Torment in Ft. Lewis, WA
My name is Tiffany Grisham and I am writing on behalf of my husband Mark Grisham; a soldier in the US Army, who is currently confined in the Regional Corrections Facility Ft. Lewis, WA.
In October 2002 my husband joined the Army both of us knowing full well that a war would soon be starting. We're both "Army Brats" and were prepared for any sacrifices our family would have to make. What we were not prepared for was what would happen when he came home. My husband left for Iraq in March of 2003 where he spent most of his time in Balad. During his time there he was commended for his performance and was on the fast track in rank. He received his E4 in less than a year of service and had plans on becoming a warrant officer when he returned home. My children and I were in Ft. Bliss, TX while he was away so when he returned home in February of 2004 he returned to his duty station at Ft. Lewis, WA. About a month later was when things started falling apart. During one phone conversation my husband said something that truly worried me. He said "if you knew the things I've seen and done you wouldn't love me anymore." After that I didn't hear from him for a while. I have been with my husband for twelve years and I knew something was wrong. I took it upon myself to call his Chaplain and was informed that my husband was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress from the war. The Chaplain assured me that he would inform my husband's command and that he would get the help he needed. That was not the case; my husband's commander instead of helping yelled at him for my calling and causing trouble, she called him a coward and told him he was weak and was faking it so he wouldn't have to go back to the war. The abuse didn't stop there. My husband was made to sleep on the floor of the CQ office like a dog and also made to sleep outside on a concrete balcony. All of my husband's requests for reassignment were denied as was any request for leave to come see his family. He was even told that if I came up there to see him they would make sure he was unavailable.His basic rights to see a doctor or dentist were denied; having all of his appointments canceled by his commander. He was not allowed to see the Chaplain, JAG, or anyone else that may help him. Unfortunately all of this abuse coupled with his Post Traumatic Stress pushed my husband over the edge and he turned to drugs. Yet still my husband tried to fight to get help putting himself in the Army Drug and Alcohol program. As soon as his commander found out she quickly removed him from the program. Six months after he returned from the war my husband was put in the RCF and soon after was court marshaled. His career destroyed, his family shattered and his future gone. His commander was relieved of duty but today she sits at home with her family while I haven't seen my husband in years. Today we fight a new war; one to tell anyone who will listen the way our soldiers are treated when they come home from this war. They are sometimes hurting and need support and caring from those of us who stayed home unfortunately that is not what always happens. My husband is not a violent offender and still he is abused in the jail he rots in. The ceiling leaks and sewage is pooled up on the floors. The all male inmates are supervised while they shower by female MP's and there are investigations of prostitution rings within the facility. Now my husband has a broken elbow that may need surgery but will have to wait for at least two weeks to get X-rays. Is this how we repay their service to our country? Is this the treatment that our soldiers deserve? We have a shortage of men and women willing to join the military right now because of the war; yet men like my husband are kicked out of the military. He has requested RTD and even has volunteered to return to the war. He is very patriotic and wants to do anything to help his country. Yet no one will listen. Had he received some counseling and compassion from his unit then none of this will happen. Perhaps someone with some power will read it and stop the abuse of our own soldiers in our own country.
In October 2002 my husband joined the Army both of us knowing full well that a war would soon be starting. We're both "Army Brats" and were prepared for any sacrifices our family would have to make. What we were not prepared for was what would happen when he came home. My husband left for Iraq in March of 2003 where he spent most of his time in Balad. During his time there he was commended for his performance and was on the fast track in rank. He received his E4 in less than a year of service and had plans on becoming a warrant officer when he returned home. My children and I were in Ft. Bliss, TX while he was away so when he returned home in February of 2004 he returned to his duty station at Ft. Lewis, WA. About a month later was when things started falling apart. During one phone conversation my husband said something that truly worried me. He said "if you knew the things I've seen and done you wouldn't love me anymore." After that I didn't hear from him for a while. I have been with my husband for twelve years and I knew something was wrong. I took it upon myself to call his Chaplain and was informed that my husband was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress from the war. The Chaplain assured me that he would inform my husband's command and that he would get the help he needed. That was not the case; my husband's commander instead of helping yelled at him for my calling and causing trouble, she called him a coward and told him he was weak and was faking it so he wouldn't have to go back to the war. The abuse didn't stop there. My husband was made to sleep on the floor of the CQ office like a dog and also made to sleep outside on a concrete balcony. All of my husband's requests for reassignment were denied as was any request for leave to come see his family. He was even told that if I came up there to see him they would make sure he was unavailable.His basic rights to see a doctor or dentist were denied; having all of his appointments canceled by his commander. He was not allowed to see the Chaplain, JAG, or anyone else that may help him. Unfortunately all of this abuse coupled with his Post Traumatic Stress pushed my husband over the edge and he turned to drugs. Yet still my husband tried to fight to get help putting himself in the Army Drug and Alcohol program. As soon as his commander found out she quickly removed him from the program. Six months after he returned from the war my husband was put in the RCF and soon after was court marshaled. His career destroyed, his family shattered and his future gone. His commander was relieved of duty but today she sits at home with her family while I haven't seen my husband in years. Today we fight a new war; one to tell anyone who will listen the way our soldiers are treated when they come home from this war. They are sometimes hurting and need support and caring from those of us who stayed home unfortunately that is not what always happens. My husband is not a violent offender and still he is abused in the jail he rots in. The ceiling leaks and sewage is pooled up on the floors. The all male inmates are supervised while they shower by female MP's and there are investigations of prostitution rings within the facility. Now my husband has a broken elbow that may need surgery but will have to wait for at least two weeks to get X-rays. Is this how we repay their service to our country? Is this the treatment that our soldiers deserve? We have a shortage of men and women willing to join the military right now because of the war; yet men like my husband are kicked out of the military. He has requested RTD and even has volunteered to return to the war. He is very patriotic and wants to do anything to help his country. Yet no one will listen. Had he received some counseling and compassion from his unit then none of this will happen. Perhaps someone with some power will read it and stop the abuse of our own soldiers in our own country.
posted by Tiffany Grisham at 8:17 PM
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