Found Safe TX - Pfc. Jennifer Sewell, adult, Fort Hood, 7 Oct 2021

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JerseyGirl said:
Missing Fort Hood soldier hasn't been seen since Oct. 7, officials say

Previous reporting below.

After the horrific murder of Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen in April 2020, the commander of the Army's Criminal Investigation Command promised to seize the moment to correct staffing and resource problems that led to failures in tracking and solving several cases of soldier's homicides and suicides at that base. "We can and we will do better," said Maj. Gen. Donna Martin.

More than two dozen Fort Hood soldiers died in 2020, including in multiple homicides and suicides. The death of Vanessa Guillen, whose remains were found in July, and other cases prompted an independent review, which found that military leaders were not adequately dealing with high rates of sexual assault, harassment, drug use and other problems at the base. The review also concluded that the Army CID was understaffed, overwhelmed and filled with inexperienced investigators.
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Latest from AP on Fort Hood review:
Fort Hood launches effort to address sexual assault, suicide | KERA News
 
I can’t help but to think about Enrique Martinez’s case every time I come across a missing person’s case involving someone in the military.
Incredibly sad, for sure!
I pray Jennifer’s case has a happy ending…unlike Enrique’s. :( Sadly, the person/people responsible for his death still have not been caught.
Found Deceased - NC - Enrique Roman Martinez, 21, Cape Lookout, 23 May 2020
 
Fort Hood: Missing soldier found safe

Great News!

UPDATE
15 mins ago


Authorities with Fort Hood report Pfc. Jennifer Sewell has been found safe.

Now, she is said to be accounted for and with family. Leadership with her chain of command spoke to Sewell’s family around 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10 and confirmed her safety.

Authorities are now working to ensure Sewell has access to resources to make sure she can make a safe return to Fort Hood.
 
Last edited:
JerseyGirl said:
Missing Fort Hood soldier hasn't been seen since Oct. 7, officials say

Previous reporting below.

After the horrific murder of Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen in April 2020, the commander of the Army's Criminal Investigation Command promised to seize the moment to correct staffing and resource problems that led to failures in tracking and solving several cases of soldier's homicides and suicides at that base. "We can and we will do better," said Maj. Gen. Donna Martin.

More than two dozen Fort Hood soldiers died in 2020, including in multiple homicides and suicides. The death of Vanessa Guillen, whose remains were found in July, and other cases prompted an independent review, which found that military leaders were not adequately dealing with high rates of sexual assault, harassment, drug use and other problems at the base. The review also concluded that the Army CID was understaffed, overwhelmed and filled with inexperienced investigators.
Click to expand...

Latest from AP on Fort Hood review:
Fort Hood launches effort to address sexual assault, suicide | KERA News
TGIRecovered said:
I hope that they spoke to her or actually laid eyes on her. When a person is missing you can’t confirm their safety by just taking someone else’s word for it. MOO
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And, would seem that the public is owed a full explanation, given all the hubbub it caused. Not holding my breath.
 
TootsieFootsie said:
https://www.kxxv.com/hometown/bell-county/missing-fort-hood-soldier-found-safe-with-family

Post officials announced Sunday night that Pfc. Jennifer Sewell is with extended family, but did not say where she is located.

Sewell was last seen at 4 p.m. Thursday leaving her on-post barracks. Her unit said she never showed up for work.

Fort Hood said it appears Sewell left post on her own, but Army officials don’t know why.
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Sounds to me like what used to be called AWOL....has that changed?
 
?!? said:
Sounds to me like what used to be called AWOL....has that changed?
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IIRC a policy change a few months ago? The Army somehow moved away from victim blaming.

So glad that Ms. Sewell is safe!

jmho ymmv lrr
 
@thepinkdragon thanks for reminding everyone in this thread that Ft Hood has without a doubt been under federal review.

A lot of us probably expect the military to be as transparent in their reporting as civilian law enforcement but that is absolutely not and never will be the case. That having been said I am very happy to see some of the phrasing that was being used about insuring that she can safely return to duty, the fact that her disappearance was reported and investigated at all, something that could not necessarily be expected at Ft Hood just a year ago and of course that she was located and brought to her family before something bad happened to her.

