Youth Radio - Topic: Military

Military Is No Adventure

msanders — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:03:01 -0500

The following originally aired on KCBS.

By: Sam Fuller

This summer I got my first letter from the Marines and it freaked my mother out.

My mom is supportive of most of my choices, but the idea of me even talking to a military recruiter scares her to death.

Still I find the military tantalizing. Every little boy wants to be Indiana Jones; yet, even at a young age I knew you couldn’t swing across a cavern with a whip or hang on the bottom of a truck going 40MPH. So we teenage Indiana Jones wannabes fantasize about the next best thing. Going on a commando raid is about the most exciting thing you could imagine. And heck, shooting Bin Laden probably did more for a man’s ego then finding the lost ark ever would.

My mom has no reason to worry; I don’t think there’s anything fun about being a soldier. Very few people are SEAL material, and I don’t want to spend my early 20’s stumbling around the Afghan countryside looking for land mines.

More then 1500 troops have died in Afghanistan, and many more have come back with permanent injuries, and still little boys day dream about stuff no one should want to do.

Service Members Support The Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell

rgee — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:46:37 -0600

The Pentagon recently released a study showing new support for getting rid of the policy, "Don't Ask Don't Tell," that currently requires gay and lesbian military service members to keep quiet about their sexuality. The study interviewed 115,000 service members.

The Pentagon summed up their findings in the answers to three questions:

- When asked whether knowing that a fellow unit member was gay or lesbian would affect their unit's ability to get their job done, 70 percent of service members said that it would have no effect or a positive effect.

- When asked if during their career, they had ever worked with someone they believed to be homosexual, 69 percent of service members said yes.

- While serving in a unit with someone they believed to be homosexual, 92 percent of service members said their ability to work together was "very good," "good," or had no positive or negative effect.

The Pentagon also stated that most of the concern about "open" service is driven by misperceptions and stereotypes about what it would mean if gay and lesbian service members were allowed to be open. In addition, they spoke to many gay service members who said they are not trying to push a social agenda or get special treatment, but would like to stop serving in silence.

Youth Radio has been following this issue for over a year. In August 2009, Youth Radio profiled Joseph Rocha, a member of the military who survived extreme harassment from his peers and superiors because of his sexuality. Watch his video below, and visit Youth Radio's hub page for its investigative series Sailors' Abuse Kept Silent in Navy Canine Unit that has won some of journalism's top honors, including an Edward R. Murrow Award.

New Support For Repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell

rgee — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:18:55 -0600

The Pentagon recently released a study showing new support for the repeal of the policy, "Don't Ask Don't Tell," that currently requires gay and lesbian service members to keep quiet about their sexuality. The Pentagon summed up their significant findings in the answers to three questions: - When asked whether knowig that an immediate unit member was gay or lesbian would affect their unit's ability to get the job done, 70 percent said that it would have a positive or no effect. - When asked if during their career, they had ever worked with someone they believed to be homosexual, 69 percent said yes. - While serving in a unit with someone they believed to be homosexual, 92 percent of service members said their ability to work together was "very good," "good," or had no positive or negative effect. The Pentagon also stated that most of the concern about "open" service is driven by misperceptions and stereotypes about what it would mean if gay and lesbian service members were allowed to be open. In addition, they spoke to many gay service members who said they are not trying to push a social agenda, or get special treatment, but would like to stop serving in silence. Youth Radio has been following this issue for over a year. In August 2009, Youth Radio profiled Joseph Rocha, a member of the military who survived extreme harassment from his peers and superiors because of his sexuality. Watch his video below, and visit Youth Radio's hub for Navy abuse for more stories.

Repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell NOW

wilmer — Fri, 14 May 2010 15:11:44 -0500

By: Joseph Christopher Rocha

This week I joined hundreds of gay and lesbians veterans (even one active duty gay vet currently stationed in Iraq), flooded the halls of U.S. Capitol as part of Veterans Lobby Day on Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT). But our stories of valor and patriotism were not all received by willing and interested ears.

Three years ago Don't Ask Don't Tell silenced me from reporting repeated abuse by fellow soldiers and my unit chief, all because they suspected I was gay. But when I told my story to Congressman Dan Lungren's (R-CA) Legislative Director Kevin Holsclaw, he dismissively replied, "The Representative does not support social experiments in our armed services." One floored comrade recounted how the most pressing inquiry on Representative Dana Rohrabacher's (R-CA) mind regarding DADT, was whether or not she had ever "engaged in homosexual acts" during her career.

by the audacity of representatives and their staffers to look veterans in our eyes and tell us they couldn't care less about our mental health, job security and human dignity, I hurried off Capitol Hill, hoping my one o'clock might be more fruitful.

I dialed the 202 number as I exited the cab and hurried into a coffee shop across from the White House. Inside I scanned the crowd. What does a Deputy Director to the President even look like?

"Hi, this is Brian," I heard the gentleman say both through my receiver and about a foot in front of me.

Brian Bond is the White House Deputy Director of Public Engagement. He has become the de facto target for criticism from the LGBT community over the administration's perceived inaction on Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT).

As I sat down, I couldn't help noticing that every other customer in the café was dressed in military uniform. It seemed like a cruel joke as I prepared to argue for the repeal of DADT, a law that was ultimately used to end my military career.

"Before we get started", he said, "I wanted to see if you wouldn't mind signing your letter so I can try my best to get this to the actual President." The initiative and care, from an administration accused of not taking Don't Ask Don't Tell seriously enough, took me by surprise.

Since Bond already knew my story, I explained why it's imperative that a repeal bill passes Congress before the August recess, well ahead of midterm elections when we have no sure way of knowing who will remain in Congress.

