Dellamalva's column reveals her ignorance about the military

Jill Dellamalva is ignorant! I am a female active duty Navy person who has been in the service for almost 10 years now. She speaks of "absolutely nothing" being done about sexual harassment in the military ("Tolerance for sexual harassment in military is more than zero," Wildcat, Wednesday). One of the major reasons I remain in the military is because of the rules concerning sexual harassment. I feel safer in the military and on military bases than I ever do in the civilian community. Why? Because there are rules, and there is severe punishment for breaking these rules. If I feel harassed (sexually or otherwise) I have avenues through which I can deal with it. I can even have the offender removed to another work center or even another command. The real victims in 1997 are the men. They stand in fear of their careers being ended by vindictive females who press false charges. If the charges cannot be proven false, then the men are assumed guilty.

There has been a pendulum affect in the military, and eventually I believe it will level out and there will truly be zero tolerance. Until then, zero tolerance is a policy (read: "goal"). At least there are rules to support this policy, and I feel safe and confident that it will not be tolerated at my command. Try telling a military man or woman in charge that you feel sexually harassed. It is a serious subject. By the way, do you really know what punishments were doled out to the Tail Hook members? Did you know that innocent pilots, who were at the convention with their families, have had their promotions held up simply because they were there (i.e. not even on the same floor of that hotel)? People have been forced out because they cannot advance. How many civilian companies would have the national government step in and put a blanket hold on promotions ... ?

By Patricia Voogd (letter)
Arizona Daily Wildcat
February 24, 1997