You're always going to have people derelict in their duty, especially among the enlisted but I'll be glad if the people who perhaps should have never been in the military in the first place start ending up dead a little bit less often.
 
elliefant said:
Hopefully with that base’s track record they will have learned they need to look into the reasons why somebody went away, not just punish them for the fact that they did.
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Laughing said:
IIRC a policy change a few months ago? The Army somehow moved away from victim blaming.

So glad that Ms. Sewell is safe!

jmho ymmv lrr
Click to expand...

Came across this…
Secretary of the Army announces missing Soldier policy, forms People First Task Force to implement Fort Hood Independent Review Committee (FHIRC) recommendations

Dec 2020
“The challenges at Fort Hood forced us to take a critical look at our systems, our policies, and ourselves. This is not just about metrics, but about possessing the ability to show compassion for our teammates and to look out for the best interest of our Soldiers. This report, without a doubt, will cause the Army to change our culture,” Secretary of the Army Ryan D. McCarthy said.

…

New Army Policy
“In response to the findings of the independent review, I have signed a directive clarifying expectations and responsibilities of unit commanders and Army law enforcement authorities focused on the first 48 hours after a Soldier fails to report for duty,” Secretary McCarthy said. “When one of our teammates does not report for duty, we will change their duty status to ‘absent-unknown’ and take immediate action to find them.”

This directive’s creation of an additional duty status code – “absent-unknown” (AUN) – will provide commanders with time to make the appropriate determination of an absent Soldier’s status. Commanders will utilize AUN as a transitory duty status for up to 48 hours, prompting unit and law enforcement actions to assist in locating the Soldier. Previously, Soldiers who were absent for unknown reasons were listed as “absent without leave” (AWOL).


Under the new policy, which is intended to ensure the Army maximizes efforts to find missing Soldiers, commanders must determine by a preponderance of evidence that a Soldier’s absence is voluntary to classify their duty status as AWOL. If this burden cannot be met, commanders will classify absent personnel as “missing,” and the Army will simultaneously initiate a “duty status whereabouts unknown” (DUSTWUN) casualty case. Opening a DUSTWUN casualty case provides the Soldier’s family with a liaison officer while it attempts to locate the missing Soldier.

The directive includes additional guidance for commanders and law enforcement on steps to classify Soldiers as deserters.
 
mlhenn said:
Under the new policy, which is intended to ensure the Army maximizes efforts to find missing Soldiers, commanders must determine by a preponderance of evidence that a Soldier’s absence is voluntary to classify their duty status as AWOL. If this burden cannot be met, commanders will classify absent personnel as “missing,” and the Army will simultaneously initiate a “duty status whereabouts unknown” (DUSTWUN) casualty case. Opening a DUSTWUN casualty case provides the Soldier’s family with a liaison officer while it attempts to locate the missing Soldier.

The directive includes additional guidance for commanders and law enforcement on steps to classify Soldiers as deserters.
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Sadly, in this case, it does appear that she was missing voluntarily, so she will most likely be listed as AWOL for that period of time and face UCMJ. I’m hoping that if it were due to something or someone in the unit, where she felt unsafe, that the command will take it it into consideration. We will most likely never know.
 
Fort Hood soldier Spc. Maxwell Hockin found dead behind barracks on post - ABC13 Houston

Regarding Jennifer Sewell:

I understand its the military. It just sucks that there appears to be zero consequences for toxic behavior on that base. Jennifer Sewell may have been sexually harassed or assaulted one too many times and decided for her mental health and everyone else is was safer for her to leave. She will be punished for trying to escape a traumatic situation. Accountability needs to be a thing at that place and clearly its not.

EDIT: I was all set to join the Air Force right out of HS. I had all my paperwork filled out and signed. My friend who at the time had been in the army for 10 or so years BEGGED me not to enlist. I'm glad I didn't bc I can guarantee if someone put their hands on me without my consent, they'd probably be dead and I'd be in prison. Don't care who you are.
 
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