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USNS Hershel Woody Williams Crewmember Made an Unrestricted Report, Then Declined to Participate.

NCIS records say a person assigned to USNS Hershel Woody Williams requested victim services and an expedited transfer after reporting sexual assault by an unidentified crew member. The case closed without command action after the reporting person declined to provide details or participate further, including after transfer to USS Makin Island.

Sexual AssaultUSNS Hershel Woody WilliamsUSS Makin IslandUnrestricted ReportVictim's Legal CounselExpedited TransferUnidentified Alleged OffenderVictim Declined Further Participation

This page summarizes one Naval Criminal Investigative Service case file. The source PDF and optical character recognition transcript appear below so readers can compare the summary against the record.

Allegation

Sexual Assault

Location

USNS Hershel Woody Williams / USS Makin Island transfer

Key date

Reported June 3, 2019

Outcome

Closed without identified subject or command action

What the NCIS File Says

The Officer in Charge of USNS Hershel Woody Williams notified NCIS that a person attached to the ship had made an unrestricted sexual assault report.

The reporting person requested victim services and an expedited transfer. The only accused-person detail in the executive summary is that the alleged offender was a member of the crew.

After investigators made contact, the reporting person asked that all communication go through Victim Legal Counsel. On June 7, 2019, the person was interviewed with counsel present, declined to participate, and signed a Victim Preference Statement.

After the reporting person transferred to USS Makin Island, NCIS again offered an opportunity to participate. The person again declined.

The Sexual Assault Disposition Report said command action was precluded because no subject was identified and the reporting person was not willing to participate. NCIS closed the case without an identified subject.

Case Timeline

June 3, 2019

NCIS was contacted by the Officer in Charge of USNS Hershel Woody Williams about an unrestricted sexual assault report.

June 7, 2019

The reporting person was interviewed with Victim Legal Counsel present and signed a Victim Preference Statement declining participation.

July 19, 2019

The reporting person reported to USS Makin Island and again declined to participate.

July 30, 2019

NCIS received the Sexual Assault Disposition Report.

July 31, 2019

The closed Report of Investigation was issued.

Why This Record Matters

The record shows that victim services and an expedited transfer can occur even when the investigative case cannot proceed.
The accountability issue is identification and participation: the alleged crew member was not identified, and command action was precluded.
The absence of allegation detail is itself part of the story and should not be filled in by inference.

NCIS Source Document

This is the NCIS Report of Investigation for the USNS Hershel Woody Williams file. MLAA has preserved the source PDF, Bates range, and NCIS file number so readers can inspect the record directly.

First page preview for USNS Hershel Woody Williams Crewmember Made an Unrestricted Report, Then Declined to Participate.

First page of the NCIS case file.

Source type: NCIS investigation file
Command or vessel: USNS HERSHEL WOODY WILLIAMS/54095
NCIS file number: 03JUN19-NFNF-00195-8SNA/C
Bates range: 0016-0017
Source file length: 2 pages

View NCIS Source PDF for Case 03JUN19-NFNF-00195-8SNA/C

Readable OCR Transcript

The transcript below reproduces the substantive report text from the NCIS file in readable form, including the executive summary when one appears in the source. Paragraph numbers come from the original report. Redactions are shown as [REDACTED]. Because the text was generated from OCR, verify exact quotations against the source PDF.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. On 03JUN19, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service was contacted lesy [REDACTED], Officer In Charge (OIC) USNS HERSHEL WOODY WILLIAMS (T-ESB 4) regarding an unrestricted sexual assault report made bys), [REDACTED], T-ESB

4. , (o \ Stated [REDACTED] received victim services and requested an expedited transfer, but declined to provide details other than the accused is a member of the crew. After contacting [REDACTED] interview, [REDACTED] requested all communication go through his Victim Legal Counsel (VLC). On 07JUN19 an interview was conducted with [REDACTED] the presence of [REDACTED], VLC, Mid-Atlantic. [REDACTED] stated he did not desire to participate in the investigation and signed a Victim Preference Statement (VPS) indicating his decision. [REDACTED] provided with a Victim Witness Assistance Pamphlet (VWAP). ON 19JUL19 [REDACTED] reported to new command of LHD

8. On 30JUL19, SADR was recieved from [REDACTED], Legal Officer, USS MAKIN ISLAND. This investigation is closed.

NARRATIVE

1. This reactive investigation was initiated pursuant to a suspected violation of Article 120 (Sexual Assault) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) .

2. Reference (A) documents prior investigative actions.

3. On 19JUL19, [REDACTED] reported to his new command of USS MAKIN ISLAND (LHD8) . [REDACTED] with a SARC assigned to LHD8 and was provided an opportunity to participate in the investigation. [REDACTED] again declined to participate.

4. a anh [REDACTED], Legal Officer, LHD8 provided the SADR. Comm action was precluded due to a subject not being identified andh)[REDACTED] not willing to participate in the investigation; Exhibit (5) pertains.

5. On 30JUL19, [REDACTED], SARC via [REDACTED] updated on the closure of this investigation.

6. This investigation is closed.