American Lakota Soldier Posted to Iraq Told to 'Forget Rape'

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

Army Spec. Natalie Longee of Andale, Kan., guards convoys in Iraq. She was raped at Fort Hood, Texas, in January, she says. Army Spec. Natalie Longee flew home from Iraq carrying a bitter burden.

But first, homecoming: Longee's family, beaming at the airport, and a small crowd of local reporters; red roses; a rib-eye steak dinner and chocolate cake decorated with her picture and the words "Welcome home, Natalie. We love you!"

During it all, a piece of paper rested in the pocket of her Army camouflage jacket with the phone number she had been told to call about her rape.

In January, Longee says, she was raped in her barracks at Fort Hood in Texas by a fellow soldier. As a military police officer, she knew the difficulties she would face, she said, and after bundling up her stained clothing, she agonized for two days before reporting the assault.

The man she identified as her attacker has not been charged, she said. The military never gave her a victim advocate or offered counseling, she said.


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[alfredo]

1. That is too sad.

I hope the punk who raped her is put in prison. He needs to be treated in the same way he treated her.

[frylock]

2. so the rape rooms are actually located at ft. hood..

fuggin wonderful.

[aquart]

3. And we can't have gays in the military because

they might look at our guys in the shower?

Now if I was a lady soldier, I'd feel a whole lot better knowing the guys around me were gay. And safer. A lot safer.

[IndianaGreen]

11. Our raping soldiers don't want any gays interfering in their activities

Sadly, many women soldiers were forced to submit to sexual advances under threat of being accused of being lesbians.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

14. Our raping soldiers are worried about getting raped themselves

most likely.

[Terwilliger]

16. huh?

raped by whom?

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

17. Uh, homosexuals?

[Terwilliger]

18. you're serious aren't you?

homophobic much? do you think homosexuals go around raping people? been watching too much 700 Club?

[Terran]

21. Terwilliger...

I do understand your frustration with what the other poster seems to be suggesting, but do you actually think homosexual men never commit rape? Rape is a male trip, and it doesn't have much to do with whether one is homosexual or not. Now I do doubt that most straight men who would join the army have much to fear from a potential rapist, since they prey on weaker people, but it could happen. It happens in prison all the time, and not just because it's prison.

Dirk

[neverforget]

4. My sister-in-laws friend was raped last year by a fellow soldier.

The Army told her not to press charges but she's doing it anyway. The court-martial is next month. BTW, she was raped on her birthday.

[soothsayer]

5. a former GF's GF was raped in the army in the 80's

beaten badly, apt. all busted up. The army and the guy tried to say it was consensual, so the gals had to testify that they were gay. the guy did get busted down in rank. The gals got kicked out of the military. Tried to give 'em dishonorable discharges, but my ex GF was very clever and got 'em honorable ones instead (reenlisted after she knew she was being thrown out, had her picture taken with the C.O., threatened to embarass him in front of a visiting AG---they relented)

[sonias]

6. I hope for justice for Natalie Longee

She is a brave woman suffering a horrible nightmare. And I hope that sack of shit raping soldier gets his.

Sonia

[Rex]

7. CID in the Army is a joke

I saw some people get away with murder while stationed at Ft. Drum. I reported some obvious flaws in the case and was told to stfu. It was ruled a suicide - case closed.

[mouse7]

8. Ft. Hood, Air Force Academy, same story

What an embarrassmaent.

[Ernesto]

9. What?

I didn't know Arnold was in the Army!

[0007]

10. Sound about par for the military, 'eh?

[regnaD kciN]

12. Why is this surprising?

After all, we've been told to "get over" the rape of our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and elections. Why should we expect any different in this case?

(Also, I can't help wondering whether Longee's Native American ancestry has anything to do with the treatment she has received from the Army. Had she been a perky blonde "middle American" like Jessica Lynch, might the Army have taken her charges more seriously?)

[Mixxster]

23. Don't think so

(Also, I can't help wondering whether Longee's Native American ancestry has anything to do with the treatment she has received from the Army. Had she been a perky blonde "middle American" like Jessica Lynch, might the Army have taken her charges more seriously?)

A local white female soldier was raped while in Iraq. She wasn't given counseling and she told her mom not to make a stink because she feared reprisals. Her mom did go public and the soldier was sent home.

[ErasureAcer]

13. why anyone would want to join the armed services is beyond me...

you give up all your civilian rights for starters...

sounds pretty stupid.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

15. And she is a fucking MP! One of their own. Damn.

Just think if she were a cook or something.

[Judi Lynn]

19. Why should she have to accept this?

From the article:

(snip) And there is retaliation. Longee said a sergeant told her that due to her "poor decisions," she did not deserve promotion. He also rebuffed her efforts to see a chaplain for counseling, she said, telling her to forget the rape and "drive on."

Her new supervisor, once a roommate of her assailant, treats her with contempt, she said, and the attitude has spread in her platoon.

"When I walk by." she said, "some of the men tell me to kill myself. I feel like a freakin' kid, running away from the bullies in high school. And I'm an adult." (snip)

(snip) Soon, she said, her attacker began following her. He would park his car next to hers, stand outside her barracks, wave his arms and shout. Supervisors agreed to restrict his movements. Yet all they did was move the man from her building to one next door, she said. (snip)

(snip) Over the past several months, her case has been passed around among investigators, she said, and when she asks for updates, supervisors tell her they don't know. (snip)

This soldier has no more reason to live with this than any other soldier. It's simply inexcuseable.

Hope the added attention will shame the prosecutor into getting his/her job done, and this woman out of her personal hell.

Anyone who might think it's inconsequential has a slipshod way of looking at life and human relationships.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

20. It's a tragedy that this should happen today...

I hope (and suspect) that this article is just the first step in her obtaining justice.

[Just Me]

22. Well, with stories like these we shouldn't be shocked,...

by stories of rapes overseas, huh.