[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 59 (Tuesday, May 12, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H3102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2310
 A CALL FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF MALTREATMENT OF PERSONNEL IN THE U.S. 
                                  NAVY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Burr of North Carolina). Under the 
Speaker's announced policy of January 7, 1997, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Rush) is recognized for the remainder of the time until 
midnight.
  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I come before you today to bring to your 
attention a disturbing pattern of conduct that has taken place in the 
United States Navy. My constituent, Lt. Commander Sheryl Washington, 
who is in the gallery, is a victim of an effort by the U.S. Navy to 
stifle the voices of those who dare to bring to the surface the 
maltreatment of those who serve our Nation.
  Lt. Commander Washington is an 18-year veteran of the Navy. She has 
been brought up on charges and an administrative separation proceeding 
because she supposedly refused to appear for duty. Such administrative 
proceedings are used to remove persons from military service. Lt. 
Commander Washington was absent from duty because she was convalescing 
following a serious automobile accident. Her commander claims she did 
not contact him during this time. However, Lt. Commander Washington has 
phone records which clearly disprove this charge.
  Lt. Commander Washington was found to be medically disabled by both 
military and civilian physicians. In total, Lt. Commander Washington 
was absent for about 3 weeks, from November 12, 1996, to December 2, 
1996. She was excused from duty by the military physician from November 
15 through the 22nd, as well as November 27th through December 2nd. 
Ironically, it is this excused period of time that is the basis of the 
action taken against her, as opposed to the entire 3 weeks of her 
absence.
  I ask Members, how is it possible that a person can be brought up on 
charges of misconduct for only part of the time that they are absent, 
and such absence has been justified by military medical personnel? 
Maybe someone can answer that question. I certainly do not have the 
answer. It does not seem logical to me.
  I question the judgment of Navy personnel in the handling of this 
matter because, as I indicated earlier, their logic is severely flawed. 
A period of absence is authorized or it is unauthorized. It cannot be 
both. I ask the Navy, was Lt. Commander Washington's absence authorized 
or unauthorized? I state, it cannot be both.
  Furthermore, Lt. Commander Washington has submitted to a polygraph 
examination, which she passed, but for some reason the witnesses whom 
the Navy is relying upon have not agreed to take a polygraph 
examination. Does the Navy have a double standard? It appears so to me 
and to others.
  While stationed at Miramar Naval Base, Lt. Commander Washington 
became aware of the fact that an African American woman who was also 
stationed there had been gang-raped and sexually assaulted. Both 
Washington and the rape victim were assigned to the rehabilitation 
center. Although senior people in the chain of command were aware of 
what was happening to this young woman, no action was taken by the 
admiral or any other officers in charge, and this admiral's name is 
Admiral Marsh.
  Perhaps the officers at Miramar thought the rape of this woman was 
justifiable punishment because she had the audacity to let it be known 
that she believed that there had been a misappropriation of equipment 
and supplies by those in charge, knowledge which this young lady was 
told to keep to herself. Maybe that is why the powers that be did not 
think twice about the safety of this woman, because they assigned to 
her an all male barracks which had no privacy nor any sense of 
security.
  This tragic rape of this young woman occurred in 1992, and no 
investigation took place until 1994, when a naval chaplain, Chaplain 
Willy Williams, had the courage to reveal what had happened to a 
reporter, who then reported the story on the evening news.
  Lieutenant Commander Washington had previously reported her knowledge 
of these events to a chaplain, a previous chaplain at a naval base she 
was later assigned to in the area. It was her sense that this prior 
chaplain was aware of this misconduct, but was unwilling or afraid to 
do anything. It was not until the later chaplain, Chaplain Williams, 
came forward that an investigation commenced, 2 years after this tragic 
event happened to this young lady at Miramar.
  It is ironic, bitter irony, that Admiral Marsh, who was in charge of 
the investigation into Lt. Commander Washington's conduct, is the same 
officer who is in charge of the Navy Alcohol Rehabilitation Center at 
Miramar Naval Base in San Diego, where Washington was stationed from 
1991 to 1993, the same person, Admiral Marsh.
  When Washington reported what she considered to be racist conduct by 
the commanding officer at Miramar, she was quickly transferred without 
notice. The recent investigations initiated, Mr. Speaker, at Great 
Lakes Training Center, located in the Chicago area, are yet another 
manifestation of the Navy's insensitivity to our service personnel.
  Investigators have been sent to review recruitment and training 
policies amidst allegations of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, 
improper relations between instructors and recruits, as well as an 
overall climate of hostility and intimidation. It is obvious from the 
events that have taken place that the U.S. Navy is more concerned with 
saving face than ensuring the integrity of our military system.
  Upon learning of such, it is obvious that no lessons were learned by 
the Navy from the Tailhook scandal. It keeps going on and on and on, 
these allegations of sexual harassment, improper relations, 
discrimination, intimidation by superior officers.
  Mr. Speaker, I sincerely, honestly believe in the essence of my soul 
that this situation surrounding Lt. Commander Washington and the brutal 
attack on naval female personnel, person, at Miramar deserves an 
immediate investigation.

                              {time}  2320

  The careers of stellar officers have been tarnished because of an 
environment of fear and forced silence is being perpetuated by the 
United States Navy. I am saddened by this, but we must all stand up, 
because if our military system cannot respect the lives of those who 
serve us, then they cannot truly serve and protect our Nation.

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