Navy Forces Resignation of Chief Who Hazed Gay Sailor
The Navy has removed Senior Chief Michael Toussaint from active duty and censored him for his role in hazing several sailors, including one on the basis of his homosexuality. The move comes after Congressman Joe Sestak (D-PA) raised questions on behalf of the gay veteran, Joseph Rocha.
Rocha, now a political science student at USD, said he suffered verbal and physical abuse as he tried to abide by the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding sexual orientation in the military.
"My dream has always been to graduate from the Naval Academy" said Rocha. But, he also knew he was gay--and that he had to keep that fact under wraps.
He headed to Bahrain to work training K-9s.
But his superior, Chief Master-at-Arms Michael Toussaint, had his suspicions about Rocha. "Do you think there is anything funny about Rocha?" he would ask.
Then, the hazing started. "For whatever reason, without any proof, he decided my hazing would be focused on my sexuality." It included, "being ordered to simulate gay sex on video, finding myself on my knees when I was just trying to serve in the Middle East, coached as to how to have gay sex, all on camera with military dogs around." Rocha didn't know what to do. He was worried that if he reported the abuse, he would have to admit he was gay. "I didn't want to lose my career over it." The abuse continued. Gay porn was saved on his computer and comments were constantly made. "He was indoctrinating new handlers that they would soon meet a gay, ultra liberal service member." But, he wasn't alone in hazing abuse by Toussaint. A Navy report has over 90 complaints. Among them: sailors were "hog-tied...force fed liver dog treats and told to make dog and duck sounds." Navy spokeswoman and Commander Elissa Smith said that Michael Toussaint's enlistment extension has been canceled, which will force him to leave active duty and retire in January 2010. His retirement pay will be reviewed at a hearing. Smith said, "...the incidents were not in keeping with Navy values and standards and violated the Navy's longstanding prohibition against hazing...Our sailors are to be treated with dignity and respect in a healthy and positive working environment." Rocha said he was "surprised" and "proud" of the decision. He is disappointed that Toussaint will not face court marshall, though. Still, he views it as a big development for gay rights. "For the first time this has been a national acknowledgment from our military leadership, active duty military leadership, that our service is equal." He continued, "this kind of abuse, and this kind of bigotry and homphobia and hatred does not line up with the core values, neither of our military nor of this country and I think that's the finest thing to take from today."
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Life on ship is a small community. Your daily schedule keeps your contacts even smaller.
I sometimes think people that want to get rid of ‘Don’t ask, Don’t Tell,’ want to expose gays in the military to unwanted questioning, harassment and everything else that would fall on that service member, officially and unofficially.
I remember what it was like before ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ The Air Force OSI actually sent agents to gay bars and book stores to watch for service members.. The wich hunt for gays under Jimmy Carter was intense. In those days, service members had to ‘tell’ when questioned. ‘Don’t Ask, don’t Tell, prohibits such questioning.
While I am on a mild rant here. this week, President Obama basically directed the Justice Department to not agressively pursue marijuana use for medical purposes in states where that use is legal. I think most readers here support that direction and decision.
Don’t forget, the President’s main job is Commander-in-Chief. He could in that role, issue a directive, even a classified one, ordering the Military legal offices to put involuntary discharge of known homosexuals on the back burner. He has not done that. Involuntary discharges continue.
Now what was he going to do for gays and when was he going to do it?