After being reported missing on Oct. 21 after not showing up for morning duties, Sergeant Sarah Roque’s body was found in a Fort Leonard Wood dumpster; she is now believed to have been murdered on Oct. 20 by another soldier.
When I first heard of the news, it immediately took me back to me sitting on the ground of my company’s building during Basic Combat Training (BCT) and learning about the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (S.H.A.R.P) program. The name of Specialist Vanessa Guillen was mentioned during this class, and though I knew of her situation, hearing her name in that setting felt more real than ever before.
Guillen’s body was found dismembered and burned on June 30, 2020, more than two months after her initial disappearance on April 22 of the same year. She, like Roque, was murdered by a fellow soldier, Specialist Aaron Robinson, and later dismembered and disposed of by himself and his girlfriend Cecily Aguilar.
Roque and Guillen’s deaths both brought tremendous media attention and an impact on the image of the United States Army in regard to the protection of women. Constituting 17.5 percent of the total military population, it is important to understand the different perspectives among serving women.
Sergeant Kodi Dailey explained that from the time of her enlistment, there was nothing but support from Tim Hadley, high school principal and Chaplain in the Iowa National Guard, with whom she lived. Moreover, she stated that though the commissioned officers in her military occupational specialty (MOS) are male, she has never received negativity due to her being a female.
Though her experiences in the Army have been positive regarding her peers, Dailey explained that as a recruiter she has seen a fear, among parents mostly, regarding potential sexual harassment and/or abuse in potential recruits. She detailed that though it is rare, it is present, especially from prior service parents.
The United States Army has come a long way in regards to programs, and there may be instances in which people not involved with the military may be worried about the protection of their enlisted personnel. It is important to note that though these instances do occur, the government organization has implementations to protect all of their soldiers.
“Unless you’re truly in [the Army], it’s hard to know, so I don’t blame [civilians]…I do think the majority don’t know which makes the military an easy target for being seen as an organization that’s only harmful when in reality, they’re the opposite,” explained Dailey.
On the opposite spectrum of experiences, Private Ruby Chrisco explained that as infantry MOS, which is largely male-dominated, the females in her company often felt targeted during her training due to their sex.
She stated that there were many comments, actions and even threats that would be said by males in her company from which Chrisco believes was out of a place of insecurity.
“[C]omments made that I heard were ‘[w]omen shouldn’t even be allowed to join. Y’all should be at home cooking and cleaning…’The Army should be for the men, not the women’…and “I don’t care if she’s my sergeant, I’m never listening to a woman,” Chrisco voiced.
She added that the actions and comments of these males were never allowed, and superiors would get involved and there would be consequences.
When asked about the passing of Roque, Chrisco explained that the news was shocking to her, as the Army’s culture and systems to keep everyone safe was heavily implemented during her time in training. Moreover she expressed that though there are good people, there are also people who do not have the best and/or good intentions at all, and therefore one should be aware of this.
Sharing this sentiment, Dailey expressed that the people who committed these crimes were not interested in doing the right thing nor reflecting the values the Army prides itself in.
She ended by sharing some wisdom for women both in and out of the military who may want to serve, stating “[w]ear the uniform in honor of these women and make it a point to make their names known…Do it for them.”
