Veil of Silence

by K'Anne Meinel

  One of the colonels present defended their procedure by pointing out that Lance had had a psychiatrist present in the form of Captain Lamar.

  “That was just for her initial interviews. You people keep wanting to dismiss those. Why wasn’t the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency procedure followed?”

  “Could you explain what you mean by that question?” the civilian asked.

  Lance looked at the man suspiciously. He hadn’t been introduced and this set his teeth on edge. He didn’t know who he was addressing or giving this information to. “Captain Gagliano, in her initial recovery phase, should have had psychologists to help her with the transition. It’s an unpredictable and emotional time, especially for a woman that is this pregnant.” He gestured to the captain. No one could deny she was very pregnant. “She should have been transported from the embassy to a safe place.”

  “We felt the embassy was the safest place at that time,” the colonel defended himself.

  “The Joint Personnel Recovery Agency oversight committee would have protected her from any undue pressures while she was integrated back. The Department of Defense has outlined very clearly what those procedures are.” He decided to switch tactics on them. “Have you informed the media of Captain Gagliano’s return? Have you announced that she is alive?”

  Feeling defensive, Colonel Rugster looked at Major Osborn, waiting for him to answer the questions. They were very well aware that the cameras filming this interrogation would be seen by others. Their motives and answers would be put into question. “We felt she was safer at the embassy and keeping her presence quiet was for her safety as well. Her wife was informed as you are well aware, but her parents were not.”

  “Were her parents not informed because of the media attention they garnered with her disappearance?” he asked carefully. Something stank here and he intended to get to the bottom of it. His assistant, Corporal Harris, was taking notes.

  The major nodded. “They did create an unwarranted media storm with her disappearance. We wanted to cover all bases, including her general health, before informing them.”

  “Was the information they were seeking in regard to their daughter, or her companions that went down in the crash?” he guessed. He saw their startled glances and thought, ‘Bingo!’

  “That isn’t important here, Captain. We need the information from Captain Gagliano to try and recover the helicopter and any information on those who died in the crash and their whereabouts. Those families need to know what happened to their sons.”

  “And their daughters?” Lance asked astutely, glancing at Marsha, but not missing the annoyance on the faces of Major Osborn and Colonel Rugster.

  Ignoring his impertinent questions, the major cited regulations. “Yellow Ribbon Phase III got her stateside and her wife was informed so that she could meet her. I understand she has a medical appointment this afternoon so protocol is being followed.”

  Sick of being spoken about as though she were an object and not even there, Marsha started to speak, but Lance put his hand on her arm, applying pressure and signaling her to keep silent.

  “Yes, she does have an OB/GYN appointment this afternoon. Will a SERE psychologist be made available soon to monitor the captain’s repatriation process?” He was annoyed, but not surprised that the major was aware of her medical appointment. They were keeping tabs on Captain Gagliano, close tabs.

  “I’ll see about arranging that,” the major answered, feeling backed into a corner. This wasn’t going quite like the colonel had wanted. He glanced at the other colonel present who nodded, encouraging him to continue his questioning.

  Lance adroitly avoided their repeated questioning. He turned it on them once again. “Will Captain Gagliano be given a desk position until she can fully return to duty after the birth of her child?”

  They were all startled at his question, including Marsha. She hadn’t thought about if she wished to return to duty, retire, or simply leave the army. She knew that might be an option. She did, however, wish to find out about her promotions and pay. She leaned into Lance to whisper, “What about my promotions?”

  He nodded slightly, but didn’t ask the room. Instead, he waited for them to answer his question.

  “Once Captain Gagliano has been fully debriefed and after she has been evaluated by SERE psychology oversight and intervention, I’m sure we will have a full knowledge of Captain Gagliano’s abilities.”

  “Will she have to go to the Robert Mitchell Center?” Lance asked next.

  “Why would she have to do that?”

  “Well, that is where repatriated prisoners are eligible for follow-up medical and psychological services.”

  “Of course she would be eligible for that. Right now, we are trying to debrief her and determine everything that happened over there,” he blustered.

  “You already know what the captain has gone through. I’m just wondering who was on the chopper that you are really looking for and that you want to know if the captain saw them after the crash.”

  The room was so silent you could have heard a pin drop.

  “Captain, I get the sense you do not wish to cooperate with this inquiry.” Colonel Rugster addressed Marsha directly.

  “Not at all, Colonel. I’ve been very forthcoming. I have to wonder though, like my defense attorney has asked, why I’m being denied my rights as set forth by the army in regards to missing servicemen and women, and why I am being asked the same questions in five different ways over and over again? Who are you looking for and why would I even know? I told you I only knew one other person on that helicopter, and other than the two pilots, who I definitely saw were dead, I have no knowledge of any other passengers.”

  They were quiet as they exchanged looks and the major shuffled papers.

