“Remember, I’m a Navy SEAL!” — He Hit Her Once, She Knocked Him Out Before 1,040 Troops
Chapter 10
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Meanwhile, in the base commander's office, Colonel James Harrison was receiving a phone call that would provide the answers to many of the questions swirling around the morning's incident. The call came from Pentagon intelligence, and the information he received made him understand just how serious the situation had become."Colonel Harrison," the voice on the other end of the line was crisp and authoritative. "We need to discuss the incident that occurred in your mess hall this morning involving Staff Sergeant Marcus Rodriguez and Agent Chen.""Agent Chen?" Colonel Harrison repeated. "Sir, I wasn't aware we had any intelligence agents operating on my base.""Agent Sarah Chen is a senior investigator with the Defense Intelligence Agency's Internal Affairs Division. She's been conducting a covert investigation into allegations of misconduct and abuse of authority among special operations personnel at various military installations."If the DIA was investigating misconduct among his special operations personnel, it meant the problems were serious enough to attract attention at the highest levels of military intelligence."Sir, what specific allegations are we talking about?""Multiple complaints have been filed against Staff Sergeant Rodriguez over the past 18 months: sexual harassment, abuse of authority, intimidation of junior personnel, and creating a hostile work environment. Agent Chen was sent to your facility to conduct a preliminary investigation and gather evidence."The colonel closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. He had heard rumors about Tank's behavior, but nothing had ever been officially reported through proper channels. Now he was learning that the problems had escalated to the point where the Defense Intelligence Agency was conducting covert investigations."What happened in the mess hall this morning, sir?""According to Agent Chen's preliminary report, Staff Sergeant Rodriguez approached her aggressively, made inappropriate comments about her presence on the base, and then physically grabbed her when she attempted to disengage from the conversation. Agent Chen responded with appropriate defensive force to protect herself from what she perceived as a potential assault."Colonel Harrison could feel his career flashing before his eyes: a Navy SEAL under his command had just physically assaulted a DIA investigator in front of over a hundred witnesses. The political and public relations implications were staggering."Sir, what are my orders regarding Staff Sergeant Rodriguez?""He's to be placed on immediate administrative leave pending a full investigation. All of his security clearances are to be suspended, and he's to have no contact with other personnel involved in the investigation.""Understood, sir. What about the witnesses from this morning's incident?""Agent Chen will be conducting interviews with selected personnel over the next few days. You're to provide her with full cooperation and access to any resources she requires."