The Women’s War (Female Deserters Cry "Sexual Harrassment")

The New York Times ^ | March 18, 2007 | Sara Corbett

[2ndDivisionVet]

On the morning of Monday, Jan. 9, 2006, a 21-year-old Army specialist named Suzanne Swift went AWOL. Her unit, the 54th Military Police Company, out of Fort Lewis, Wash., was two days away from leaving for Iraq. Swift and her platoon had been home less than a year, having completed one 12-month tour of duty in February 2005, and now the rumor was that they were headed to Baghdad to run a detention center. The footlockers were packed. The company's 130 soldiers had been granted a weekend leave in order to go where they needed to go, to say whatever goodbyes needed saying. When they reassembled at 7 a.m. that Monday, uniformed and standing in immaculate rows, Specialist Swift, who during the first deployment drove a Humvee on combat patrols near Karbala, was not among them.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Sixteen page article! The NYT will do ANYTHING to undermine the United States and it's military, as this story clearly shows. Very one-sided, at best...

[Long Island Pete]

And so it begins

[BenLurkin]

There is something deathly wrong with an American media that gives the deserters twenty times more coverage than the heroes.

[Constitution Day]

Somebody call the WHAAAMBULANCE. Jeez.

[L98Fiero]

God, the Times is disgusting.

Get women out of combat areas now.

[OKSooner]

Do I dare state the obvious?

(ahem) This is a case where the deserter gets to make the rules, and deserves sympathy for her situation...

[cake_crumb]

An excellent example of why women should NEVER have been allowed into war zones.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

I remember during the 1960's when the communists used to stand in the middle of Harvard Square ranting and giving out free copies of their communist workers news-rags.

Now they work for the New York Times.

I never read their rags nor the New York Times and not even their sister rag, the Boston Globe.

[all the best]

Admit upfront that I did not read whole article. Just quickly scanned first two pages. I get the impression that they are making the case that women do NOT belong in the military. The idea of sending women to war is nuts. Throughout history has there ever been a military commander or strategist who said that what we need as women soldiers? No. It was the goofy anti-military feminists who came up with this loony notion. They hate the U.S. military and would do anything to weaken, if not destroy, it. They managed to get two birds. They advanced their war against men and the U.S.
Of course, NYT, women are going to have problems in combat milieu. But remember you guys were all for it.

[Eva]

I didn't read the whole article, but I got far enough to find out that the woman declined to file any complaint against the officers, who she claims demanded sex. She says that she told other officers about the harrassment after she went AWOL, but they never acted on it. Maybe, because she never filed a complaint. She did, at one time complain about verbal harrassment and the man involved was given a written reprimand. So, her story just doesn't seem to hold up.

[ArrogantBustard]

Following in the seditious and dishonest footsteps of Walter "Lied about Tet" Cronkite ...

[Americanexpat]

After spending 20 years in the Army I would never say there is no such thing as sexual harassment in the military be cause I know that to be a lie. However, I wonder how many women will use the sex harrass card whenever they get into trouble or do not want to deploy.

[Americanexpat]

After spending 20 years in the Army I would never say there is no such thing as sexual harassment in the military be cause I know that to be a lie. However, I wonder how many women will use the sex harrass card whenever they get into trouble or do not want to deploy.

[Americanexpat]

After spending 20 years in the Army I would never say there is no such thing as sexual harassment in the military be cause I know that to be a lie. However, I wonder how many women will use the sex harrass card whenever they get into trouble or do not want to deploy.

[Americanexpat]

After spending 20 years in the Army I would never say there is no such thing as sexual harassment in the military be cause I know that to be a lie. However, I wonder how many women will use the sex harrass card whenever they get into trouble or do not want to deploy.

[Americanexpat]

After spending 20 years in the Army I would never say there is no such thing as sexual harassment in the military be cause I know that to be a lie. However, I wonder how many women will use the sex harrass card whenever they get into trouble or do not want to deploy.

[TheKidster]

Court Martial, dihonorable discharge, no military benefits, no VA medical benefits, no 2A rights, no voting rights, no welfare of any kind (state or fed), using her SSN make her pay back all the money it cost us to train her worthless fat butt by garnishing her wages and taking it out of her SSN if she ever gets a real job and retires before SSN is empty. Charge her mother, sister and friends with harboring a fugative from justice and make it stick!

[Msgt USMC]

The original intent for having women in military service, was to "Free a man to fight". However, since the 80's, social engineers in the government have increasingly put women in "The trenches", "REPLACING a man in the fight". I've known some outstanding women marines during my active duty days, but I didn't want them charging a hill next to me, or relying on one to bayonet an enemy behind me. Even in our technologically advanced military of today, personal physical strength is still the weapon of opportunity in a hand to hand situation, and sometimes the only difference between victory and death. I prefer my petite sister keep me supplied and supported, and let my hulking brother keep the enemy from my back. I'm sure you feminist out there are gonna breath fire over these statements, but I prefer victory and life, over your self-esteem. Women in combat, NO THANKS! Let 'em serve in the rear with the gear, but keep 'em off the line, away from the cold steel and bleeding knuckles.

"Semper Fi"

[darkwing104]

She's toast...Without a paper trail the rest of the story is just noise.

[cake_crumb]

"However, I wonder how many women will use the sex harrass card whenever they get into trouble or do not want to deploy."

I agree that sexual harrassment exists. It exists tenfold now that the definition has been expanded exponentially to include phrases such as "Have a nice day" and "I like your new hairstyle, it really suits you".

As for your question, at least as many as use the sexual harrassment ploy when they want a raise, promotion or, especially, to create a job opening in order to get a friend or relative the position.