  “Gentlemen,” Captain McKellan began, “and ladies,” his glance took in Marsha, “I suggest that we have the psychologist debrief my client after they have watched her disk. You could be doing irreparable harm to my client by pressuring her. I understand you need comprehensive intelligence. I’m sure we would all agree that Captain Gagliano was, by her own admission, in captivity involuntarily. We cannot allow the PTSD that she will undoubtedly suffer from to go untreated. Once the SERE psychologists have seen my client and released her for further questioning, then we will continue this.” Lance was watching the civilian and he saw a slight smile come over the man’s face. Something about the man told the savvy captain that this man was not a civilian at all.

  “Wait a moment, Captain. You’ve done this to us for the last time,” Colonel Rugster blustered.

  “I assure you, sir, this gives me no pleasure. My client has cooperated with you as much as I’m going to allow her to. She has an appointment,” he made a great show of looking at his watch, “this afternoon and I’m sure you will all understand that a pregnant woman must have her chow.” With that, he stood up and Corporal Harris practically leapt out of his seat with him, helping Captain Gagliano out of her own seat.

  Captain McKellan knew he wouldn’t be able to pull these stunts again once the psychologists got hold of Marsha. He could tell his questions today had angered a few of them, and they also started a few thoughts that were better off left alone. He made mental notes to have Corporal Harris look into some more things for him.

  Escorting Marsha out of the building, he was pleased to see that her wife was waiting for them at the curb. “Your wife is prompt,” he mentioned.

  “Yeah, she’s good that way. Hates to be late to anything and I suggested we go eat before I left today.”

  “I have a million phone calls to make,” he confided. “May I come to your home this evening with what I find?”

  She stopped and looked up at him. “You think you’ll have something for us to discuss that soon?”

  “Oh, I almost guarantee it. That civilian was no civilian,” he mentioned conspiratorially.

  “You noticed his military bearing too?” she asked with a grin.

  That was wha
t had been bothering him. The man sat as though he never relaxed in a chair, always upright and at attention…a lifetime of being at attention. “Not only that, but I’m certain I’ve seen him somewhere.”

  “Okay, Captain, I’ll see you this evening after dinner. The kids are in bed by nineteen hundred hours,” she informed him.

  He smiled and nodded to the captain’s wife. “Ma’am,” he said respectfully.

  “Captain,” she responded, nodding and smiling in return. She watched, amused, as he headed off to his car parked nearby. The Corporal followed him, talking animatedly. She’d heard from Marsha about the car compensating for something. “Where shall we eat?” she turned to her wife to help her into the car.

  “Well, as we don’t have the money to eat out, why don’t we go to the chow hall?”

  “I’ve packed us a lunch. What I meant was, would you like to go eat at a park with the kids?” she glanced at the two in the back seat who were looking at the two women.

  Marsha smiled. Even eating on base would have cost them money. “Yes, let’s go find a park.” She finished getting into the car and Heather handed her the seatbelt.

  * * * * *

  “Well, Captain, after what you have told me, you are in amazingly good health. I think those scars will fade after a few years,” the doctor indicated the marks on Marsha’s back. Heather had winced seeing them as the doctor examined her. The kids had been left to play outside, supervised by a nurse.

  “So, how far along am I?” Marsha asked, curious.

  “I’d say you’re due any day now by the size of this baby. I can’t believe they didn’t examine you more thoroughly before putting you on a plane!” she stated, outraged at how the military had treated her.

  “Well, they were kind of anxious to get me back home,” she allowed.

  “Well, good thing you didn’t go into labor on the plane. Do you want to know the sex?” she asked as she finished the exam and handed them both copies of the ultrasound with a clear picture of a baby inside her.

  Marsha glanced at Heather, who shook her head slightly. She smiled. She should have known. “No, we’d like to be surprised.” She inwardly laughed. They had had enough surprises to last them a lifetime.

  “Well, I’ll let you get dressed. I’d still like you to take the prenatal vitamins I’m going to prescribe for you. I’m amazed that you had these children with no prenatal care,” she shook her head as she made some notes on a tablet, checking off boxes.

  Marsha looked at the tablet in awe. Technology had come far since she had Hayley. “Well, we were very isolated.” She’d told the doctor about her prior four pregnancies, including the miscarriage. The nurse went to get a form to request her records from Hayley’s birth as they would help with future care.

  “I see no reason why you shouldn’t have a healthy baby this time,” the doctor reassured her with a smile. She was amazed at the tale this woman had told her. It reminded her of stories where the women had a baby in the field and returned to work afterwards. “Try to keep your stress levels to a minimum,” she advised as she finished and left the room so the woman could get dressed.

  “Oh yeah, no stress,” Marsha mumbled and Heather laughed. She helped her back into the uniform, realizing with Marsha’s sweat and body odor it would have to be laundered that evening, at least the dress shirt would.

  “I’m so glad she says everything is okay. I’ll have to go through Hayley’s things and see what we have for newborns.”

  “You kept all that?” she asked as she pulled her pants back on.

  “Somewhere. Remember we were going to try again when you got home and retired.” She hesitated, but it was the perfect time to ask, so she did. “Are you going to retire now?”

