Youth Radio - Topic: U.S. Military

Protecting the Military's Gays From Vindictive Outings

cfoster — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:23:50 -0500

By: Joseph Christopher Rocha

Those, like me, who are following the Pentagon's plans to end the ban on gays in the military, expect big changes soon. Based on a just-completed 45-day review of "don't ask, don't tell," the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has received recommendations to apply the policy in "a manner that is more appropriate and fair." And while a full repeal of the policy likely remains months away, even the simplest change - raising the bar for the kind of evidence required to launch an investigation - could have a profound impact on the lives of gays and lesbians serving in the military. I know, because if that change had been made three years ago when I was enlisted, I would be a sophomore at the United States Naval Academy today.

After a childhood of abuse at the hands of a meth-addicted mother, I had only one dream, and only one ambition: to graduate from the Naval Academy and to dedicate my entire life to serving my country. I enlisted on my 18th birthday and, after serving for nearly four years and receiving three congressional nominations for the Naval Academy, I was accepted to the academy's preparatory school.

But to get to that moment, I had followed the rules of "don't ask, don't tell" to the point of endangering my own life. While I kept my sexuality to myself during my tour in the Persian Gulf as an explosive detection handler, my unit chief targeted me for unusually cruel and extensively documented hazing, in part because of rumors that I might be gay. I never reported the abuse to my commanding officers, since I feared that my chief or his buddies could retaliate by outing me. After all, launching a "don't ask, don't tell" investigation requires merely "credible information" from "reliable sources" - opening is known as a third-party outing.

So there I was at the doorsteps of this prestigious academy, evaluating what an officer career under DADT had to offer me and all I had already lost. I knew I deserved better. From a moral standpoint, I knew "don't ask, don't tell" violated every aspect of the Navy's core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. And from the standpoint of self-preservation, I knew any snitch with a grudge could end my career.

I decided I'd rather be discharged as a veteran who served honorably in the Middle East, rather than risk a future discharge as an officer embroiled in an outing scandal or shamed by malice. So I made a statement to my commanding officer, telling him I was gay, and I was discharged.

The policy of third-party outings has effectively made thousands of the military's gay personnel into fugitives. While serving, no matter how closely we've follow DADT, we have lived every second with the fear that anyone, for any reason, and with little proof, has the ability to ruin our careers.

It is time now that our country values the sweat and blood of all troops and that we reward each of them with equal job security and human dignity.

Admiral Mike Mullen has the opportunity to reduce what can be considered "credible evidence" and effectively raise the standard of who qualifies as a "reliable source". And while far short of the necessary full repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," this stop-gap rule change will significantly lower the threat the policy poses to National Security by limiting the discharges of otherwise excellent personnel. I know from experience that it will ease the burden on the everyday lives of those serving under it, while the Department of Defense prepares for a full repeal of the military's ban against gays.

Frustrated and understandably angry by the prospect of the repeal taking another year, there are still those who demand an Executive Order, a temporary solution at the mercy of any Presidential Administration. However, we are not likely to see again the political capital invested today in the repeal effort by the White House, Department of Defense and Congress. We must support the only permanent solution: repeal by way of congressional law.

As for me, only in the case of such a repeal will I be allowed to serve once again and earn the commission I still dream of. And yet, knowing what Admiral Mullen's anticipated policy change will mean for the men and women serving today, I will celebrate them as the beginning of the end of institutionalized discrimination in our military.

Joseph Christopher Rocha, 23, is a junior in Political Science at the University of San Diego and was recently awarded the 2010 Harvey Milk Civil Rights Award for his extensive work in contributing to the effort to repeal "don't ask, don't tell."

Previously:

Navy Abuse Scandal on KCBS

noah — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:43:07 -0500

Youth Radio reporter Rachel Krantz speaks to KCBS about yesterday's stunning turn of events in the Bahrain Navy Hazing scandal.

You can find the interview on KCBS' Interviews and Analysis page.

Previously:

Navy Forces Out Chief for Bahrain Hazing

noah — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:13:12 -0500

By Rachel Krantz and the Youth Radio Investigative Unit
This story is part of Youth Radio's investigation: Sailors' Abuse Kept Silent In Navy Canine Unit.

After Youth Radio broke the story last month on widespread hazing in a Bahrain canine unit, the Chief of Naval Operations has completed reviewing how officials handled an investigation into the abuse. He found that the chief petty officer responsible for the abuse had not been adequately punished.

As a result of the top-level Navy review of misconduct in a canine unit in Bahrain, the Secretary of the Navy has censured the unit’s former chief petty officer, Michael Toussaint, forcing him to retire from the Navy.

