Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 04/08/2002

Dear Sarge,
Aloha, or should I say Howdy. We are out in sunny Hawaii visiting some good friends we made during our Navy days. My friend is serving on an operational fast attack submarine based here in Pearl Harbor, and lives in military housing.

Unfortunately, during our visit our friends' home was burgled, and aside from the violation of domestic tranquility and sense of personal security, the burglars made off with passports, some valuable electronics, and personal mementos. What made this experience even more discomforting was that our friends were also robbed just two months before.

Despite a rash of robberies in the McGrew Point housing area (rash is an understatement since this apparently has been going on for years), it seems the brass have not taken the personal security of these Navy families seriously. Our friends have followed the proper procedures and run this up the chain of command and contacted the appropriate authorities, but to no avail. In fact the Captain (yes, O-6) in charge of housing has not even acknowledged my friend's letter which included suggestions for security improvements. (Can you imagine the stink that would be made if my O-4 buddy ignored the Captain?)

Sarge, it seems odd in these times when we are spending millions to ensure the safety of Al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists in Guantanamo (let alone the billions on the comfort and safety for the types of felons who perpetrated this crime), that our civilian leaders and military brass are not concerned about the security of these dedicated military families. These are families that have members who deploy, leaving loved ones behind who have to fend for themselves.

Since the Pac Fleet Commanders don't seem to want to take care of these friends, is there anything you can do to wake those "asleep at the helm?" Someone needs to protect our protectors.

A.V.
Silver Spring, MD

Dear A.V.:
In a February 23, 2002, letter from a fine officer of the Navy to the Assistant Chief of Staff for Housing for the base, these concerns were highlighted:

“The McGrew Point housing area is an unsafe place to live, and is an especially unsafe place to live with small children. There surely seems to be a pervasive crime problem in McGrew that has not been adequately addressed -- something those responsible for housing and security ought to be aware of. Property crime seems to be approaching epidemic proportions. Not many days pass until a resident feels compelled to call Security to report suspicious persons or vehicles in the housing area. I would venture a guess that people who live in historic areas or sites for persons of high rank do not deal with what we do, nor do those who live in one of the ‘showplace’ new communities for junior personnel. It would be unthinkable.

“My wife and I attempted to reject the house we now live in, specifically citing concerns for safety given our house’s particular location within McGrew. When our house was broken into, with resultant loss of jewelry and electronics, every provided lock or latch in our house was in its secured condition. Though the cash value of the loss totals some $7,500, much of what was lost (videotapes of our children with their grandparents, along with items that commemorated important times in our lives) cannot be adequately replaced with insurance proceeds.

“Some suggestions for improving security in our area: 1) improve the fence on the border of the adjacent jogging trail such that it provides an effective visual and physical screen; 2) install some method of video surveillance; 3) make housing area crime statistics available to prospective tenants prior to move-in, which would result in fewer surprises and provide some sort of update to people living in the housing areas; 4) set up a sting of some sort, as the data that we have gathered suggests, however anecdotally, that there is some correlation between people moving out and theft; 5) build a card-access security gate to at least make access more difficult for criminals; 6) improve the physical security of the individual houses, such as installing bars over the panel of windows and doors; and 7) encourage more effective patrols of the jogging trail and the adjacent Aiea Bay State Recreation Area by the Honolulu Police Department.

“Some people in my housing area are out on the line right now, protecting our Nation’s interests in the current time of need. It is a sad irony that families in a military housing area may be at higher physical risk right now than their spouses at sea or in the field.“

And a Shaft shot

It is outrageous that these cries for help are being ignored. To this date, this victim’s pleas have gone unanswered. Our protectors deserve to be protected.

Shaft Kudos
Once again, the Sarge is looking forward to joining the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program (VVLP) of Western Pennsylvania at its Partners in Leadership Awards Dinner at the Westin Convention Center in Pittsburgh. This year’s event, on May 2, will also celebrate the agency’s 20th anniversary. Douglas “Pete” Peterson, America’s first post war ambassador to Vietnam, will receive the Veteran of the Year Award and provide the Keynote Speech. He served three terms in the United States House of Representatives (representing Florida’s Second Congressional District) and 26 years in the U.S. Air Force. He is a distinguished combat veteran of the Vietnam War and was incarcerated as a POW during that conflict for six and one-half years. 

Other distinguished guests will include Chris Moore of WQED–TV, who will receive the John Heinz Community Advocate Award, and Dan Barry, retired National Service Officer with the Disabled American Veterans, who will receive the President’s Award. For additional information about the Annual Awards Dinner, contact the VVLP at 412-281-8100

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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