I am wondering about the military.Coffey was in the military and Richard's profile of TRM mentions the military.I don't know much about what happens when you enlist,but I'm wondering if there is any type of psychological assessment done before one can enter the military? I'm wondering what they thought of Coffey.Can anyone explain how the military works?
I can't explain the whole military in this small post, but will mention a bit about Fred Coffey and his Navy time.
Coffey first enlisted in the Navy in 1962 at the age of 17. He served three consecutive enlistments (each hitch for four years) for a total of 12 years.
He had actually applied to re-enlist again for a fourth term, but his legal troubles involving his inappropriate behavior with children caused Navy officials to NOT allow his fourth enlistment to take place. The Navy did not have jurisdiction over his crimes. They were handled in civilian criminal court proceedings.
Coffey had reached the end of his third enlistment and was the rank of Petty Officer First Class (Paygrade E6) by September 1974. He was given an honorable discharge - based on his behavior and work in the Navy. But because of the civilian convictions, he was denied re-enlistment.
It is possible that Coffey landed his job with Vitro Laboratories in Maryland through connections that he had made in the Navy.
So, Coffey was probably a pretty good sailor and likely did well in his occupational specialty. He obviously was a sexual predator while in the Navy and managed to hide that part of his behavior from his Navy supervisors and officers.
It should be noted that by late 1975, Coffey had managed to enlist in the North Carolina National Guard.
If the Navy had learned of Coffey's proclivities earlier, it is very possible that he would have been evaluated by Navy psycologists and that a recommendation for an administrative discharge could have been made.
If the Navy had tried him by Court Martial for the abduction and rape of the Navy dependant child, such a court could have recommended such punishments as confinement at hard labor, reduction in rate to E1, loss of all pay and allowances, and Dishonorable or Bad Conduct Discharge from the Navy.