Senate Armed Services Committee, 2031

Sen. Cynthia Lederhaut: Admiral, this is the third woman to come forward with similar allegations.  There seems to have been a pattern.

Adm. William B. Norden, Pacific Command: Senator, I flatly deny these allegations.  I’m a married man.  I’ve been a married man for my entire service career.  I’ve never met any of these women. I’ve —

Sen. Lederhaut: But you were in Laem Chabang on the date Ms. Ginting alleges that you attacked her?

Adm. Norden: I have been there, ma’am,.  I’ve been in dozens of ports.  I’m a man of the sea.  I couldn’t tell you the exact date off the top of my head.

Sen. Lederhaut: But you do remember you never went into the Paupau Sports Bar?

Adm. Norden: I don’t recall, ma’am, no.  It’s standard for ships’ officers to conduct a walk-through of bars where the sailors might be going.  I’ve been in hundreds of these establishments.  But I certainly never assaulted anyone.

Sen. Lederhaut: And no one ever assaulted a local woman?  This seems to have been a problem.  Maybe still is a problem.

Adm Norden: Well, occasionally we do have sailors commit crimes while ashore, unfortunately — they also commit them at sea and at home, I would add.  But they are punished to the full extent of military law.

Sen. Lederhaut: Back to the subject: how do you account for Ms. Ginting’s accusations?  And Ms. Ocampo?  Ms. Reyes?  Maybe there was a misunderstanding?  Maybe they mistook you for someone else?

Adm. Norden: I suppose they might be mistaken, Senator.  I suppose they might also be lying.

Sen. Lederhaut: Did they all get together and make this up?  Is it a conspiracy?

Adm. Norden: When the impossible has been eliminated, whatever remains — however implausible — is the truth.

Sen. Lederhaut: And these allegations are impossible?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Citing the systemic nature of alleged misconduct, the volume of resulting investigations, and national security concerns, President Horn approved a plan developed jointly between the offices of the Defense Secretary and the Attorney General to provide additional oversight and expertise to the Pentagon as it grapples with the so-called “Pacific Rim” scandal.  Although military courts martial will continue to try all cases within their jurisdiction, the blue-ribbon task force will assist in the pre-trial investigations…

Schofield Barracks, HI

Investigator: According to this roster, you were Officer of the Day five times that year.  Your duties required you to be in the Special District on those days, including on February 24th.  Maybe someone else went in your place?

Lt. Col. Charles Alvarez, Commander 4-27 Infantry Battalion: I only exchanged with another officer once, it would have been in the summer because that’s when I was in the field.  I certainly don’t recall this incident.

Investigator: Ms. Santos says that after she was assaulted, she found the senior American officer but was ignored.

LTC Alvarez: I don’t recall seeing anyone assaulted.  Nor did any local national —

Investigator: Ms. Santos is a Philippine national.

LTC Alvarez: — or third-country national saying anything to me that night.  Except probably the usual greetings when you went inside their establishment.

Investigator: What do you look for when making these rounds?

LTC Alvarez: That the soldiers are behaving themselves and that there’s no prostitution, mostly.

Investigator: Did you ever see anything like that?

LTC Alvarez: I sent plenty of drunken soldiers back home but I never saw anyone paying for sex, no.  Or any “assault”.  Not any sexual assault at least, sometimes the soldiers get in fights with each other.

Investigator: You never saw a soldier touch one of the workers.

LTC Alvarez: I mean, not unconsensually, no.  I mean, they’ll come right up to you.  That’s their job, to make men want to hang around.

Investigator: You’re saying soldiers had an expectation that they could touch these women?

LTC Alvarez: I’m sure some of them find they make more money getting handsy with the men.  But no one is getting assaulted.

Investigator: I though you said you’d never observed prostitution.

LTC Alvarez: I want to talk to counsel.

III MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE/MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS PACIFIC POLICY LETTER 3-31

From: Commanding General, III Marine Expeditionary Force,

Commanding General, Marine Corps Installations Pacific

To: Distribution List

Subj: PROFESSIONALISM

Ref:

(a) III MEF Social Media Guidance

(b) CG III MEF Senior Leadership Forum

1. Purpose. In accordance with references (a) and (b), commanders are directed to immediately implement the above guidance.  These operational security measures will ensure our maximum effectiveness as an expeditionary combat force in the Asia-Pacific region, and allow us to re-focus on combat readiness and away from unnecessary administrative distractions…

Sgt. Greene: Maybe?  There must be at least a hundred juicy girls in the ville.  I doubt their own mothers could tell them apart.

Investigator: “Juicy Girl?”

TAIPEI (AP) – In a historic first, ships of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) have docked at Taipei Port.  These non-combat vessels are expected to provide both staffing and resources needed for humanitarian relief following the devastating May 15 earthquake that has allegedly led to a breakdown of government authority in isolated areas.  An official statement from the government of Taiwan welcomed the presence of the PLAN vessels although the President has not yet made a public appearance…