  Marsha had wondered that herself. It was all happening so fast. She couldn’t fathom it. She shook her head. “I don’t know yet, babe. There is so much that Captain McKellan has to find out for me before I can consider it.”

  Heather nodded. She was disappointed, but she agreed Marsha had to be cleared of whatever fact-finding mission those people were on. She didn’t know what they were asking her wife, but she could sense from the tension that both Marsha and Captain McKellan oozed that it wasn’t a good thing.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Over the coming week, Captain Gagliano was seen by the SERE psychologists. They met with her one-on-one and then after that first week, with Heather to see how she was adjusting. Marsha hadn’t known until Heather mentioned it that she frequently woke up at night in nightmares, unable to realize that she was home and safe. She was still determined to escape Zabi and his people. It was obvious she was concerned about getting her children to safety. Her escape was very important to her. It helped to have Heather hear more of her attempts to escape. It also helped that the psychologists recorded that in their report, which was given to Captain McKellan for her defense as well as to those waiting to question her again.

  “I don’t understand why they didn’t enact Phase II before Phase III?” the psychologist asked Captain McKellan.

  “I believe that was due to a matter of safety,” he told him formally.

  “Her medical screening in Kabul was haphazard at best. The children were given those inoculations as though they were cattle,” he complained as he read the report on the medical procedures she and her children had endured at the embassy.

  “We were told they couldn’t come to the States without them.”

  Shaking his head, the lead psychologist mumbled to himself, “Damned bureaucrats.” He looked up at Lance and asked, “Has the captain had time to tell you her stories about life in the village or anything other than the actual crash and things that the army would have an interest in?”

  “Stories?”

  “When the returnee comes back to their home, it is essential that they have unstructured time alone, unsupervised time alone, so they can talk about the good things, if there are any, so that the time away isn’t so traumatic, it’s normalized. It’s part of the decompression process,” he explained.

  “Captain Gagliano has been with her wife in her off time. I’m sure she’s doing that.”

  “I’ll have to ask her. It’s vital to her well-being to share those things with her wife. I wonder how the wife is dealing with the readjustment too? She should come in for a few of these meetings.”

  “With Captain Gagliano?” Lance clarified.

  “No, alone. She too has a tremendous amount to deal with. After all, Captain Gagliano brought home two children and is pregnant with another. That birth is imminent and I’m certain this whole thing is traumatic to Mrs. Gagliano.”

  “I’ll ask her,” he promised. He was amazed at how much the army had pushed aside in regards to the captured captain’s well-being. They had totally disregarded some of the protocol. He’d already filed several complaints regarding their handling of this case.

  * * * * *

  “Captain, you are correct about a promotion being delayed because of your absence. The army should have designated your promotion at three years during your captivity. There are cases where it is eighteen months to two years. I’m pushing for that as well as retroactive pay.”

  “What about my promotion to lieutenant colonel?” she asked, reminding him of the initial conversation they had in Kabul.

  “That one is going to be a little harder to get,” he stated, and seeing the combative look in her eye, he explained, “Normally that can take eighteen months to three years too. A lot depends on where you are in the zone and your qualifications. Title 10 of the United States’ Code and its regulatory requirements are very specific in regards to the regulatory, directive, and policy of said promotions.”

  “That sounds like a lot of legalese to me, counselor. I suggest you dumb it down for this mere captain.”

  He smiled. There was no bullshitting this woman and he didn’t blame her. The pay bump alone from captain to major was going to help her a lot. Lieutenant colonel was going to be a hard one to go for, but
all he could do was try. She certainly had the years in. “Were you intending to make the military your career?” he asked.

  “I don’t think that’s relevant,” she countered.

  That told him the answer was probably no. “They will probably give you major, no problem. I’ve already had Corporal Harris on the paperwork and spoken on the phone with a few key individuals to expedite this; however, they are going to say your baby-making actions will keep you from focusing on your career in the military, and that becoming a lieutenant colonel wasn’t in your plans.”

  “They can’t know that,” she answered back angrily. “I was coming home after an eighteen-month deployment. I’d made captain. For all they know, I intended on staying in the army to become a friggin’ general! Furthermore, that’s sexist. It’s not my fault in the least that I’m pregnant.”

  With that it clicked for Lance how he could word his reports in a way that would be in the captain’s favor and garner her the well-deserved promotion. He was determined to get her everything she deserved. The powers that be were still chomping at the bit to get some more information out of her, but she simply didn’t remember or hadn’t seen anything of value. The rural people who had taken her had kept her too well hidden. His other investigations centered around the other people in that helicopter. The two pilots didn’t raise any red flags and neither did Sergeant Ames, but the names of the other two had been redacted and he’d had his superior officer look into the original documents to find out exactly what was being hidden from this investigation and what Captain Gagliano was really being accused of.

  * * * * *

  “Do you know what Hayley means?” Marsha asked the little girl who look so painfully like her, but who didn’t really want to talk to her.