I started my employment with the US Air Force, Peterson AFB, CO, with my new boss, AF General, explaining the dress code to me, "what you are wearing is perfectly fine for the office, but I can't tell you what I'd like to see you in". I wasn't sure about that comment, but it didn't take more than a few days to realize what he was all about. "I'm going to be traveling to Washington, DC, and you will accompany me on the trip, I want you to understand how I travel". I knew then that I had a problem. I was hired to be the secretary and the AF General had numerous active duty employees to go with him, as well as, an executive officer that was hired to do just that. After numerous inappropriate comments and having to meet with the General one-on-one behind closed doors, I went to the Personnel Office to file a complaint and request a transfer. I was told by the Personnel Office that I wasn't the first secretary/person to complain, but there wasn't anything that they could do as they could not facilitate a transfer and my only option was to file an EO complaint. As my main purpose was to just get another job and they couldn't help me, filing an EO complaint wasn't an option. Do you know how many employers will hire an employee that has filed an EO complaint against their boss? None. I was very distraught and went home sick right after that failed appointment. The next work day, I was told by an active duty female co-worker, Marine Gunnery Sergeant, that the Colonel in charge of personnel met with my boss and told him everything that I said. The female Marine told me the boss called everyone into his office and that although she was scared, she backed me up on my allegations and told him she also felt sexually harassed by him. As the day progressed my boss called me into his office and the only thing he addressed was the fact that I felt uncomfortable meeting alone with him behind closed doors. He explained that the door had to be closed because things that he discussed were top secret and someone could walk into the outer office and overhear so the door would remain closed. This was very interesting as I did not have a secret clearance or a top secret clearance so what government secrets did that General give away. Anyone walking into the outer office would have definitely had a higher clearance than me.
As my case progressed, the judge handed down several rulings in my favor. My lawyer and I met with the mediator from the Denver Field Office and my lawyer explained that although I didn't file an EO during my visit with the Personnel Office, I immediately filed after the retalatory evaluation was filed against me by the General. After that meeting the judge ruled I violated a timely filing and dismissed my case. Although I have excellent witnesses and the AF didn't raise the filing issue until after the judge did, I never got my day in court. I plan to contact the ACLU and request their assistance in filing a case. Although what happened to me at Peterson AFB, CO, was reprehensible, the loss of my rights as a US citizen was even worse.
I know there are more people out there other than Diana and Phyllis and we all need to unite.
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