I still have nightmares about what could have happened.

** This anonymous U.S. Coast Guard Survivor Testimonial was originally submitted to “The Pettiest Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard” on Facebook in May of 2024 and re-published by MLAA. MLAA does not know the identity of the author and has not verified any of the claims or allegations made in this testimonial. Light formatting changes for readability, or redactions for PII may have been applied before publishing. **

I was 19, out of YN school, and I was trying to get my sign-offs done for YN2. Since I was a reservist, I was told by my chiefs I needed someone from the AD side to do it. So I talked with the YN1 at the time, and he said he would only do it if I slept with him. I froze and then laughed it off.

A couple of drill weekends later, he was the OOD at the barracks. I was the only female usually, and my reserve chiefs would get hotel rooms paid for them since they were senior enlisted. I was going to my room since it was males/females on the same floor, and he said if I went to his room that night, he'd sign off on my YN2 stuff. I waved him off and went to my room.

That night he tried to get into my room while I slept, using a key. I yelled and said he had the wrong room and to get out.

I still have nightmares about what could have happened.

The other AD guys that lived in the barracks would mess with me, make comments about my body.

I eventually started paying out of my own pocket for a hotel room so I didn't have to stay in the barracks. I lived 2 hours away and would sometimes just commute for drill.

Eventually, a more local unit needed a YN reservist and I was able to transfer within a year of the incident.