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Suzanne Swift

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Suzanne Swift (July 15 1984 - ) is a Specialist in the United States Army. She is most noted for going AWOL from the Army when she received new orders to deploy to Iraq, after her charges of sexual assault from her first deployment had continued to go unanswered.

1 Pre-AWOL military career
2 Post-AWOL military career
3 Legal case
4 See
5 External links
- 5.1 Listening

Pre-AWOL military career

According to statements made by Swift and her mother, Sara Rich, the harassment of Swift began not long after her first deployment to Iraq with the 66th Military Police unit, in February 2004. She was harassed and "command raped" by two of her Sergeants, both of whom are married. Despite the misleading terminology "command raped" used by her mother, Suzanne admits that she was never raped and has stated that she was in a consensual sexual relationship with at least one of the men she later accused of alleged sexual harassment when she ended the adulterous relationship she had willingly took part in for over four months. [1] Swift returned from her deployment in February 2005. According to Swift, the harassment continued after her return. During an incident she cites as happening within a month of her return, she asked her Sergeant from the 54th MP unit, "Where do I report in the morning?", to which her Sergeant responded, "In my bed, naked."[2]Considering that Swift had a sexual relationship with this person for several months, such a quote taken out of context has a much different meaning than when printed without an explanation of Swifts sexual relationship(s) and behaviors with the person who made the alleged statement. When her unit was deployed again in January 2006, she refused to go, citing her abuse as one reason. Another reason cited was her discovery that a male Sergeant raped a male Specialist right before the deployment. Although this alleged incident had nothing to do with her or her deployment it was used as an excuse for going AWOL. Swift also claims that she went AWOL due to having PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, yet makes no claim as to what "Trauma" or "Stress" led to her alleged disorder aside from having consensual sex with a married, fellow soldier and alleged sexual harassment. She has yet to be diagnosed with PTSD by a certified specialist. According to her mother Sara Rich, her personal belongings were sent to Iraq ahead of her, and upon her unreported absence, were given out to others, with the leftovers thrown away. Rich also claims MPs went to Swift's personal apartment off base and seized many items, upon her going AWOL, which is the usual procedure for doing an investigation when a soldier disappears in order to determine whether their disappearance was due to foul play or the missing soldier going AWOL. Despite never speaking out against the war in Iraq or any wars, Suzanne is called by many leftist groups a "War Resister", such as Iraq Veterans Against the War, simply because she went AWOL and no other reason. There are many conflicts between the few statements that Suzanne Swift has made and the incredibly abundant public statements her mother has made at any venue that would allow her to talk, one being that Suzanne admits she was never raped and her mother consistently says that she was while naming soldiers who allegedly harassed her daughter and stating they are "rapists".

Post-AWOL military career

Swift was arrested at her mother's home in Eugene, Oregon, on June 11 2006, and returned to the 54th Military Police Co. and Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington. When she was first returned to Ft. Lewis, she was confined to barracks with the same individual she had accused of assaulting her in the first place. Her restriction has since been retracted, and now she is just confined to base, and has reportedly been allowed to leave base with her mother on occasion.

Legal case

On Wednesday, June 21 2006, the Army opened a formal investigation into her charges of sexual assault. The Army has not discussed her case, except to confirm that it exists. Swift's case has received the endorsement of several groups, including Women Veterans of America, Texas Women Veterans, and the Majority Visibility Project. She also received public statements of support from noted individuals such as Cindy Sheehan and Ann Wright. Swift's case is noteworthy among other Iraq War resisters in that she has no popular opposition group speaking out against her case.