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I am a veteran who served in the military for 3 years from 1997-2000 and then I returned to Active duty again for only 3 month beginning in October 2008. I understand speaking from my own experience why many rapes in the military go unreported. 10 years ago If a female soldier in my chain of command reported a rape somehow everyone in our company would know about it. Privacy was definately an issue. There was the fear of embarrassment, humiliation, and perhaps and unsupported chain of command. Perhaps the reporting process has improved since then but I'm sure there are till some flaws.Instead of reporting my rape and have my chain of command what I assumed would make matters worse for me, I handled the situation on my own. When I reenlisted in 2008 , I found myself in a worse situation the second time. When I was in-processing at a military base in Oklahoma, all female soldiers had to authorize a blood test that would test for pregnancy and to determine what vaccinations were needed. To make a long story short, after completing the alternative basic training while having stomach complications which was assumed to be "gastritis" almost the entire time,being given various vaccinations pains" I came to find out that I was "pregnant" The doctor in South Carolina confirmed that my pregnancy test taken in Oklahoma was positive, I didn't know! they never told me, I should not have been given vaccinations "which by the way those records disappeared" I was suppose to be released. I was 3.5 months pregnant when I found out and then my chain of command in South Carolina didn't "approve" prenatal care even though I was bleeding with a threatened miscarriage! I went 6 weeks without prenatal care before I decided I wanted to be let out because my commanders were procrastinating on making a decision as to what they were going to do with me. On January 25, 2009, 5 days after I was released from active duty I lost my son Ernie I was 5 months pregnant. Due to a law called the FERES DOCTRINE the military can't be held accountable for ANY acts of medical negligence. Soldiers and Veterans, Both Men and Women are not given the respect they deserve and it's shameful.  There's a lot to the military that can benefit a persons life and I'm sure it has for many people, but there is definitely room for a lot of improvement.

posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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