Previously, an investigation into the hazing at the base in Bahrain between 2004 and 2006 revealed widespread abuse of sailors and other misconduct, including gambling and soliciting prostitutes. On September 22, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead ordered Navy Installations Command (CNIC) to review what actions were taken as a result of the hazing investigation.

"After reviewing the investigation and the CNIC report, Admiral Roughead found the incidents were not in keeping with Navy values and standards and violated Navy’s long standing prohibition against hazing," said Navy spokesperson Commander Elissa Smith.

Smith said the Secretary of the Navy's letter of censure will become part of Toussaint’s permanent military record. Toussaint, now a senior chief petty officer, will be reassigned to Naval Special Warfare Group 2, where he will perform administrative duties until his retirement in January.

Roughead has also ordered the Naval Criminal Investigative Service to interview commissioned officers who served in Bahrain at the time of the hazing. Previously, a navy spokesman said the investigation report had indicated that two commissioned officers might have had knowledge of the hazing events. The spokesman told Youth Radio neither officer was recommended for disciplinary action.

Joseph Christopher Rocha served in the unit and experienced some of the worst abuse at while under Toussaint’s leadership. The 23-year-old said many of his fellow sailors have mixed feelings about the results of Roughead's review.

"A lot of us are disappointed in that Toussaint won’t see his day at a military court martial," Rocha said. "But overall, I commend the CNO and the Secretary of the Navy for a wanting to look further into this, to see how widespread the corruption was."

Previously:

Sailor Abuse Investigation on KPFK

noah — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:10:41 -0500

Reporter Rachel Krantz spoke to KPFK Pacifica Radio today about her experience reporting Youth Radio's Sailor Abuse Investigation. She was interviewed by Barbara Osborn and Howard Blume for their weekly show about the media, Deadline LA.

Check below to listen to the interview and hear the inside scoop about how the Youth Radio investigation was brought to the public.

(download mp3)

Navy Report Ignores Sailor's Suicide

noah — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:59:49 -0500

By Rachel Krantz and the Youth Radio Investigative Unit

This story is part of Youth Radio's ongoing investigation: Sailors' Abuse Kept Silent In Navy Canine Unit.

A Youth Radio investigation finds that the U.S. Navy’s report on hazing in its Bahrain Canine Unit omitted the suicide of the unit’s leading Petty Officer, who feared she had become the scapegoat for widespread abuse.

On January 16, 2007, Petty Officer Jennifer Valdivia was found dead in a small room at her home in Bahrain. The U.S. Navy, which maintains a major base on the island in the Persian Gulf, classified her death as a non-combat related incident. A Navy autopsy later confirmed that 27-year-old Valdivia committed suicide.

On the same day Valdivia’s body was found, the Navy released a report on widespread hazing and abuse in the canine unit where she served as Kennel Master. Though the report’s release was previously delayed multiple times, this time it was published without including the investigation into the suicide of the unit’s leading Petty Officer. And, Valdivia’s death was not mentioned in the subsequent Findings of Fact endorsed by the base command, either.

“I would have expected this to be mentioned in the endorsements… the command in Bahrain had ample time to take her death into account,” said Eugene Fidell, Yale law professor and president of National Institute of Military Justice. “Had I been the staff judge advocate I would have recommended that the command delay its endorsement on the hazing investigation until the suicide investigation was complete, and then see if further investigation into the hazing was warranted.”

Instead, the Navy’s hazing and suicide investigations proceeded on parallel, never-intersecting tracks.

The hazing investigation reveals that the abuse in the Bahrain Canine Unit was extensive. And while the Navy has said multiple personnel were implicated in the misconduct, the sailors interviewed by Youth Radio say unanimously that there was one ringleader, the unit’s Chief Michael Toussaint.

Youth Radio has also obtained redacted copies of the Navy’s two investigations into Valdivia’s death -- one by the Base Commander in Bahrain and the other by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Together with interviews with her family and six sailors from Valdivia’s unit, the suicide investigations tell the story of a young woman stuck between an abusive and corrupt unit leadership and the young sailors whose lives were scarred to varying degrees by hazing. It’s the story of a scapegoat, who decided the only way out of her Navy unit was death.

“Her final act revealed her to be under stress she was not able to bear, probably a culmination of well-concealed concerns about the ongoing command investigation,” wrote the investigator at the end of his report on Valdivia’s death. “I believe it is unlikely she would have committed suicide if she had not been under such stress.”

[Page Two: "Small Town Girl"]

Comment on this story in our Facebook Discussion Forum.

Veteran Suicides At Record High On College Campuses

noah — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:41:29 -0500

Tom Risen at Scoop 44 takes a good look at the pattern behind Iraq and Afghanistan war vet suicides on college campuses.

