The military, like the rest of our govt, promotes the idiots and those who are incapable of doing their jobs, as opposed to firing them. I know several retired military officers who collectivly have less common sense than a five year old. I realize the main body of our military is doing right, but lets not forget that the top brass set the bar for behavior and acceptable morals. When did they forget about common decency and protection of their fellow soldiers? Just what would they do if their daughters were the victims? When they retire they propogate their porr judgement and lack of common sense in the private sector and really stand out like a bunch of jackasses. I think the commanders who allow the criminal behavior and go to further lengths to hide and intimidate the victims should get the same, or worse, sentance as the perps.

ok guys, are you trying to tell me that men don't have the brains to keep control thenmselves?? The fact that "they're just men in a battle situation. What do you expect them to do?" is no longer acceptable. This is 2006 and you've got to be kidding me. In the 50's it was women that didn't have the brains to hold a job outside the home and now you're telling me that men don't have the brains to control themselves. We've got to expect more of our young people, or this mentality is gonna continue. And you're right. The military takes responsibility from the top ranks down. We need to look at the comander in chief and his attitude and how it's trickled down to the troops on the ground!

When these numbers are compared to the national averages for crime they dont look so bad, but ABC is not going to tell you that. 500 reports of sexual assult out of 120,000+ is less than 1%. The national statistics are much worse. Out of 300 million people in the US there was 95000 focible rapes. Thats 3% and that is much, much higher than what the military has. And that is just rapes and does not include other sex crimes. Now I wonder....why doesn't ABC report that. Because then people might have a good opinion of our military and that would not fit into the political ideology of the left especially since elections are coming up. Pretty sad to smear our soldiers for the simple goal of trying to sway people to vote a certain way. If the people of the military were a bunch of drunk, sex crazed, rapists as this story seems to suggest then why do we want them home so bad? Is it because they our our fathers, brothers, sisters and mothers. I know who they are to me......who are they to you? If you have never seved in a forward position and been in combat you will never know the hell that these soldiers go through 24 hours a day. EVERYDAY! So for the media to be so laser focused on every little thing that these soldiers do wrong is just not fair. They cry and whine when anybody tries to hold them accountable for there mistakes in reporting and yet no room for error with men and women who have to make snap life and death decisions everyday. I will never try and justify any crime against another person, but maybe we can give these guys a little break and focus on a few of the good things they do. If you hate Bush thats fine, but leave the fine men and women of our armed forces out of the mud-slinging.

Perhaps ABC could ask about data on pregnancies that have resulted from units serving in Iraq. That might indicate more about the environment the military is struggling with.

I mistakenly attributed to x comments made by Scott. x made supportive comments. Scott and Hank need to have some reality training--we're talking about rape, which is a crime even if it occurs in a combat zone. It has not a damned thing to do with consensual sex.

"NO" means "NO".

I pray these two guys are never on a rape jury or don't work in law enforcment.

Larry said: " believe that this report will backfire and give ammunition to those saying that this is one of the reasons why women don't belong in the combat zone."

Why punish WOMEN for what MEN are doing? THEY are the ones doing the raping.

Many years ago when Golde Meir was mayor of Jerusalem, there was a rapist in the city--so the council decided to declare a curfew for women. Golde correctly pointed out that WOMEN weren't the ones breaking the law, yet they were the ones being confined by a curfew.

I am SURE some of the Religious Right and their supporters will declare that this proves that women can't hack it--but it proves nothing other than some men in the military sleep through anti-sexual harassment and anti-sexual assault training.

As for the other person who seemed to think having a shower area set aside for women at a specific time of day and lighting bright enough to discourage assault-- he's wrong. It isn't too much to expect. Women's tents need to be in an area with high traffic, and lighting that low endangers everyone because it bloody well makes it easier for insurgents to gain access. Theya rent asking for luxurious conditions, just for easily managed awareness.

As someone who was a military wife for 15 years, I can assure you htta most active duty men are not rapists. If women were bunked in the center of a compound, I can guarantee you that many of them would run to aid a female soldier if she screamed. That doesn't have a thing to do with Susan's post, as her assault happened in Germany, not Iraq--but the number of assaults on female soldiers over there is appallingly high, and indicates a lack of concern (and perhaps even sympathy for the rapists) on the part of the higher-ups.

Having served in the Army for 10yrs, I have seen both sides of the coin. I knew of females who have claimed raped because they had sex with someone and got pregnant or the boyfriend/husband found out about the affair. So I think thats why some commands question such claims. Sadly, that what makes it bad for those who have been really raped. Rape and sexual harassement are wrong. Military personnel should not have to endure this, they have enough going on.

