natepenn

Thank you, Tbird and brokensoldier. I should mention that I'm trying to explore other corners of this story as well. In particular, I'd also be interested in speaking with a commanding officer who once received but didn't adequately investigate a sexual-assault claim by a male victim and who is feeling conscience-stricken about this. To hear this officer talk about the system and its shortcomings would be valuable for the story. Once again, this officer wouldn't have to use his/her real name in the story, if he/she prefers.

[requested permission from Tbird before posting this request on the board and she has given me approval] Hi, I'm a writer at GQ, and I'm at work on a major feature story on male MST. Over the past couple of weeks, I've spoken with a number of men who suffered MST during the course of their service. They range in age from their early twenties to their late sixties, and they've come to me through several avenues. The organization Protect Our Defenders has been very helpful, as has the V.A. in Salt Lake City. The activist and MST survivor Brian Lewis has been kind enough to connect me with several of his peers. The goals of the story are to raise public awareness of MST (and, I hope, to begin the process of destigmatizing it) and to connect survivors with treatment resources. I'd very much like to speak with male MST survivors who may be posting here. If you're a male MST survivor and you're open to sharing your story--on the record or anonymously--I would greatly value the opportunity to talk with you over the phone. In addition to hearing about your specific experience of MST, I'd like to ask you your thoughts on several other important questions: on what it is in military culture that might give rise to these attacks; on why the military resists punishing attackers; and on what kinds of steps might be taken to eradicate sexual assault from military life. I'd of course be glad to answer any questions you may have. Thank you for your consideration, and please feel free to contact me at nathaniel.penn [at] gmail [dot] com --best regards, Nathaniel Penn, correspondent, GQ