Wrongdoer in Bahrain Hazing Case Yet to be Disciplined

The Virginian Pilot has a story today on the ongoing saga of the Navy's mishandling of the hazing and abuse that occurred in a dog-handling unit in Bahrain which led to a suicide and the dismissal of a gay sailor traumatized by the experience. Such bungling and/or cover up is frankly not a surprise for those of us living close to the military. Making the entire matter worse is that the ring leader of the abuse has been promoted and has so far escaped any consequences for his grotesque conduct. Instead, a subordinate, Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer Valdivia (pictured at left), was initially set up to take the fall and she finally committed suicide. It's ironic that the Navy brass has time to initiate witch hunts for gays service members but no time to investigate and discharge the real bad apples who do far more to destroy unit morale and cohesiveness. In my opinion, Chief Petty Officer Michael Toussaint, who served as head of the unit, should have been court martialed and sent to prison rather than promoted. Here are some story highlights:

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As the Navy takes a fresh look at allegations of widespread hazing in a dog-handling unit in Bahrain, evidence is emerging that some lower-ranking sailors felt scapegoated for abusive behavior that allegedly was masterminded by the man in charge of the unit. One of those sailors, Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer Valdivia, committed suicide shortly after an initial investigation of the abuses was completed in 2007. She had been the unit's second in command.

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Another member of the unit, Petty Officer 3rd Class Jake Wilburn, was ultimately booted out of the Navy with a dishonorable discharge after a fellow sailor, Petty Officer 3rd Class Joseph Rocha, complained of systematic harassment. Rocha later left the Navy and gave up an appointment to the Naval Academy after telling a commanding officer in 2007 that he was gay and suffering from post-traumatic stress brought on by the abuse.

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A Navy investigation eventually turned up more than 90 instances of abuse in the unit, including sailors being force-fed dog treats, locked into a kennel and ordered to simulate oral sex. . . . . Wilburn, Rocha and another sailor, Petty Officer 1st Class Shaun Hogan, all say the ringleader of the abuse was Chief Petty Officer Michael Toussaint, who served as head of the unit. Toussaint has since been promoted to senior chief and is now assigned to Oceana Naval Air Station's Dam Neck annex. Navy spokesmen said he is deployed and unavailable for interviews.

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Welcome to the Navy way: good ole boy sadists get promoted and honorable gay and lesbian sailors get discharged. It is a truly f*cked up system that needs to change NOW.