I could never have sex if only I enjoyed it,I have had a satisfactory sex life, but would NEVER force myself on anyone just because I wanted it, if you really feel like sex and there is no consenting person available, there is an answere. it is called masterbation,
P.S. I have very good eyesight

Susan, hang in there, eventually those voices will fade and all you will be left with is the strength you found to fight this terrible betrayal. I said similar things years ago when I served, almost, word for word. I found a similar reaction not only in the ranks among men AND women, but also a level of denial and disbelief in the civilian world that astounds me now.

You expect to be treated poorly by the enemy, but you never see it coming from the people wearing your country's uniform. It is the ultimate betrayal, because you and they took a SACRED oath that should have ensured that you all supported each other. After all, regardless of the plumbing, you are all still Americans sworn to protect the constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic, and that protection is for women too.

Instead you find that you took an oath to serve with some serious creeps who are nothing more than glorified air theives.

Women have served in the US military since its inception from Molly Pitcher and in every other war. The difference between now and then, is that women finally get veteran's benefits, so Hank and whatever your name is, get a clue.

For instance:
Thousands of women served in WWII, not just as nurses but as test pilots, plane mechanics and techs, and many paid the ultimate sacrifice without hope of receiving benefits, no memorial, no welcome home parade for them. Women also served as agents for the allied forces see the book, The Women Who Lived for Danger, as well as units of hit and run guerillas in Russia that fought off the Germans with planes from WWI, they were called The Night Witches and they laid on the wings of planes while they glided over enemy forces and dropped bombs by hand at night.

Women served in Korea, Veitnam, Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

The fact is, if I or any woman have to look over our shoulders worrying about someone raping us on post, we would have to watch for that same person in the civilian world. They have increased motive and opportunity in those close-quartered populations in the military that incubate this behavior by protecting and nurturing their mistaken notions concerning "manliness" and "brotherhood."

Men who want to blame that on women would probably commit the same behavior if they thought they could get away with it. Birds of a feather and all that.

I do not give one hoot if a woman says she was raped in the military. Warren Farrell in the book "The Myth of Male Power" shows how women lie about this all the time, and when confronted with the facts and stats, they change the subject and make excuses, just like they do over the "Pay Gap" they allege to be going on, which is not. When men complain about double standards that women commit, like them being allowed to be reporters in men's locker rooms and men having to cover up so they do not get fined, etc, women do not care or just ignore and change the subject. They make excuses saying that abortion is not murder. If abortion is not murder, then according to that logic, rape should not be a crime. They say about abortion that it is their body, that they can do with it what they want. So I say, since they do not believe in applying logic to evil acts and crime, then neither should anybody else be expected to when it comes to their excuse making and double standards.

My husband spent a year in Iraq and Kuwait. Some of those little ladies bring it on themselves and then scream rape. I have said it before and I will say it again "women DO NOT belong in the military", definitly not in a combat zone.

Susan
I am so sorry to hear about your ordeal. I have never understood how and why the military allows and covers up such happenings. These so called men make me sick, like some that have made negative comments. Thank you for standing up for all the others that have not yet found the strength to do so. Hopefully one day we will have real men and LEADERS in those positions to teach that those acts will not be tollerated in our military. We as the UNITED STATES should be better than that, if for nothing more than an example to the World. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

The women who serve in the military are there to protect and preserve the freedom of the United States. Pvt Jessica lynch was kidnapped in Iraq in 2003. There are alot of women in the military who do their jobs as well if not better than alot of men. As to those who say that it is inevitable for men to want sex when away from home for so long, well if there were no women in the military would they rape their fellow male soilders?

As a former Marine and Gulf War Vet I am appalled and shocked by what I read and the comments of some of the readers.

These are men, not animals but if they chose to act like animals they are unfit to serve this country in uniform.

We take an oath to defend our nation and its interests, we put place our trust in the soldier/ marine next to us to carry out his mission as we complete ours. We do not harm or take advantage of our brothers or sisters in uniform.

Any commander, officer, SNCO, NCO, enlisted or recruit that doesn't share my viewpoint is a disgrace to all that have worn that uniform and especially those that died in service to our nation.

There is no excuse for any in uniform attacking another member of our armed forces, an investigation should be launched as soon as possible when an allegation of misconduct/ criminal behavior has been made, failure to do so should result in swift, strong disciplinary action!

John - You almost make a good point, but ...

Maybe you're right that ABC should've also pointed out the 95000 rapes that took place here in the U.S. during that time.

But they should've done so in condemnation of the whole lot -- NOT to excuse the 500 reported cases in Iraq.

