Air Force vet still haunted by rape, command’s response.

Virginia, United States Air Force

I was assaulted by an officer in 1975. I ended up driving to the base hospital because after the assault the MP’s would not let me drive out of the base. I was admitted but the stay is very vague. The officer called on a pay phone and told me he was sorry. I hung up on him. It appears that during the assault I either hit him or scratched him. I never saw him again. The few months that ensued I lived in terror that I would be discharged, I had three sons 8, 6 & 4 that I was raising with no help. Later I was told I could get a court-martial for illegal co-habitation ( I stayed at my friend and her officer husband home. She had to leave to California on a family emergency.) or get a hardship discharge due to one of my boys having juvenile diabetes. OMG they even questioned my boys if they had seen me have sex w/other men including my friends husband. I found a ratty apt as soon as my friend left even though I never felt threatened by her husband. I was in my apartment less than a week when they discharged me. I cannot begin to tell you in such a short space all I faced in the Military.

I too have been under psychiatric care since 1981. I am a mess emotionally and selfishly attempted suicide. I have night terrors and have tried to file for compensation and It is never brought up. To this day I live a nightmare. I seldom leave my home unless for VA appts. I have no friends and at times live in my SUV to avoid contact. I was referred to a rape crisis for female veterans in 2003 and was told that I should have gotten over this by now. I’m going to be 65 and I still suffer. I truly hope things have or are going to change for the young women now. As negative as this may sound I have this saying to keep some sense of sanity, “NOT ALL SOLDIERS ARE HEROES”.