In the Coast Guard, you are either a predator or a victim of one.

** 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. **

This is the first time I've ever told anyone beyond a therapist: I was Sexually Assaulted by a CDR (who is now a RADM) after asking for a car ride back to HQ following a ceremony downtown.

I don't recall any specific explicit acts, but I do recall groping and going to two residences of theirs with the prospect of explicit acts.

My analysis of the events that led up to this incident, and the years since, is that much like the old saying "you are either a BM or you work for one" - in the Coast Guard, you are either a predator or a victim of one.

And in my opinion, the retention numbers reflect this: members who get what they want out of their first contract re-up and are usually lifers, e.g., a good deal of the members are either predators or have normalized or adopted predatory behaviors in order to continue getting what they want.

Members who don't get what they want leave - a good deal of these people are victims of some kind and their lives are made lesser by it.

There is a thin slice of the victims group that do stay and eke out an opportunity in their field or even a retirement. And this group supports you to the fullest.

I'm a LT/O-3. I'm a reservist who's done significant time on Active Duty, nearing 20 years.