We as a country already regularly fail to enforce laws and hold law-breakers accountable.

Whether it's school dress codes, traffic laws, immigration laws, rape or worse -- without enforcement, laws are futile.

By the way -- The soldiers I know who've served in Iraq would certainly take issue with your comparing them to the other 300 million people in the U.S., and, for that matter, with your entire attempt to excuse this 1%'s despicable acts and the disgrace it brings to the other 99%.

Rape is rape no matter where it is committed. I am a military brat and know for a fact most soldiers are decent and law abiding but there are still some who believe in the "good old boy" system and will turn a blind eye on many things including drinking and doing drugs while on duty as long as it doesn't compromise their position.
The Pentagon and many civilian observers have stated that recruitment is at an all time low. The Army hasn't been able to meet it's quota for several months. If they want to get more people to sign up,male or female, the top brass needs to clean up their act not dismiss harassement or sexual assaults by sweeping them under the rug. Denial or supression of information by the military leadership neither solves the problem nor makes it go away.
If the two men with the unrealistic comments were raped by their fellow soldiers and suffered the same treatment as Susan, they would have most likely committed suicide or murdered the perpetrators of the crime or other military personnel.
Mr. Rumsfeld, take note, you are not going to gain any thing by ignoring this problem. You are going to lose many good, qualified soldiers because of few bad ones!

I think it is a sad,sad thing for our country to have people in it without any morals.I mean cmon,blaming the victim!How harsh is that.I think people forget to use the old thumb of rule"Think before you speak"!What if it were you or a family member ,who had went through a horrible act of violence such as this?Would you still be saying the same thing Hank or Scott?I think Not!But really what do we expect when our country has turned out like it has,I mean turning our backs on God and allowing such sin in the world to be defined as OK in our society!It really makes me sick some of the laws our country is trying to make for such blatant Sin!And whoever said that change needs to start at the top,You are so right!And susan,you will get over this, just keep praying and you will get even stronger!God Bless! Connie

The best way to resolve this problem is get rid of all the men in the services and let the women do all the fighting.

We are so concerned with helping other countries out that we aren't taking care of our own as well as we should be. We want to "help" these countries when in reality we are just as bad as they are?!?! We can't help the homeless kids, the drug addict parents, the rapes and sexual assult crimes; we have corrupt law enforcement, military soldiers who don't deserve the honor of being recognized as a defender of our nation because of the things they do, and we think we're big abd bad enough to go and help other countries? We want them to have something close to what we have? Why? We have this problem of rape and the higher-ups not doing anything about it in many different organizations, not just the military. It happens often enough in the homeland, and we don't do anything about it here, and as much as I truly love the military, there should be this much concern for all the corrupt organizations out there. I'm not yet 18, and I haven't graduated high school yet, but I have always wanted to serve. I am female, and I am well aware of what I would be getting myself into. If you don't know what you're getting yourself into, you need to do your homework. The military is made up of humans, not immortals, and they do not have godly powers. They make mistakes, they commit horrible crimes, just like the rest of the world. And not everyone does, and no, they shouldn't take the rap for it, but it happens. Focus on the problem, not how unfair it is. Make it right instead of bitching. And if you want to bitch, you need to try and do something to make it better, don't just sit back on the sidelines and watch. No one deserves to be raped, sexually assulted,molested,anything against their will, but as there is no one person who has the perfect mind-set and is controlling the rest of us on a computer or some other such nonsense, people will do horrible things. they will make mistakes. They will do things they may or may not regret. And if all we're gonna do is sit and watch, and not try to better ourselves and the world, we're just as bad. Who in the hell do we think we are to tell everyone else they are doing it wrong if we can't fix our own home issues?!

You want more lighting? So does our enemies. Why? Because it makes better targets for them. A male soldier HAS to think thusly: " I may have my life taken any time soon. I haven't even begun to live. Does my life count for nothing?" Women in the military cause more problems then they're worth. I wouldn't want to be commanded by women or depend on them for survival. They can be very useful but not in combat. Can a women hoist a wounded man out of harm's way as well as a man? Can a woman kill with the same efficiency as a man? Can women keep up with the Company in a withdrawal or would they hold up the Company? Hand-to-hand fighting? Forget it! And when they're captured by the kind of enemies we now face, what do you think they can expect?
Women soldiers, 20 years old, in their physical and sexual prime, what do you expect? Are we supposed to teach our soldiers to be quire boys? Is this what our military is for? The military is to hunt down and exterminate our enemies, i.e. do unto them before they do onto you. Sounds savage? That's war. Remember?