“The same amount of suicides happening among active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan are happening among veterans on college campuses,” said Hawthorne, co-founder of the veterans group at George Washington University. “That’s one reason we founded a chapter of Student Veterans of America here, so we can have a place for veterans to come where they can understand each other. There are people on campus who see a guy with the thousand yard stare and the short haircut and they’re like ‘I think I’ll stay away from that guy.”

With the military spread across two wars, nearly 40 percent of the 1.9 million troops who have served in the War on Terror since 2001 have served more than one tour, according to Army statistics. Along with the memory and strain of service, student veterans who are still in their eight-year contract live with the fear of being activated and sent on another tour.

In addition to covering the suicide phenomenon, Risen's piece delves into the reasons behind why some vets find it hard to acclimate into college, and the effect underfunding is having on mental health care for veterans.

Photo by DVIDSHUB

Previously:

Navy Sailors Say They Were Hazed, Abused

noah — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:43:14 -0500

The following is a transcript. To listen, use the audio player in this post. For access to all documents, posts, and images associated with this story see our Sailors' Abuse Investigation Hub.

Joseph Christopher Rocha enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his 18th  birthday, in 2004. He remembers being excited about his first overseas  assignment: to serve in Bahrain. He became a dog handler with one of  the Navy’s biggest kennels. But Rocha says once he got there, he  entered a culture of hazing and abuse at the hands of his fellow  service members that made him feel like the animal.  

ROCHA: I was hog-tied to a chair, rolled around the base, left in a  dog kennel that had feces spread in it.  

Rocha says six weeks into his deployment, when he made it clear he  wasn’t interested in the unit’s parties with prostitutes, the Chief,  Master-at-Arms Michael Toussaint, and others on the base, made him a  target.  

ROCHA: I was in a very small high testosterone-driven unit of men…I  think that's what began the questioning-you know-‘Why don't you want  to have sex with her? Are you a faggot?’  

Read the rest of the story after the jump...

He says the hazing escalated across the unit. Incidents ranged from spraying  down uniformed personnel with hoses, to directing sailors to simulate  sex acts on videotape. Petty Officer Shaun Hogan, who was stationed in  Bahrain with Rocha, remembers a so-called “training video” sailors  were ordered to produce.  

HOGAN: Petty Officer Rocha and another junior sailor…They were  instructed to go into a classroom by Chief Michael Toussaint, who  orchestrated the entire training. And Chief Toussaint asked them to  simulate homosexual sex on a couch.  

Hogan played a handler barging onto the scene with his dog. Rocha says  the Chief coached him on how to act in the video.  

ROCHA: …telling me I needed to be more believable, act more queer,  have a higher pitched voice, and make the sounds and gestures more  realistic...  

The hazing got worse, but Rocha was afraid reporting it could lead to  an investigation into whether or not he was gay.

Youth Radio has interviewed six sailors from the canine unit. They all tell similar stories of abuse.

One sailor who would only talk on tape if we changed her voice, remembers seeing a different sexually charged video. In it a female sailor was ordered to role-play as the lover of another female in the unit, who was handcuffed to a bed, and appeared naked under the sheets.

ANON: My thought was what are these people thinking? How is this going to be valid training for her to play—and I’m going to quote here a bitchy Lt, it was very disgraceful.

All six sailors we spoke with were afraid to report the abuse. They say that Toussaint threatened to revoke their dog  certification if they complained. And some feared  worse. They remembered his warning, “God help anyone who airs our  dirty laundry.”  

ANON: It’s supposed to be this tight knit unit, we’re  supposed to be a family. And when you get into it, the enemy’s not  outside the line, your enemy’s within…Your enemy is your chain of command.  

Finally, in 2006, one sailor broke through the silence, and reported an assault. The Navy  commissioned an independent investigation that uncovered the hazing and other abuses.  The investigation’s findings—obtained through the Freedom of  Information Act—and corroborated by Youth Radio’s interviews show the abuse was  widespread in the unit, and in some cases sanctioned and instigated by  its leadership.  

The investigation found evidence to support accusations of physical  assault on sailors and in two instances, prostitutes on base. The documents also show systemic hazing through humiliation  and unnecessary labor. 

The conclusions and recommendations of the investigation are redacted  in the copy of the report we obtained. To fill in the blanks, we called the Navy’s regional spokesperson, Lt.  Commander Wendy Snyder. She said she couldn’t give details of specific disciplinary actions. And that because the investigation took place more than two years ago, the records are no longer available.  

WENDY SNYDER: Whether they're shredded or destroyed, I don't know…As  far as I know, the investigation was completed, and the outcomes I  don't know of those individuals involved. 

