Let My Story Be Told!
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My name is Terri J. Odom, and recently I had one of the greatest honors of my entire life. On July 12th, 2011 Congresswoman Jackie Speier told the horrible story of my rape and the lack of justice that followed on the floor of the House of Representatives. I was a special guest of the Congresswoman. I was seated in the gallery of the chambers with her staff. When I heard her tell my condensed story (as she only had five minutes to speak), I teared up with pride. When she said, “That tragic day the military lost a great soldier and kept a rapist,” I thought I would be taken by the fear of my rapist hearing the story. But I wasn’t! I actually was hoping that he heard her! LOUD AND CLEAR! I was not ashamed, I only pray that my story may touch even one brave soul and perhaps change their life or even save their life.
I had met with Congresswoman Jackie Speier for a very long time the night before and had spent the entire day being filmed with her staff by my side. They are some of the most devoted and compassionate people I have ever met. When Congresswoman Speier first walked into her office, after a long plane ride, she and I embraced hands and both of us teared up! I thanked her for all that she is doing. Her staff was most touched, as was she, that after all that had happened to me while serving my country, my greatest loss was not having the honor and privilege to serve. I fought so hard to save my Naval career. Even before being ordered to sign my discharge paperwork, I did something completely against military standards. I fell down to my knees and wept and begged and pleaded to be allowed to continue my Naval career. I was told to stand up and sign the paperwork! I felt like at that moment everything that I stood for was being taken from me. The military was my whole life, my dream! I never thought I would be discharged for being raped, but I was.
We must all work together to change the culture, to correct the injustice in the military. A commander can’t be the judge and jury. It hasn’t worked, nor can it work! As the Congresswoman said, “We just have to want to fix it!” I was shut up! Shut down for way too many years! Now I say, “Let my story be told!” God Bless America! And God Bless our Troops!
Watch Representative Speier tell Terri’s story on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Read “Kindness in the Highest Degree” by Terri Odom
Terri,
As I listened to Congresswoman Speier speak about you, and when she mentioned you were present at this speech at the House, I teared up and was overjoyed. I feel that being heard is part of our healing, and sharing our stories helps a lot of us unravel the proverbial rug, so to speak, revealing the emotional “dirt” that has been hiding underneath for so many years. I wanted to stand with you, and in spirit, I was.
When you just mentioned how you were on your knees begging to keep your career, I teared up again. I had forgotten that I had done the same, pathetic thing. How is it that we begged to stay in a place we knew we were unsafe with people that had so deeply betrayed us? Was it because we had made a commitment, and for once were really intending to keep that commitment? I was only 18, but I was totally committed. I was a soldier, not a mom or a wife or a daughter. I had completely been taught that I was a new person. I had all of my eggs in the military career basket. I don’t know about you, but when I got home, I was homeless. I was discharged and sent home within a three day period. They were so DISGUSTED with me, the slutty whore pain in the ass rape victim, that my out-processing was done expeditiously, in fact in record time, showing that they could not wait another minute to get me out of there. Soldiers had to work late at my unit so I could have my paper cleared and signed off. I, too, begged my major, (an O-3) to allow me to stay for my commitment. He would hear of none of this begging and pleading, and consequently got me out of there without my even being able to pack up my own personal property. When my Belongings finally arrived in the states, my bike, all my cd’s and my German collectibles were GONE. Other things were damaged. I was damaged. I was gone.
Every time I hear one of us sharing her story, the similarities do the same thing to me….they chill me to the bone and renew my energy to keep fighting. What Rep. Speier has been doing for us is something that can never be measured in words, only in our continued strength in numbers. We just hear ourselves in each other and once we realize we aren’t alone, more of us stand up and raise our hands.
I applaud you for your courage, and I am glad I have another sister in arms. So proud to now call you a friend.
Kate
Thank you both for your kind and warm comments! It means everything too, me. I tear up also everytime I wake up and realize this horror is still happening today in our military.
As a team we are large in numbers! This is not about me… I am alive against all odds.. This is for us all.. I can only pray that my voice can help with the cause of correcting a system of WRONG! I loved serving my country…….. So in some very tiny way perhaps I am still serving? 
God Bless Our Troops and God Bless America.. Peace/Hugs Terri
It is about time this happened. For too long innocent victims have been subjected to not only rape, but also the burden of the responsibility for their own rape. Our society seems to glamorize rape and it is a shame. When the music, the media and entertainment all subjugate women as playthings, they are just as guilty as the rapists. This HAS to stop. I am proud of congresswoman Speier and more proud of Terri Odom. Your courage is beyond the comprehension of our leadership. You are a warrior in every sense of the word!