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Injustice of the U.S. Navy: The improper use of RE codes. Did you know that thousands/millions of service men and women are given a bad discharge for a serious and dangerous crimes, but young people who are duped and lied to by military recruiters, enlistees- who risk their lives by volunteering to serve their country, walk head first into the world of unfair military justice. With no one to look out for their best interests until it's too late! These people make mistakes and usually commit misdemeanors, petty offenses which by civilian law can be exspongable or erased (esp. if it's their 1st offense), minor offenses which can not bar them from any career or endeavor that he/she pursues. (ex. getting a job or going to college. Yet, according to the U.S. military standards, it's enough to bar that person from getting another chance to serve their country?!? Hundreds/thousands of veterans who do commit serious or horrible crimes that are considered felonies by law are not give an bad RE code! Military recruiters have told me that people who are unable to swim, to pass boot camp are given a bad RE code, which is an RE-4 code. Military recruiters, who lied to them upon entering the Navy-say that it isn't neccessary for and enlistee to know how to swim. Hi, my name is Franklyn Beckles, Jr. I am one of these victims of military injustice. My situation isn't complex, but it was a petty offense that I was charged with, but my concerns started when the Navy wasn't interested to hear my side of it. The completely ignored a witness on my behalf, written/detailed logs that I wrote to document racial discrimination and harrassment, allegations-that should have been thoroughly investigated, but what you'll find out, it a all to often classic story of how the U.S. Navy continues to get away with illegal discrimination and harrassment! I had gotton into a fight that I repeated tried to avoid before it had ever happen, but because of neglect and unfair treatment, I appealed to every resource, my chain of command-to no avail! From the beginning and to the end of my naval career- faced unrest. First, I was lied to by my recruiters (degenerates who told me anything I wanted to hear-except the truth), telling me that I didn't know how to swim before I entered the Navy, that the U.S. Navy has zero tolerance for racial discrimination or any form of harrassment, whther it be verbal or physical abuse! During my first week at boot camp I was told that; "I didn't have any rights, that this was hell and I had to endure racial slurs or blanket parties for my own good." So what did I do, I dealt with it, only because my company commanders asured me that it will all be over when I graduated. I believed them. I had to face verbal and physical abuse by fellow recruits and even the company commanders. When I did report these incidents, all my complaints were either ignored or treated with further hostility! I was constantly told that if I continue to speak out, that people would make trouble for me, that I will be given a bad discharge for making my superiors upset, that I would be thrown into the Big (military prison)! Suddenly, every word I said was twisted or brought out of context, as if to evoke me to anger and lose my cool, so the bastards could kick me out of the military. The fustrating thing was to see other people of color supporting this behavior, doing nothing to stop this cruel treatment. To them I was another "nigger", who needed to be punished for being born. It nearly drove me over the edge, but thanks to God, He reassured me and help through my tribulations. I disappointed them-I graduated! I thought my problems were over, but my persecuters saw to it that my military file with all their biased statements followed me to every naval base that I was stationed in. And they made sure that key fellow recruits that they knew hated me, were stationed at the same place. It didn't take long at the naval base in Millington, TN. For the slander and false rumors to reach all over the base. I was hearing it from strangers. By that time I was getting pretty fed up of this harrassment. I quickly appealed to my new commanders, and their response was the same as in boot camp! "Just deal with it." Or "I don't want to get involved." These comments was from officers, who was supposed to enforce military law against harrassment, and they basically stold by and watch the show! One of the recruit, who was the main instigater-was a bastard, his last name was Bentz. In my opinion, he was a disturbed white person who loved throwing his weight around and making racial and shovanistic slurs that offended me, as it did when I first met him in boot camp. From what I know about him, he was a real trouble maker, and had been in trouble with the law numerous of times, when I didn't have a single criminal offense. Yet, when he chose to say these racial slurs around me, expecting me not to speak out against it, and once I heard him say these vicious words-I reported and followed my chain of command. To get to the main heart of the problem, that's when my career went down hill, I became the "black sheep" of the company. I was targeted everwhere I went, I was spit at, cursed at, threatened, and After repeated complaints against Bentz, he didn't stop-he racial slanders began to target me and my family-when I asked him to stop, he threatened to take my life. I remained cool, obeyed the law, but it seemed that every little mistake I made (whether it was spitting on the sidewalk)I was the first to be accused of it. I could feel that everyone knew what they were doing was wrong, but somehow they enjoyed it. I felt alone and helpless, after my appeal to my chain of command were being ignored, I sought help from anybody who would listen- to no avail. But to make a long story short, SUPRISE! Nothing happened, I did get alot of good advice, though, but it was meaningless, because no one wanted to get involved and all my superiors cared about was making themselves