Since then, a Navy officer familiar with the case has told NPR the  report recommended courts martial for both Chief Toussaint and another  non-commissioned officer from the unit.  The recommendation for courts martial was never followed. Instead, the case was closed, and Toussaint received a “non-punitive letter of caution”—the  military’s equivalent of a slap on the wrist.  

What’s more, Toussaint has been promoted… to Senior Chief.  We asked Yale Law Professor Eugene Fidell, who is President of the  National Institute of Military Justice, to review the investigation’s  Findings of Fact and give his opinion on the Navy’s follow up.  

FIDELL: It did seem to me (from the materials that were made  available) that some criminal punishment under the UCMJ was called  for, it looked to me like rampant misconduct of a kind that was  utterly incompatible with military service on behalf of our country.  

Professor Fidell served as a Judge Advocate and has made a career of  reviewing military justice cases.  

FIDELL: I would expect anybody in pay grade Petty Officer and above to  be held accountable. These people have responsibilities, they are  supposed to be leaders, we depend on them, and if they’re either  engaging in this kind of misconduct or tolerating it, they need to be  taught a lesson.

Meanwhile, unit members we’ve interviewed are still struggling with  the aftermath of their experiences in Bahrain.  Shaun Hogan—the sailor who played the dog handler in the simulated sex  video—is now in the Naval reserves. He says he’s haunted by personal  guilt.  

HOGAN: I was duty-bound to protect those under my command; Petty  Officer Rocha [and] several others. I have a lot of regret for not  having spoken up at the time and intervening...  

As for Joseph Christopher Rocha, the Veterans Administration diagnosed  him with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. When he heard there would not  be a court martial, he took it hard.  

ROCHA: It took a lot of courage to testify against Toussaint… And then … to be told that there was no need and there would be  no trial…    

Rocha says he was devastated. He still can’t quite describe the feeling.    

ROCHA: That kind of loss of gravity, of saying, what just happened?  That stuck with me…    

Shortly after hearing that news, Rocha made the hardest decision of  his life. He ended his military career—out of fear that he’d face more  abuse at a future deployment, and because he’d come out as gay.    Rocha’s official statement read:  

ROCHA (reading): I am homosexual. I am proud of my service and had  hoped that I'd be able to serve the navy and country for my entire  career. However…I must be honest with myself, courageous in my beliefs  and committed to my course of action.  

(On the basis of that statement) Rocha was officially discharged by the  U.S. Navy.

Toussaint’s second in command while he was in Bahrain was Petty  Officer Jennifer Valdivia. Shortly after being told she’d be removed from her position in the kennel because of the hazing investigation, she took her own life.  

As for Toussaint, Youth Radio tried repeatedly to reach him by phone, through e-mail and via social networking sites. His  command confirms they forwarded our questions to him. We wanted to know his side of the story. He has not responded.  Michael Toussaint is now Senior Chief with what’s regarded as the most  prestigious dog unit in the Navy, the Naval Special Warfare  Development Group, based in Dam Neck, Virginia.  

But this may not be the end of the story.

Since Youth Radio began reporting the story, Rear Admiral David Mercer has ordered a review of the outcomes of the investigation at the Bahrain Kennel. He’s in charge of naval installations in Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia.

A Navy spokesman issued this statement:

“The incidents that occurred within the Military Working Dog Division at Naval Support Activity Bahrain do not reflect who we are as a navy. They are considered an anomaly based on sailors who were inproperly led.”

And yesterday, we learned yet another higher level review of the investigation has been ordered, this time by the Chief of Naval Operations, the Navy’s highest ranking officer and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The deadline for that report is October sixth.

This story aired on National Public Radio's All Things Considered.

Youth Radio Investigation Sparks Top Military Review

noah — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:05:30 -0500

UPDATE: The following story is a continuation of our feature, "Investigation: Sailors' Abuse Kept Silent in Navy Canine Unit." For those of you who are only beginning to follow the story, here's a full audio version, with transcript.

For access to all documents, posts, and images associated with this story see our Sailors' Abuse Investigation Hub.

After Youth Radio exposed a culture of hazing, including psychological and physical abuse, at a U.S. Navy canine unit in Bahrain, the nation’s top Naval officer has ordered a review of how the abuses were handled. The Chief of Naval Operations who ordered the review is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and principal Naval advisor to the President. Deadline for that review is October 6th.

Incidents of wrongdoing in the unit ranged from spraying down uniformed personnel with hoses to directing sailors to simulate sex acts on videotape. Youth Radio’s interviews reveal that the abuse was sanctioned and in some cases instigated by the unit's leadership.

