisors.
Over thirty years later, I have gained personal and political experience dealing with equal opportunity on my ship. It is my hope these experiences can be a road-map for soldiers and sailors dealing with discriminatory and abusive conditions within their workplace.
I enlisted in the United States Navy in January of 2004. After having worked at non-profit organizations and an unsuccessful stint at teaching 5th grade post graduating from Howard University in 1999, I was searching for a clean slate, a chance to repay my student loans and obtain a new lease on life. However, what I found was an institutional culture laced with discriminatory behavior based on race, gender, sexual orientation and geography. I still remember the West Virginia recruit in my division in boot camp being asked repeatedly by our Chief Petty Officer (E7) whether or not he had ever slept with his cousin.
Upon arriving on my ship in the summer of 2004, I realized my adjusting to the existing culture within the shop would be impossible. Racial and sexual remarks were constantly made to both males and females. One petty officer (E4) was notorious for his comments admiring the Ku Klux Klan and Adolf Hitler . I vividly remember this same petty officer making derogatory statements regarding the national celebration of Dr. King ‘s birthday. Every-time I related these incidents to the chain of command, it was always excused and swept under the rug.
In the summer of 2005, during the evaluation process, I wrote my Chief Petty Officer (E7) and Senior Chief Petty Officer (E8) a two and half page memo detailing the gross equal opportunity abuses in my shop and the need for reform. The result was me being targeted as an agitator and not being a team player. As usual, my complaints were ignored and business as usual continued in the shop.
My ship deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in September of 2005. During the deployment in January of 2006, a junior petty officer (E4), in the company of other petty officers, displayed a hangman´s noose in my face mocking the mass lynchings of African-Americans in this country.
At this point, enough was enough. I vowed to resist this oppressive culture to the fullest extent of military law and beyond. I immediately drafted a memo on the situation and rallied support from other shipmates adversely affected. The military preaches the doctrine of handling situations at the lowest level possible. The purpose is to ensure higher enlisted and officers are never fully exposed and held accountable in these situations.
Instead of handling this situation at the lowest level, I sent a memo to my entire departmental chain of command including the EO advisor. A full level investigation was opened to investigate the matter. The investigating officer found the perpetrator did engage in racial intimidation. The result was the perpetrator going before the Captain and being reduced in rank and confined to the ship for 30 days. The senior petty officer in the situation (E5) was given a letter of reprimand.
Despite the small victory, this investigation had its challenges. My Senior Chief (E8) stated in the investigative report that I had never told him of the situation in the shop which is contrary to the letter I gave him six months prior to the incident. Also, shipmates in the shop told me of the hostility of the chain of command towards the investigative process. Lastly, after the Captain awarded punishment to the perpetrators, I was denied a copy of the investigative record by the legal office.
I filed an appeal to the EO advisor on three points in March of 2006. First, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), I believe I was entitled to a copy of the investigative file. Second, that my Senior Chief needed to be held accountable for being untruthful in the investigation and lastly the punishment given to the perpetrator was not appropriate given the severity of the incident.
On March 21st, I was denied the investigation files and told I could appeal within 30 days. From the GI Rights Hot-line I learned that all military members can send a protected communication to a member of Congress on any matter. I sought assistance from Congressman John Lewis´s office. His office sent a letter to the Navy on my case and received a response on April 19th. Although my appeal was denied I felt a sense of closure in knowing I had exhausted my rights in this situation.
The atmosphere in my shop has changed for the better although some resentment is present. For any military member going through an adverse situation in their shop which is discriminatory and unfair in nature, several points to remember. First, document all instances of discriminatory and unfair treatment and report it promptly to your chain of command. If the chain of command fails to take action, you should seek out your EO advisor and continue to document accordingly.
Their are civilian/veterans organizations that will help you in filing a complaint and resolving adverse situations. You can call the GI Rights hot-line at 1-800-394-9544 or email them at: girights@objector.org. They have counselors on call ready to help with any questions or concerns you have. You can also contact the National Lawyers Guild Military Law Task Force at www.nlg.org/mltf/. The task force helps to provide direct legal assistance to active duty members.
The late abolitionist and fighter against slavery, Frederick Douglass, taught us power concedes nothing without a demand. A revitalized GI movement of the 21st century in America must deal with the basic grievances of active-duty along with the higher issues of War and the proper distribution of resources for human need. In the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, we shall overcome one day!
ACTIVE-DUTY U.S. MILITARY MEMBERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST WAR ON '60 MINUTES'
This animal will be featured on 60 Minutes. I included his screed above so the reader can see for themselves where he is coming from. He is by no mean typical on US Service men.
Military personnel speaking out?....
"..The sum total of Hutto's experiences of Iraq is one six month tour in the Persian Gulf taking photographs aboard the Theodore Roosevelt. .."
Hutto is a left wing poseur and agitator. He is only in the Navy for benifits and to protest.
Where is the barf alert???
This guy sounds like Lt. Fuzz.
This pathetic sad sack POS needs to be drummed out of the military ASAP.
Well, the first two paragraphs are full of sh*t, and it goes downhill from there.
He is going to be on 60 Minutes as though he was a regular sailor opposing the war. He was a provacatuer from the beginning.
Im suprised they didnt try to make this guy an officer since he had a degree from Howard.
"I still remember the West Virginia recruit in my division in boot camp being asked repeatedly by our Chief Petty Officer (E7) whether or not he had ever slept with his cousin."
the horror...the horror
Misfit washed out of teaching and the military in six years.
This loser couldn't hack it teaching fifth grade or in the nonprofit sector... and he expects people to believe he enlisted in the US Navy for a change of scenery!?!
GI Movement = Gastro-Intestinal Movement = You know what
"They damaged private property and and drew first blood when they attacked the police. The police defended themselves"
It was a battle between the far left and the pro union, democrat police.
This is a young punk reading about it and seeing old New Reels, not that accurate information would make any difference
with this one. He was radicalized at Howard University or before and will act accordingly.
No, it was leftists against your capitalist America. SDS contingency plans estimated that If they ever managed to overthrow the elected government of the US they would have to execute about 250,000 people to hang on to power.
What they did do was manage to subvert the Democratic party from within. After 1968 the old Democratic party was dead.
He looked at it and saw some radical chic and wants to be part of some romantic leftist BS, young Che lining them up against the wall..
"After having worked at non-profit organizations and an unsuccessful stint at teaching 5th grade post graduating from Howard University in 1999,"
I didn't know the Navy took teachers with a Masters degree as enlisted - big mistake - and this cat is proof.. And he washed out of that. Whoooo, must be one liberal, eliestist son of a gun.
Son, if you wanted 'fair, you shuuda stayed out of the military -'cause, son, you want something in the military - you gotta EARN it. That means respect comes from a job well done and not because of your race, gender, or how much you whine..
Fah (spits)
A picture?
Hutto on the left.
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