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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Another Sex Complaint Against the Army

SAN JOSE (CN) - The Army fired a woman who complained that her superior texted her photos of his penis, but allowed the man to resign without a real investigation, the woman claims in Federal Court.

Luydmila Starkey sued Army Secretary John McHugh in Federal Court, for discrimination and civil rights and employment violations.

Starkey claims that the Army allowed her supervisor, Sgt. Wayne Lord, "to sexually harass her, including sending sexually explicit texts, phone messages and pictures of her supervisor's penis, making the submission of these sexual overtures a condition of her employment."

Lord is not a party to the lawsuit.

Starkey claims, in the 16-page lawsuit, that she "complained and provided defendant with copies of the texts and sexually explicit images. Defendant never took any action to hold Sarg. Wayne Lord accountable, but instead allowed Sarg. Wayne Lord to resign without fully investigating his conduct. Thereafter, defendant subjected plaintiff to reprisal for making an EEO complaint, up to and including termination of her federal employment. Defendant's repeated refusal to comply with the law and its own policies, and its ratification of ongoing discrimination, harassment and retaliation against plaintiff forms the basis of this action."

Starkey seeks lost wages, including front pay, and "injunctive relief to restrain defendant from discriminating and retaliating against plaintiff and other employees of defendant based on sex, and/or opposition to unlawful discrimination and retaliation."

She is represented by Mark Epstein, with Seiler Epstein Ziegler & Applegate.

Thousands of veterans have claimed that the Army blew off their complaints of sexual harassment and rape, and denied or delayed treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder because of it.

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