Despite 93 incidents of abuse and misconduct uncovered in a 2007 Navy investigation, to date the Navy has not provided a full public accounting of disciplinary action taken against those responsible for the abuse. We do know the unit's Chief at the time, Michael Toussaint, received only a "non-punitive letter of caution". That's the military's equivalent of a slap on the wrist.

Youth Radio has interviewed six sailors from the canine unit who all tell similar stories of abuse, all of whom say Toussaint threatened to revoke their dog certification if they told anyone about the abuse. And some feared worse.

One sailor who served in the unit agreed to speak only if we didn't use her name. "It's supposed to be this tight-knit unit," she said. "We’re supposed to be a family. And when you get into it, the enemy's not outside the line, your enemy’s within…Your enemy is your chain of command."

Youth Radio has learned from a source inside the Navy that Chief Michael Toussaint and another non-commissioned officer were recommended for courts-martial. Instead, the case was closed. Subsequently Chief Toussaint was promoted to the role of Senior Chief with the elite Naval Special Warfare Development Group, based in Dam Neck, Virginia, regarded as the most prestigious dog unit in the Navy.

Our investigation began with the story of Joseph Christopher Rocha, a young gay sailor who feared the consequences of coming forward at the time of his abuse. Rocha stayed silent, but when another soldier made assault charges, the Navy’s commanding officer in Bahrain launched an investigation into allegations of widespread hazing in the unit. Rocha went on record against the unit’s leadership.

“It took a lot of courage to testify against Toussaint,” says Rocha. He says he was devastated when he got a call from the prosecutor assigned to the case informing him they didn’t need his testimony. “That kind of loss of gravity, of saying, what just happened? That stuck with me.”

In addition to the abuses Rocha reported, the Navy’s investigation found evidence to support accusations of physical assault on sailors and, in two instances, prostitutes on base--one was attacked by a dog. At one point, a female sailor was ordered to participate in a videotaped training with another female sailor, who was handcuffed to a bed, and appeared naked under the sheets. They were directed to role-play as lovers.

[See a video of Joseph Christopher Rocha describing the abuse he endured.]

Youth Radio asked Yale Law Professor Eugene Fidell, President of the National Institute of Military Justice, to review the incidents listed in the investigation’s findings of fact.

"It did seem to me (from the materials that were made available) that some criminal punishment under the UCMJ (Universal Code of Military Justice) was called for," says Fidell. "It looked to me like rampant misconduct of a kind that was utterly incompatible with military service on behalf of our country."

Professor Fidell served as a Judge Advocate and has made a career of reviewing military justice cases.

"I would expect everyone in pay grade petty officer and above to be held accountable," says Fidell. "These people have responsibilities, they are supposed to be leaders. We depend on them, and if they’re either engaging in this kind of conduct or tolerating it, they need to be taught a lesson."

On January 3, 2008, Vice Admiral Robert Conway, Commander of Navy installations worldwide (CNIC), issued an email (right), with the subject line, "HAZING." He tells the commanders under his authority they have "an obligation to create and maintain an environment free of hazing." Conway calls the practice "contrary to our Core values of Honor Courage and Commitment" and says that hazing "degrades and diminishes the ability of victims to function within their unit."

The impetus for this email? The investigation into the Bahrain Military Working Dogs Division. The very unit Chief Michael Toussaint led before being promoted.

Youth Radio has tried repeatedly to reach Toussaint for comment through phone calls, email, and social networking sites. Naval Special Warfare spokesperson Sonny Leggett told Youth Radio Toussaint was unavailable for comment because he is in “austere locations.” Toussaint's command confirms they forwarded our questions to him.

We’ve been told the review of the Navy investigation will go to the top command in Washington, DC, but there are no plans at this time to actually reopen the case.

Days before the Navy released its report on hazing in the unit, Toussaint’s second in command while he was in Bahrain -- Petty Officer Jennifer Valdivia -- learned she would be disciplined. She was told she would lose her position in the Military Working Dogs kennel. On January 16, 2007, Valdivia's dead body was found in her Bahrain apartment.

Her suicide, and the circumstances leading up to it, will be the subject of our next report.

To comment on this story, please visit our Facebook Page.

For more information and resources about abuse in the military check out the following sources:

Stars and Stripes: Independent U.S. military news

National Institute of Military Justice

Federation Of American Scientists: Copy of 2005 Navy Hazing Policy [PDF]

Office of the Navy Inspector General- Definition Of Hazing

Don't Ask Don't Tell resources:

Palm Center

Servicemembers United

Knights Out

A version of this story aired on NPR's All Things Considered.

