Page 44 - FINAL San Diego Woman interactive

UNDER THE C OL ORS

Luz Helena (Stacey) Thompson

VETERANS RECOVERY PROJECT

By Judith A. Habert

Photos Courtesy of Luz Helena Thompson

What do you do when no and not be forever touched by it? That was all Luz needed to sexual harassment by a Staff
one will listen to you? What do PTSD is rampant in our veteran spur her into action, Of course Sergeant. I remember reporting
you do, if they do listen, but they community and many men and she could cut it in the Marine it after it got pretty bad. And
don’t believe what you are telling women live with the pain alone, Corps, and she decided she what they did was they made a
them? What do you do if they too proud to seek the help they would prove it. At 17 she needed decision to transfer me to a new
listen and believe what you are need. her parent’s approval, and they unit, and not the Staff Sergeant
saying, but do nothing about it? The Veteran’s Administration really wanted her to attend who had been doing the sexual
This is the situation being tries to do what they can, but the college first, but she was so harassment. Other female Ma-
experienced in the military for numbers are so staggering, and adamant about what she wanted rines told me that this was not
many women and men to- the personnel and funds are sim- to do that they signed her care unusual if you were a woman you
day. There are over 1.5 million ply not enough to help everyone over to the United States Marine should expect some form of sex-
members of our military in this who needs it. Corps. ual harassment. But it was even
country and the problem of I decided to become more “I had grown up in a very more normal that when, or if you
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) has in touch with our veterans by privileged household, and I reported it, you were actually the
become way too common. Cur- combining my love of writing wanted to really understand the one who was penalized”
rently, it is estimated that more with my respect for the military authenticity of service. What When Luz showed up at her
military women are raped by a and attended a Veteran Writing does it mean to be in the service new unit, everybody at the new
fellow serviceman than are killed Group, held monthly in Oceans- of others? What does it mean to unit knew why she was trans-
in service. MST is not limited to ide, CA. It was at this group that I serve in the military?” ferred. So they viewed her as a
women, men experience it as had the pleasure of meeting Luz Luz headed off to Parris problem. People ask today, why
well. The problem is those who Helena (Stacey) Thompson. She is Island in South Carolina for did so many women not report
commit the crime are the same an amazing young woman who bootcamp in August 1998. From their abuse. This is the reason.
people expected to bring it to is a United States Marine Corps. bootcamp she went off to Marine When I arrived in my new
justice. We all know this is not a Veteran. Combat Training (MCT School) unit, I made a conscious decision
likely outcome. Born in Bogota, Colombia in North Carolina and then to that I would keep to myself there.
At San Diego Woman Maga- she was four months old when Military Occupational Specialty So that's where I concentrated
zine we have a very strong inter- she was adopted by a family on (MOS) school where she learned on working towards obtaining
est and love of our fine men and Long Island New York. Her father the job she would be doing as a my college degree at night after
women who serve in the military. was an orthodontist in Stony Marine. She volunteered for her working all day. One evening I
Each issue includes a section Brook. At 17 Luz decided that first overseas deployment duty was invited by a female Sergeant
dedicated to these brave souls she wanted to join the army. “So, station to Okinawa, Japan. Her of mine and a couple of other
who often pay the ultimate price I went down to the recruiting of- position was as a TMO (Traffic female Marines to go out with
for their generous hearts. Some fices to talk to the army recruiter Management Operator.) them. That night I was drugged
pay the ultimate price of loss of and see what it was all about. “I had thought that once I and taken out of the nightclub.
life, but for countless others, and The Marine Corps recruiter graduated from training that My Sergeant violently raped me
most likely, most. The real pain showed up early and asked what I would fit in with the male and left me on the ground in
is not only the missing limbs or I was waiting for and I told him marines as we were told that Okinawa at four o'clock in the
their constant pain from battle that I wanted to join the army. all marines were family. I soon morning.
injuries, it is the internal pain His response was, ‘Oh I get it, learned that this was not true. The physical sexual abuse was
within them. How can a human you don’t think you can make it From the first unit I was in, I horrible for Luz, but it was also the
being see the atrocities of war in the Marine Corps.’” experienced some pretty severe psychological element that gave
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