look good and keeping their jobs, even if it meant lying to protect it! So, after repeated attempts to peacefully resolve the matter, nothing was done, the did talk, to him though, but Bentz was still enjoying all the attention he was getting, he even tried to play the victim, saying that he wasn't racist, that he was the victim. Anyway, one day I approached him while we were in class together (yea, it seemed like I could get away from these punks)after he made a racial comment, and ask him to stop harrassing me, he got upset-cursed me out and threatened my life. I lost it and shoved him, not hard or anything, I just shoved him. I wanted him to stop and leave me alone, I just had to get my point across to him. I alone was punished. It was boot camp all over again! I was a higher rank tha Bentz, so at Captain's Mass (court)I was demoted to Seaman Recruit. Of course, at the hearing all of Bentz friends were there to testify against me. Only one of the sailors, whose last name was Mendoza, used to be a friend of Bentz- testified on my behalf and told the truth about what actually occured to me, about the constant harrassment and how Bentz even threatened me before I pushed him. It was self defense, I truely believed that if I didn't prove to him that I wasn't afaid of him, that I needed to do something or he would do bodily harm to me. If I didn't stand up to him the verbal abuse would have became life threatening. I told my commanding officers this and they stiil ignored and disregared any evidence that would have exonorated me. I wasn't even allowed a lawyer to properly defend me. But, I graduated again with a certificate in Electrical Engineering. Later, I was transfered to my next command in San Dieago, C.A. Some of the same perpetrators, followed and all the bullshit with it. You guessed it! Officers who continued to cover up my abuse twisted things around making me look like a trouble maker with a history. Most of the white officers wanted to kick me out then, but again they knew they had no justification for it, so they didn't. Finally, I had had enough of the harrassment by fellow recruits and indifference from my company commanders. I was even told by an officer "To not make waves, because slanderous remarks were in my file to deliberatly encourage prejudice against me." I asked him if he had any plans of correcting this wrongful behavior (a black officer), he said just to except it and deal with it. Soon, I became depressed (I was home sick)and because of all the stress, I was contiplating thoughts of suicide, so I went to see an psychiatrist, BIG MISTAKE! Instead of reporting my allegations and forcing officers in my command to take responsibility for not doing their jobs, and helping me to cope and get through this most difficult time in my life. She toke every word that I confided inher and twisted it around, telling my superiors how streesed out I was, so then they (not recruits anymore) participated in making my life at that naval base difficult. They tried every and anything to get me kicked out of the Navy. One Petty Officer (a black man) told me that he didn't care what happen to me, and that he was going to do everything in his power to get me kicked out of the Navy! True enough at this point I did want out, but I didn't do anything to warrant them at the time that I was being processed out of the Navy, to recieve a bad RE code and by denied the chance to re-enter another military branch someday. But, these bastards was determined to find any loop hole to avoid giving me an Honorable Discharge, and they did. They lawyers in defense of the Navy argued that because of my apparent fight at my last command, that it was considered misconduct?!? I was so distaught, so fustrated by my unfortunate experience in the U.S. Navy, I appeal to my so-called lawyer to fight this ridiculous charge. Instead, what he did not aducately defend me, he settled for the charge, when i told him not to. I trusted him to do the right thing. But, he too was just looking out for his job-"not getting envolved." when I resisted, I was threatened by the procecuters that if I didn't agree to this wrongful discharge, that I would be given an Dishonorable Discharge, and that the discharge I was gets wasn't a dishonorable discharge. Of course, again; the Navy lied to me. You see a bad RE Code IS considered a Dishonorable Discharge! I didn't know that, but I expected my lawyer to, and to look out for my best interests. He was cutting a deal with the Navy, because he was an officer, who's loyalty was solely to the Navy. While this wheeling and dealing was going on behind my back, I (like an idiot) signed my John Hancock to my discharge papers, without reading it, thinking that my lawyer got me a Honorable Discharge, which I deserved! Long story huh? That's the truth, and most of what I remember. This whole saga according back in 1994! Some of you may still ask: What exactly made me think racism has to do with my case? During the investigations of my offense, a another situation occured that was similar to my altication with Bentz. One of his friends-a white sailor, shoved me to the ground for no reason, while I was in formation reporting for duty. I immediately reported the incident to my commanding officer. He told me to forget about what happened, that it was serious enough, and to stop making trouble! You guessed it! No charges was brought up against the man. No one I think even filed a report, yet I was punished for pushing a white recruit, and I only did that because he threatened my life and constantly harrassed me! This is what the U.S. Navy calls justice? Now, the Naval Board of Corrections wants me to prove it? I've been writing them for five years-proving it, because all the evidence is in my military records, I had nothing to hide-I told them to review the records-there was no justification for giving me an RE 4 Code. Yet, they still refuse to do a thorough investigation, into my claims of racial discrimination and harrassment. IS THIS RIGHT? IS THIS FAIR?