Don't Ask, Do Tell: The Shocking Story of a Gay Sailor (VIDEO)

noah — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:44:26 -0500

We met Joseph Rocha at an anti-Prop 8 rally in San Francisco back in May. Little did we know at the time that his story would prove to be so compelling. This week we asked Joseph to share his story with the audience of KQED-FM, and he produced the following Perspective.

By: Joseph Christopher Rocha

After a rough childhood, I dedicated my life to public service, starting in the military. I had no idea at that time that every one of my major military accomplishments, including acceptance to the U.S. Naval Academy, would be overshadowed by my sexuality.

I earned a spot among the elite, high-testosterone community of Military Explosive Detection Handlers. While stationed in the Middle East, the men in my unit spent lots of time with prostitutes. Soon, my refusal to partake was reason enough for my peers to accuse me, day in and out, of being gay.

My Navy peers often harassed me, insisting the extra training I did with Marines was a search for sex partners. Once, I was hog tied to a chair, rolled across the base, and left in a dog kennel with feces. I was forced to simulate sex acts, on camera, to armed service members with trained attack dogs in the room. Men with hoses sprayed me down in full uniform.

Thousands of miles away from the United States, being subjected to extreme humiliation by my own military leadership, I did not feel hatred. I felt fear. Fear they would hurt me and no one back home would ever know. I had no gay friends to talk with and no gay personal life. I was only 18 years old, and I was afraid if I told anyone, I would be kicked out for being gay.

Joseph tells his story to reporter Rachel Krantz.

Eventually, someone a rank above me reported it, and there was an investigation that found dehumanizing pranks against me were habitual. I was preparing to testify, when I got a call from a Navy attorney telling me the case was dropped.

So all I have to show for my abuse is a two inch packet of investigation findings and post traumatic stress disorder.

Since 1993, the policy that reads "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Harass, Don't Pursue" (DADT) has legitimized discrimination and abuse against our Country's finest. It's a policy that made it easier for my abusers to torment me. I support House bill H.R.1283 which would replace DADT with a non-discrimination policy, and when it comes to a vote, our President and legislators in Congress should have little fear of opposing it. Because according to a 2008 Washington Post/ABC News poll, 75 percent of Americans favor allowing openly gay people to serve in the military.

I wish I could still be serving in our military, but after three and a half years in the Navy, including two and a half years stationed in the Middle East, I resigned because I refused to be punished any longer for who I am. My official statement to the Navy reads in part:

"I am homosexual. I am proud of my service and had hoped that I'd be able to serve the Navy and country for my entire career. However, the principles of honor, courage and commitment mean that I must be honest with myself, courageous in my beliefs and committed to my course of action. I understand this statement will be used to end my naval career."

I told, and I was discharged.

Previously:

TEACH YOUTH RADIO: Living with PTSD

lucyk — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:00:43 -0500

News Break:

LIVING WITH PTSD
(Broadcast November 23 on NPR's All Things Considered)

What's the story?

When the Iraq war began, Youth Radio launched a series, Reflections on Return, tracing the experiences of young soldiers and marines in the battlefield and coming home. The series highlights young vets: first person narratives of injury and homecoming, their responses to the prison abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib and the Iraq elections, and their reflections on the continuing conflict on the ground in Iraq. These stories are, of course, widely covered, and the major players in almost all of them are young. What’s unique about Youth Radio’s series is that the coverage is produced not by embedded reporters, but by young journalists and, in some cases, the young soldiers themselves. The series presents a range of perspectives, from soldiers opposing the war upon their return, to others eager to go back to Iraq for multiple deployments.

In this Reflections on Return installment, Jesus Bocanegra shares his story. Jesus joined the military at 18, in part to help support his family. He spent four and a half years in the Army, including one year as a cavalry scout in Iraq. He’s now out of the military and living with his family in South Texas. But the war is still with him, so much so that he’s been treated for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD.

Read this Script!
Listen to this Commentary!

Teach this Newsbreak!

SCRIPT

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PTSD
"It’s like you’re watching a black and white TV; you’re just not there."

By Jesus Bocanegra

23-year-old Jesus Bocanegra spent four and a half years in the military, including a year as a cavalry scout in Iraq. He’s now out of the military and living with his family in the town of Elsep in South Texas. But the war is still with him, so much so that he’s been treated for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He shares this story. (November 23 on NPR's All Things Considered)

In a combat zone, you’re going 100 miles an hour, you’re like a little radar turning everywhere. That’s really hard coming out of a combat environment to a civilized environment. To me, when I was coming out of the military, we actually sat down in a plane and they were like fill out this sheet. And on that little paper sheet, I circled the little thing that said if you want to talk to someone else about your mental health. I thought you know what maybe this was my cry for help. Two weeks later nothing happened and now I’m out of the military, somebody else’s problem.

