# Report outlines security unit hazing, assault



## DA SWO (Oct 3, 2009)

I am not posting the entire story, just a couple of paragraphs.  You can hit the link to see the entire story.

I'll post my comments as a reponse instead of placing my thoughts in/next to the story.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/10/navy_bahrain_hazing_100509w/


A naked female sailor was handcuffed to a bed rack and forced to role-play an angry lesbian spat with another woman — all while being videotaped by other sailors.

A dog handler who refused to visit a prostitute was duct-taped and locked in a kennel full of dog feces.

A female sailor alleged that she was sexually assaulted by another sailor, but it was never reported up the chain of command.

In all, a Judge Advocate General Manual investigation found 93 incidents involving hazing and other improper behavior in the Military Working Dog Division at Naval Support Activity Bahrain in 2005 and 2006.

Despite it all, the chief in charge of the kennel was promoted, and the investigation into the matter sat on the shelf, with no apparent discipline for anyone in a leadership role.......

.......Besides the abuse and hazing allegations, the command’s 2007 investigation found:

• Gambling, fraternization and socializing with prostitutes were commonplace among some of the unit’s sailors.

• The sailor was berated and removed from the kennel after admitting that some of his shipmates used to falsify — or “gun deck” — paperwork in the explosives accountability logs.

• The unit’s chief frequently threatened to use his connections and clout to punish anyone who reported his misconduct, saying: “God help anyone who airs our dirty laundry.”

And as the investigation was wrapping up, a female sailor who believed she would be implicated in the probe took her own life.

*The man in the middle of it all, Chief Master-at-Arms Michael Toussaint, 38, was selected for senior chief in May 2006 and now works with SEALs at the elite Naval Special Warfare Development Group in Dam Neck, Va.*
One Navy official familiar with the investigation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Toussaint was “counseled” by his superiors in Bahrain......

......And copies of the JAGMan were forwarded to the current commanding officers of the sailors implicated.

None of the officials familiar with the investigation could say why none of the sailors was disciplined......

.....Once the documents surfaced in September, Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Pa., a former vice admiral, sent a letter to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus asking about the investigation and its final outcome.

“Failing to treat everyone with the same level of dignity and allowing acts of assault and battery to go unaddressed would be counter not only to our national values, but to the concept of brotherhood and sisterhood that I learned is so essential to — and such a key part of — the spirit of our armed forces,” Sestak said in the Sept. 11 letter.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead on Sept. 22 directed the commander of Navy Installations Command, Vice Adm. Michael Vitale, to review what happened after the investigation, said Cmdr. Cappy Surette, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon. Mercer said he, too, began looking into the matter earlier in September.

Vitale’s report is due to Roughead by Oct. 6......

.....Toussaint promoted favoritism among his sailors, offering his friends cushy temporary-duty assignments with increased pay, according to the investigation.

One sailor, Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Shaun Hogan, was removed from the kennel after responding “yes” to a question about whether some sailors “gun deck” their paperwork when compiling the unit’s explosives accountability logs, according to the investigation.

The supervisor — it’s unclear precisely who, because many names were redacted from the report — screamed at Hogan and said the proper response to that question was: “I can’t speak for other sailors, ... but I don’t gun deck my paperwork.”.....

.....


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## 0699 (Oct 3, 2009)

You think we would have learned by now that these things ALWAYS get out.


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## DA SWO (Oct 3, 2009)

This is one of those "bad things" that screws everyone over.

There are sooo many UCMJ violations that Navy Times should have had a years worth of headlines.  Security at these locations was probably comprimised by drunk handlers trying to impress hookers.

Guy (I refuse to honor him by calling him a sailor) at the center is now with an elite unit, who knows what's missing from their supply room.

The Democrat Rep from PA (the retired 2-star) will probably defeat Arlen Spector (the defector) in the 2010 primary, and may be the next Jr Senator from PA.  My guess is the Navy takes his concerns a little more seriously then the concerns of other US Reps.

Our presence in Bahrain is supposed to be low key, something like this can (and often does) cause the host nation to put further restrictions on our ops in/out of the country.  

I wasn't the most "by the book guy" when I was in, but I had certain lines I would not cross; weapons, ammo and explosives were always accounted for.  Hazing was controlled so it did not cross the line.  FWIW- Hazing usually consisted of pushups, and a cherry helmut.  

Finally, I hope all the ammo etc is accounted for; would hate for military grade explosives to end up in the wrong hands.  I also wonder how much dirt this "chief" has on his supervisors; there has to be a reason they did not act when notified of his wrong doings.

Lots of stupid here.


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## AssadUSMC (Oct 3, 2009)

I wonder how often they did it doggy-style. :)


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## Scotth (Oct 4, 2009)

And the guy is working with the DEVGRP now.:doh:


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## AWP (Oct 4, 2009)

What is it with the Navy and fuckups lately? The special projects P-3 squadron commander crashes a plane and goes to JSOC and now this? Not that other services are immune to such things or perfect, it just seems the last 6 months have seen some interesting personnel choices by BUPERS.


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## moobob (Oct 4, 2009)

Navy BUPERS is only a syllable away from BLOOPERS...


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