JAG CENTRAL

Former Army SGT Kayla Williams (NY Times)

From the NY Times Magazine, 21 Questions with former Army SGT Kayla Williams, the author of a new book and a self-admitted prison abuser in Iraq:

Q: Your new book,''Love My Rifle More Than You,'' brings a chick-lit sensibility to your stories about life in Iraq and essentially characterizes our male soldiers as so many frat boys groping women.

I just couldn't believe that guys would hit on me when I was the dirtiest that I ever was in life, with dirt caked into my hair. We only had enough water to bathe once a week.

Your book describes an appalling game played by the soldiers, in which they toss rocks at you and aim for your breasts.

They would also throw rocks at each other's penises for fun. It was very strange to see. But in a way it was natural. When you're in Iraq, you search for just about anything to ease the mind-numbing tedium of having nowhere to go and nothing to do.

As a college-educated American who originally enlisted to study Arabic and national security, couldn't you think of any other way to spend your free time? Why not read a book or play baseball?

I read a book a day. And we played fake baseball using a stick and rocks.

What is the Army policy on sex between soldiers?

It isn't covered in General Order No. 1A, which is the main order for soldiers deployed in Iraq, which says you can't drink alcohol or have porn or keep pets, which everyone does anyhow. My personal chain of command said if you are married, don't do it, and if you're not married, just don't get caught. A lot of girls got sent home pregnant.

Categories: Detainee+Abuse, Iraq, Newspapers