And back home was, you have all the BBQ, it’s you’re sort of just numbed out. You don’t have no fear and your feelings are numb. It’s like you’re watching a black and white TV; you’re just not there. My mom noticed I was all nervous and stuff. I was sweating and I couldn’t sleep I was like you know mom I need help, I need a see a counselor or something. That night it was so bad I had to go to the ER and to explain it to a doctor, like “what are you going through?” [in “doctor” voice] I can’t explain it and the guy was like, “here take this medicine anti-anxiety and go see the VA tomorrow. “

The thing there is the majority of the groups are Vietnam vet groups barely getting help. Talking in that environment, I held back because it’s just not the same to sit and talk to a twenty year old than to talk to talk to a sixty, seventy year old. That’s not to say that I don’t have respect for what they did in their Vietnam War, but it’s just not the same.

I withdrew from the PTSD program after I sat down with the counselor and said look, the program is not helping me at all. It’s making me think if for me as a 20 year old to look at a 70 year old and he says he’s had PTSD for 50 years so my PTSD is not going to go away.

I wish I would have stayed in the military because when I was with my unit it was sort of a bubble. The outside world does not even get in. The hard part is when you go home and there’s not 10 or 20 guys to talk to in the morning. That’s the difficult part, when you wake up in your own bed and you don’t have that guy and all those people you talk to everyday. Now that I do have a flashback, I sit and think and I analyze myself and think, these things are gonna be with you the rest of my life. I’ve been able to control my PTSD to the point of it’s not overtaking my life and I have it in control.

TEACH YOUTH RADIO

Use the script and audio of the commentary in this Newsbreak to inspire students to explore these skills and themes:

Language Arts:
• Develop narratives based on interviews and changing environments.
• Dissect mainstream media’s coverage of the Iraq War.
• Explore US military’s “advertising campaign”.
Health:
• Define causes, symptoms, resources and treatment options for PTSD.
• Examine PTSD’s effects from personal to societal.
• Open up discussion on complexity of “asking for help”.
Social Science:
• Explore the US military budget.

For this month's feature, you will access to these strategies and resources:
1. Ideas and Suggestions for lesson plans
2. Toolbox handouts
3. Synthesized Standards
4. Reporter Bios
5. Resources and further research
6. Youth Radio’s media production techniques

1. IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR LESSON PLANS:

LANGUAGE ARTS:

From Interview to Story: A Youth Radio reporter, Sophie Simon-Ortiz, produced this story out of a conversation she had with Jesus Bocanegra. First, she “pre-interviewed” Jesus, without recording, to get a feel for his personality and experience. Out of that conversation, Sophie developed a full list of interview questions, and arranged to record their conversation. As they talked, she made sure to think about the key points she wanted Jesus to touch on, and also what transitions she might need so the story would make sense when she put it all together. Have your students replicate this narrative technique by identifying another young person they want to interview (you might suggest a topic or theme relevant to your classroom curriculum). Have them either tape record or take notes on the conversation, and then arrange the responses into a story. This process almost always leads to provocative discussions related to ethics (making sure editing stays true to the interviewee’s narrative) as well as aesthetics (how to create a story that flows).

Combat Zone, Comfort Zone: Jesus says, “I wish I would have stayed in the military, because when I was with my unit it was sort of a bubble. The outside world does not even get in. The hard part is when you go home and there’s not 10 or 20 guys to talk to in the morning.” Although some might find it surprising, Jesus was more comfortable in his military unit than at home. He talks about the challenges of adjusting and longs to be around people who understand what he is feeling. Students can create their own narratives that explore a situation where they were immersed in a completely new environment. This could be a different school, neighborhood, city, state, country, etc. What makes a comfort zone comfortable? What are the advantages and disadvantages of leaving one’s bubble?

Family Support: In the News Break, Jesus talks about his mother supporting him while he experienced symptoms of PTSD. In his biography, we learn that he joined the military in order to provide for his family. Students can write about a crucial time in their lives when a family member or friend offered them support. Why is it important to communicate personal trauma with someone close to you? What can family members and friends do to provide support for someone who suffers from trauma, even if they have not shared that experience?

*MEDIA LITERACY:

Analyzing Research: Have students find out what percentage of soldiers returning from the Iraq war suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Students are likely to find a range of estimates, depending on the source. Have them discuss the factors that might lead to contradictory statistics. As we see in Jesus’ story, he has to take the first step in seeking help. What services does the military provide for PTSD? How are those services described by military officials? By young military personnel? As students look at statistics related to PTSD, what critical questions arise?