Why isn't other veterans in my situation, appealing to their Congressmen and Representatives or the President to stop this military and social injustice?

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR PETITION- You may Fax your name and address to: 803-641-0541 Fact: Statistically, most veterans of the U.S. Navy who are discharged for similar circumstances, are black men. Why? If you think that there is something wrong with that-help me by signing a petition against unfair use of RE codes! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. The long version-written down as a so-called diary of events of what I remember to the best of my ability. everything that I have written here is the truth and needs to address the concern of many veterans like me, who deserve a second chance to serve our county!: The Injustice of the U.S. Navy: The improper use of RE Codes to band and discriminate against thousands of African Americans is intolable. Millions of service men and women are given a bad discharge for serious and hideous crimes, yet they are given bad RE Codes. Some people (mostly black) are discharged for petty offenses-misdemeanors, which by civilian law can be expunged or erased (esp. if it was a first offense). But according to the U.S. Military, it's enough to bar blacks from enlisting into the military? I believe that there is something unfair about that, particularly when the U.S. Navy is not even considered if the accused is innocent or recieved ecessive punishment. My story hasn't changed, I'm writing and re-writing my accounts which lead me to be unfairly discharged-this a more detailed account that might clear up any question of my innocense you may have. I wasn't a criminal, I never did drugs, I had never committed a felony, by all accounts I had a clean record when I joined the Navy, but when I came out, I was charged with misconduct. Why? Because I was in a fight with a white sailor, who had a criminal history of harassing fellow soldiers and saying racial slurs. There were even rumors that he had killed a man. The U.S. Navy took his side over me with little or no justification. It was a clear case of Black vs. White, because an exact incident happened during the investigation of my misconduct, when another white sailor, during formation-shoved me to the ground for no apparent reason. When I reported this to my commanding officer, I was told to forget it and to not make any waves. No charges were brought against the man and I was dismissed. First, I was lied to by my navy recruiters, they knew I couldn't swim and against Navy regulations, they told me that I didn't have to learn to swim upon entering the Navy. They also made certain to inform me that racial discrimination wasn't a problem. During boot camp, I found every word they told me was not true! Once I was in, officers told me one more than one occasion, that I didn't have any rights, and I had to tolerate constant verbal and physical abuse. But, it worried me when I saw it happening to blacks more often than whites. I did tolerate and ignore much of the racial slurs and slanders from white recruits and company commanders, but whenever I did report these incidents (particularly the racial comments from the first sailor I fore mentioned, who's last name was Bents) all my complaints and protests were ignored. There was only so much that I could do, remember-I was only a recruit with no one to look out for my best interests, and whenever I wrote to my parents-telling them what happened, my letters were torn and edited. I was repeatedly threatened that if I pursued incriminate any racial incident, I would be given a bad discharge or thrown in the Brig. Yes, this type of behavior would occur at every base I was stationed on. Why? Partly, because past officers wanted to make sure that I was put in my place. Of course, it was worst in boot camp, because people said that my abuse would disciple me and built self-esteem. But only a fool would buy that garbage, and I had no choice-I loved the Navy and I expected someone else to speak out and make these fellow sailors account for criminal behavior. By God's grace, I graduated from boot camp-Yea, and well you know the rest of the story. It happened exactly the way I described! The Naval Board won't recognize or even thoroughly investigate my claims. They wrote me saying that I have to prove my innocense. How can I do that when I'm not in the military anymore? How can I do that when have complete access to all my military files? All the evidence they need is staring them in the face and all they can tell me is to keep writing for five years and good luck with your future! This is not Justice! I defended myself, because I was forced to by a demented nazi-wantabe! That sick bastard threatened my life and verbally abuse me and no one did anything. Nothing! To stop him and his friends from their racial rampage. What would you tell a woman who suffered the same fate? "Move on with your life." "I don't want to get envolved." If you are the kind of person that think, that there is no difference between what happened to me and a woman being sexually harrassed or violated. Then you my friend need help, no offense, but that is the truth. Why? Because inspite of the way most government institutions or society feels about racial discrimination. Some people in the Federal Government, still believe that they are consequences for what immoral act that all of commit, and we will be held accountble for it. I know it's fashionable to not do the right thing and ignore racial discrimination, but if we don't do something about injustice like what happened to me. One day, I believe that Big Brother-Government will get tired of racists, feminists, Holywood and nobody learning from the mistakes of the past. And finally declare martial law, and we will all lose our rights. If you think my RE Code 4 wasn't eccessive then this action shouldn't be either, because ultimately, when we violate each others rights and ignore the responsibilties and rectify these crimes, we will compromise our own. And personally, I don't want that to happen. Please support me and contact your local Congressman and tell him-about my case and demand equal treatment and a correction of my wrongful discharge. Thank You! REV. FRANK V. BECKLES II