I shared with him how, just days earlier, I had built up the courage to finally visit my former peers at the U.S. Naval Academy, an institution I dreamed of graduation from, but because of DADT, now never will.

In Annapolis, gay and straight midshipmen told me how the culture of lies and deceit, forced on our military by DADT, was straining them and their buddies overseas. I told Bond that further delay in repeal efforts will sadly result in continued abuse, suicides, and discharges.

I caught the posture of Deputy Director Bond relax at this point. "I was sort of expecting you to just want to yell at me," he said.

Instead I explained that I understood that without President Obama, Secretary Gates would not have insisted that the Pentagon working group on DADT take a "how, not if" approach. And without White House leadership, it's equally unlikely that Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, would have come out so emphatically against DADT.

During a February 2nd hearing by the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mullen said "No matter how I look at this issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens."

But I was also sure to tell Deputy Director Bond that recent mixed signals have undermined support for the president. He knew exactly what I was getting at.

"Secretary Gate's letter to Chairman Skelton caught us entirely by surprise. I still don't really know what to make of it," he said.

He explained how careful analysis of the text convinces him it was drafted "rather hastily." As the White House's point man on DADT, Bond assured me the president is working aggressively to achieve the most cohesive congressional, executive, and DOD solution to permanent repeal.

"The President is committed to getting this done," he said, "and done right."

"Please do not interpret silence from the White House as inaction on repeal or a reflection of its commitment." According to Bond, any perceived lack of transparency is due to sensitive collaborations between the different bodies of government that have been ongoing from day one, and will result in repeal "this year."

Members of the LGBT community find ourselves wrestling with our hearts, which want repeal yesterday, and our minds, which understand the complexities of passing a bill through Congress - the only permanent solution to the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell.

The meeting left me feeling relieved. For the first time I am entirely convinced that this administration is behind us. What is left is for us, together, to take this fight, in earnest, to both houses of Congress.

Over the course of Veterans Lobby Day, it became clear to me that legislators opposed to the repeal of DADT will not be swayed by the mountain of statistics and legal arguments stacked against DADT. At this point they can only truly be influenced by the men and women who have served under this deeply flawed policy.

As the fight to repeal DADT advances towards the House and Senate floors in the coming weeks, there's only one convincing argument left that holds any power to change our legislators' minds. They need to hear brave testimonies from the over a million living gay and lesbian veterans stretching all the way back to WWII.

The time is now, for legislators to choose what side of history they wish to be written into. Undoubtedly some members of Congress will remain in opposition to repeal, but in a country that relentlessly supports its troops, they should expect electoral retribution for anything short of full support of the dignified treatment of each and every service member.

Together with our allies in Congress and the White House, this summer we face the decisive battle that will determine the fate of repeal. I, like many vets at Veterans Lobby Day, hope that by this time next year, I am back in uniform serving my country.

A Marine returns to school

wilmer — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:41:39 -0500

Gaurav Taneja is finding it hard to readjust to life as a college student after fighting in Iraq.

New iPhone App to Help Soldiers

denise — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:02:54 -0600

Proving how the iPhone can be used for almost anything, now military personnel will be able to use it to track U.S enemies. At least that’s the ultimate goal. The app, One Force Tracker, created by Raytheon, can track friends and foes. The app lets you see people’s positions on live, real time maps and it also provides secure communications.

The app can also be used by others like police, fireman, and emergency medical technicians. It works together with the phone’s GPS system.

There is one problem, the iPhone can only carry out one function at a time. Chief technology officer for Raytheon’s Intelligence and information system, J Smart, told The New York Times it’s something they are still working on. He says, "Underneath the iPhone is a Mac OS X operating system which is based on Unix, which gives us Unix multitasking.”

What do you think -- will this be a success in the army and actually in the battlefield?

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)

Joseph Christopher Rocha in the News

rkrantz — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:09:09 -0500

UPDATE (2:55 PDT): Joseph Rocha's story aired again on Wolf Blitzer's Situation Room. The re-airing of this morning's video (see below) was accompanied by an interview with Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) a formal 3-Star Navy Admiral who has made this case one of his priorities.

Navy Veteran Joseph Christopher Rocha has gotten attention from the national news media this week.

Youth Radio first broke Rocha's story back in June when he told us about the abuse he experienced during his time serving in Bahrain.

Since then, Youth Radio has broken major investigative pieces as seen on the Huffington Post and NPR telling Rocha and other unit members' stories in detail.

This weekend, we were happy to see Joseph Christopher Rocha's editorial in the Washington Post. Here's an excerpt from the powerful piece of writing:

I don't think I will ever feel as powerless as I did when I was on my knees, wearing a U.S. military uniform in the Middle East, forced by my superior to shove my head between another man's legs. But I have discovered that telling this story holds its own kind of power.

We were also excited to see a profile of Joseph and his story on CNN this morning.

That video, and more, after the jump...

Rocha is hopeful the new round of media attention will help bring justice for the sailors who experienced abuse in Bahrain, and for other gay service members still living in fear.

For years, I kept this story a secret from my loved ones, wanting simply to move on. But I believe we have a window of opportunity now in the effort to repeal "don't ask, don't tell," and this has propelled me to go public with my experience...The more I talk about what happened to me, the more I hear from others who have been in similar situations. Students in the service academies calling me, crying, asking if they should quit. World War II veterans. Enlisted soldiers serving overseas. They are hopeful that we may soon have a different kind of military, that gay and lesbian men and women can serve the country we love with job security and dignity.

Despite everything, I am hopeful, too.

Stay with Youth Radio as this story continues to develop--we'll be the first to let you know.