Media Perspective on Military: The military spends money on advertisements and marketing. Who can serve? How does the military try to attract young people? Where can you find ads and commercials for joining the military? How is war marketed to youth? What are some of the military recruitment techniques linked to the federal education policy, No Child Left Behind? What are military policies pertaining to young people who are immigrants and not U.S. citizens?

HEALTH:

Diagnoses: Have students research Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (see DSM-IV in the resources below). What are the symptoms of PTSD? What situations can induce this condition?

Easing PTSD: How is PTSD treated? How are drugs used? What are the benefits and risks associated with anti-PTSD drugs? What are some treatments other than medication that people can seek?

Resources and Referrals: Do students have friends or family members who have struggled with PTSD? Have students share how they have responded to those struggles. Ask them to imagine that a close friend started exhibiting behaviors like the ones Jesus describes. Do some research to identify useful first steps for helping that person find support. Working individually or in small groups, students can describe local community resources for teens with PTSD and other forms of mental illness, and compile this information as a classroom resource.

Relatively speaking: Jesus talks about veterans from the Vietnam War suffering from PTSD. He feels somewhat hopeless about finding a cure since he sees older veterans still suffering, decades after their service. Speaking to people his own age, from own his unit, brought him more hope. How does Jesus’s experience relate to people wanting to get help from people who have similar backgrounds to them when they are in a vulnerable situation?

Asking for Help: Asking someone for help is not always an easy process. In the beginning of the News Break, Jesus talks about circling the option to seek mental health help. Students can assess their own feelings about asking others for help. What are some of the things that prevent one from asking for help? In what situations do students definitely ask for help? What were the messages they received growing up about asking for assistance?

War at Home: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder comes from being in an environment that threatens one’s physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. It is often associated with war in other countries, but how can PTSD be a product of stressful environments found in our own backyards? People who live in areas of high violence, survivors of sexual abuse, and inhabitants of regions that fall prey to natural disasters are just a few examples of people who could potentially be affected by PTSD. Can students think of other situations that could traumatize people, for whom PTSD might go undetected? How does being in the military affect diagnosis and treatment of mental health struggles in our society?

SOCIAL SCIENCE:

Military Money: What is the budget for the U.S. military? How is the total amount sub-divided? Where does the money come from? Where are funds directed? How are decisions made about where the money goes? How much is spent on health care for soldiers? How much is spent on artillery? How does the defense budget compare to federal funding of education and health care? Do students agree with this spending agenda?

2. TOOLBOX HANDOUTS:

Use these to help students focus and extend understanding...Coming Soon!

3. SYNTHESIZED STANDARDS:

Subject: LANGUAGE ARTS
Reading: Connections
Reading: Response
Writing: Process
Writing: Product
Media Literacy: Comprehension
Media Literacy: Analysis
Media Literacy: Evaluation

Subject: SOCIAL SCIENCE
Course: US Democracy
Course: Economics
Lens: Economics
Lens: Citizenship
Lens: Culture
Analysis: Interpretations & Debates

Subject: HEALTH
Health Promotion & Disease Prevention
Influence: Family, Peers, Community, Culture, Media & Technology
Interpersonal Communication
Decision Making & Goal Setting
Practice & Activity

4. Meet the Youth Radio REPORTER who produced the story:

Jesus Bocanegra, 23 years old (as of late 2005), is from Elsep, Texas a small rural town. He is the second youngest of 8 children and joined the military immediately after high school to help out his family financially. One of the youngest in basic training, he felt rushed into adult life. When he came back from Iraq, he started at the local community college but found it hard to focus. He looked for the mental health help he'd been promised but found it almost nowhere. He eventually found some counseling but, as he says in the piece, he could not connect to the support groups, because members had served during the Vietnam War era and no one was talking about Iraq.

5. RESOURCES AND RESEARCH related to the story's themes:

•PTSD Fact Sheet
•US Dept of Veteran Affair's National Center for PTSD
•Diagnositic Criteria for PTSD
•New York Times article on PTSD
•Booklet explaining PTSD, including a self-test and resources for getting help

6. MEDIA PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES:

Guides and inspiration for creative media-making projects: conducting interviews, writing commentaries, and producing features.

• MAKING AUDIO NARRATIVES •

For many more hands-on resources and behind-the-scenes accounts of youth media production, check out the new book, Drop That Knowledge: Youth Radio Stories. Written by Youth Radio's Research Director and Senior Producer, Elisabeth Soep, and San Francisco State Professor Vivian Chavez, it's being touted by media experts as a "landmark contribution to our understanding of media and youth movements in the US."

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