Soldier's Heart - Noncombat wounds of PTSD

Fort Lewis, Washington

September 12, 2013- I permanently changed stations to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA where I was gained at the Waller Hall Reception Building. My ride never showed up from the Battalion Staff Duty and in an attempt to find my unit, my (Battalion Commander) of 1-229th ARB, recognized my name and escorted me in his truck to the Battalion.

Now pre-arrival to Washington, I was communicating to my new Battalion S1 by email months in advance from South Korea to understand their expectations, how I could get ahead of myself, unit history. My responses usually came from my new NCOIC and SPC P. The email traffic was my attempt to build a positive relationship with my new unit and rapport.

Once I in-processed 1-229th ARB, CID, the Battalion and Brigade SHARP pulled me aside to talk to me about them knowing I am a sexual assault survivor from South Korea and how my case was still open.

From September 2013 to November 2013, I didn't have any disciplinary, work, performance, or family issues. I went on a field training exercise to Idaho called HAMET, where SFC M. and I were the sole S1 for that duration of time end of October in to November 2013,we returned to Washington state before Thanksgiving. I experienced a few family deaths in November and December of 2013, my divorce was finalized, and I was progressing to where I earned my Specialist waiver early and was pinned by SFC M. December 1, 2013. Then SPC E. arrived and shortly after was promoted. She became my Squad Leader as the only female Soldier under her.

 That was repeatedly the first time in this unit I "appeared" according to CPL E. to have disciplinary problems according to the negative counseling I received for disrespecting a Noncommissioned Officer. SFC M. had called me on the phone during our units deployment readiness Soldier Readiness Process (SRP), he was in a rush and needed our files there, at the time I didn't have a car and I relayed the message the same way that was asked of me in an upbeat excited voice, "SGT E., SFC M. says we have to leave TIME NOW.", that ended being disrespectful because we were in a rush and she was taking her time.

I ended up getting counseled twice for this issue and was asked to type up a paper, (See Counseling statements), I submitted the paper late because of internet difficulties and then in a subsequent counseling or being late I was humiliated and disrespected back by being told to repeat every morning for come 0900 to come to the position of attention and recite the Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer.

One morning came and she was down the hall, but the counseling specifically stated I have to say the creed at a certain time. I stood up in an empty office and proceeded to proudly recite the creed. CPL E. interjected loudly from down the hall, stomping in to the office, locking me up in parade rest, "SPC Gabriel, I am not in...". As if I am not humiliated already that I am the only Soldier with this type of treatment under her supervision.

I brought the situation of her attitude and treatment to SSG B. and SFC M. and they told me they would talk to her. Nothing resulted from their talk, I just was later switched under SSG B. supervision and still had to take orders respectively from CPL E.

SSG B. emphasizes that CPL E. is learning to be an NCO and she I still need to respect her rank and position.

March 29, 2014: The Unit deploys and to prepare the unit I was asked to help with SRP, supervising, briefings, and accountability (conducting Personnel Asset Inventories) on my own on multiple occasions.

When the unit deployed CPL E., SPC L. , SFC M., CPT Z.  deployed. The rear detachment S1 consisted of myself, SSG B., and PFC B.

My NCOIC SFC M. wanted me to deploy with them and originally I was considered on the list until the Battalion Commander shot the request down and told him I couldn't deploy with a sexual assault case.

The information that was relayed to me by SSG B. was that I couldn't deploy because I was sexually assaulted. A week after I reported that to the medical staff CPT R. she called the unit 1SG.  First Sergeant (1SG) requested me to come in the office and told me I wasn't allowed to deploy because my sexual assault case was still active. (Hence why I regret telling anyone and reporting the second time around.)

April 2014: Under the Rear Detachment Command of 1SG D. and CPT C.

SGT M. and SGT L. were two NCO's leading Physical Training exercises one morning and mocking the Gay community, knowing or not knowing that we had Gay and Lesbian Soldiers in that formation that morning. During group formation we the comment "Hop if you are GAY" from SGT M. and response from SGT L. "If you are offended go to the woods and pick up some faggots" after I on-the-spot corrected the NCO SGT M. of his inappropriate comments while doing the hamstring stretch standing caused conflict for me. I bring this up because my on-the-spot correcting as an E-4 was relayed to the 1SG and Commander as "interfering with unit cohesion" when CPT C. threatened and attempted to Chapter 5-17 me during August 12, 2014.

Because I reported there comments to the Equal Opportunity sergeant and he pulled the NCO's aside and talked to them. The next few weeks the NCO's mentioned above and SGT M. wife SGT M. and her NCO started treating me disrespectfully to the point where the female SGT M. would call me after hours on multiple occasions leaving voicemails or calling me yelling for kicking back awards my supervisor told me to return to the company. Even though ten minutes ago she was arguing with SSG BROWN about it in the office over the phone and I was there.

The other NCO's and peers started to spread rumors about me and those rumors circulated back to my supervisors, 1SG and Commander. It became another attempt at "undermining my credibility as a Soldier where leaders in my unit and peers didn't take me seriously and mocked me behind my back".