Spc. Swift, facing a redeployment to Iraq while serving under the command of the same individuals now under investigation for rape and sexual harassment, chose to go absent without leave rather than subjugate herself to the horrors she experienced during her first tour of duty.

Spc. Swift’s arrest on June 11 sparked a national outcry from all walks of life, both military and civilian. Veterans of military service and those who believe in basic human rights have organized to demand that the Pentagon protect the dignity of our soldiers and implement the changes the Pentagon’s Joint Task Force on Sexual Abuse in the military recommended in a report to Congress in 2004.

Please visit: SuzanneSwift.org and help!

Spc. Swift, facing a redeployment to Iraq while serving under the command of the same individuals that allowed her to be raped and sexual harassed, suffered a breakdown due to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and went absent without leave rather than subject herself to the horrors she experienced during her first tour of duty.

read more for suzanne’s letter and a call to action..

Suzanne’s letter to congressman
DeFazio and Senators Wyden and Smith

My Name is Suzanne Swift.

I enlisted in the Army when I was 19. I signed up for 5 years because I wanted to be a military police officer. I was told that Military police officers do not deploy to combat zones. I was sent to Iraq a month after completing AIT. While I was in Iraq I was sexually harassed and sexually assaulted. I was told not to tell and kept in a constant state of fear the entire deployment. I came back from Iraq and was sexually harassed again by my new team leader. I reported him and we were both questioned intensely about our actions. He was moved to another unit and I was treated like a traitor by the rest of my unit for months after. I was told our unit would re-deploy to Iraq after we had a mandatory 18 months of stabilization time. 8 months after our return from Iraq I received my orders that we were going to be deployed again to Iraq in January of 2006. When I refused to sign the waiver waiving my rights to 18 months of stabilization time I was told that I would regret my decision. I signed under duress and prepared for my deployment. As the time grew closer to the deployment date I found myself mentally preparing for dealing with the daily harassment and the possibility of being raped or coerced into being another Sergeants “private” again. It made me very nervous, but I continued to prepare. I sent all of my personal belongings over to Iraq with the rest of the unit. Then we went on a training mission to Yakima and a male Sergeant raped a male Specialist while we were out there. The next day we all had to attend a mandatory sexual abuse and assault training. During the training the male specialist had to get up and leave because he was crying so hard. My anxiety rose. Then I was home saying good bye and dropping off some of my things. I had the car packed and was ready to go back because our deployment was in three days. I had my keys in my hand and I panicked. I told my mom that I could not go back. I went AWOL. I started seeing a private psychologist and he assessed and diagnosed me with post traumatic stress disorder. I started seeing him every week. 5 months after I went awol I was arrested and taken in handcuffs to Lane County jail where they strip searched and orifice checked me and denied me medical care for an abscessed tooth for 10 hours. I was in so much pain. The MP’s arrived two and a half days later to pick me up and return me to Ft. Lewis where they returned me to my unit under the supervision of the same Sgt. that initially harassed me in Iraq. Senator Murray assisted us in getting me moved to a different unit and putting a no contact order on the Sgt. So, I am still in Ft. Lewis and miserable. No one is sexually harassing me in the new unit, but I am subjected to constant humiliation and harassment. I know that I deserve to be honorably discharged from the Army. I have been treated horribly and whenever I have asked for help I was treated like a traitor and a pariah.

An investigation has been completed, but no one is telling me what is going on. It has been 70 days since I was arrested and my mental health is deteriorating quickly.

Your help in my case would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Spc. Suzanne Swift

We need your help! Please write letters to Suzanne’s Reps and chain of command:

Congressman Peter DeFazio
151 West 7th, Suite 400
Eugene, OR 97401
Phone: (541) 465-6732

http://defazio.house.gov/emailme.shtml

Senator Gordon Smith
Federal Building
211 East 7th Avenue, Room 202
Eugene, OR 97401
Phone: 541.465.6750
Fax: 541.465.6808

http://gsmith.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Senator Patty Murray
950 Pacific Avenue, Ste. 650
Tacoma, Washington 98402
Phone: (253) 572-3636
Fax: (206) 553-0891 and (253)
572-9892

http://murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

Senator Ron Wyden
151 West 7th Avenue
Suite 435
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 431-0229

http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Lt. Col. Switzer
Department of the Army
Commander
504th Military Police Battalion
MS55, Box 339500
Ft. Lewis, WA 98433-9500.

Sample letter to send to a senator, drafted by CODEPINK Arlington, TX coordinator Desiree Fairooz:

Honorable Senator Murray,

I am writing to plead for your assistance on behalf of a young woman, Suzanne Swift. Ms. Swift has served a tour of duty with the United States Army in Iraq during which time she was repeatedly sexually harassed by her superiors and coerced into a sexual relationship by one in particular.

Due to these traumatizing events that she experienced both in Iraq and stateside, Ms. Swift suffers from and has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder yet she has been called up for a second tour of duty.

Ms. Swift was arrested from her mother’s home for going AWOL. She is currently being held at Fort Lewis, presumably until her case can be heard. We urge you, Senator, to do all you can to persuade the Army to either honorably or medically discharge Ms. Swift as she is a victim of pervasive sexual harassment suffered while serving in the military.

Sincerely,

Your Name