Dodge Thompson, Jr.

P.O.361

Blue Ridge, TX. 75424

Dec. 5,1996 

Sen. Dirk Kempthorne

c/o Senate Armed Services Committee

Russell Building 228

Washington D.C. 20510-6050 

Dear Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee:

My name is Dodge Thompson, Jr.  I am the brother of AT3 David Alan Thompson, U.S. Navy, who died January 5,1993 while serving in the U.S. Navy.

First of all just let me say how much I appreciate this opportunity to write to you about this troubling matter.

As I have read the statements of the testifying bodies, I find that some witnesses have missed the point all together. Although the statement from Vice Admiral Bowman, U.S. Navy, was well prepared, it just furthers my belief that the only conclusion that is possible in their minds, and in the investigations, is suicide. Why else would his statement be based on suicide prevention when the conclusion of suicide is what is in question in the minds of family members.

In her statement, Inspector General Eleanor Hill speaks of jurisdiction and states that "such things as destruction of evidence, failure to secure the crime scene, failure to conduct forensic testing, and failure to interview key witnesses" is not enough basis for assuming jurisdiction. My question about this statement is, what would be the basis for assuming jurisdiction? Further, the question of jurisdiction would arise only if the military tried to investigate on their own, which in my personal opinion, they did not.

Destroying evidence, unsecured crime scenes, no forensics, questioning witnesses, suicide conclusion before investigating, all, unfortunately, seems to be the norm time and time again. The investigating bodies in charge of investigating these cases appear to put forth more effort in guarding themselves against the appearance of wrong doing than in the efforts of finding out what happened to the victims. In many cases the final reports present new questions that are just added to the long list of already unanswered questions. In my brother's case, the reinvestigation was more lacking than the original. It seemed to be a second rate copy of the first.

The constant and ongoing reasons they can't resolve the issues faster makes me wonder how they ever manage to generate an investigation of any kind. Sometimes I feel like this whole reinvestigating program is just a stall tactic while the families give up or run out of financial resources or die. Their red tape and paper shuffle becomes a game where the losers are always the American people. It would also seem to me that just in the laws of statistics and probability that out of 3,000 cases in the last decade ruled as self-inflicted or accidental, there was only one case that was incorrect. If there were only two cases wrong, do not these two victims deserve fair and just finality to their cases as Americans, let alone while serving in the U.S. Military. Lastly, just let me say that I hope that this letter will draw attention to at least some of the growing concerns faced by myself and other family members who have lost loved ones with seemingly no rime or reason other than I DON'T KNOW.  

Sincerely,  

Dodge Thompson, Jr.