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Soldier Says She Was Harassed Because of Muslim-sounding Name

When people demonize Muslims it can affect people other than a person of Islamic faith. Her father was born into a Muslim family, however he converted to Christianity after meeting her mother, a Catholic.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sgt. 1st Class Naida Hosan is not a Muslim — she’s a Catholic. But her name sounded Islamic to fellow U.S. soldiers in Iraq, and they would taunt her, calling her “Sgt. Hussein” and asking what God she prayed to.

So before deploying to Afghanistan last year for her second war tour, she legally changed her name — to Nadia Christian Nova.

This did not solve her problems.

Instead, matters escalated. Nova complained to her superiors about constant anti-Muslim slurs and jokes. She says they responded with a series of reprisals intended to drive her out of the Army, leading her to consider suicide.

“My complaints fell on deaf ears every time,” said Nova, 41, a member of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, N.C. “Any time I would say something about it I was treated like I didn’t know what I was talking about or that I’m an idiot or that I was a Muslim sympathizer. It was just a very lonely feeling.”

Determined to remain in the service for at least eight years, until she is eligible for retirement, Nova recently re-enlisted. But she agreed to tell her story to The Associated Press because “I don’t want this to happen to anyone else if I can help it. It’s a horrible to feel like people are against you when you are supposed to be on the same team.”

Soldier Says She Was Harassed Because of Muslim-sounding Name

Sounds like a pretty crappy experience. I'm glad she spoke out. It's important for people in marginalized groups to share their stories. Moreover, there's nothing prejudiced people hate more than the objects of their prejudice voicing their disapproval, particularly on such a large scale.
 
I don't buy it. The Army in 2013 is so insanely politically correct, if someone even accuses you of making a discriminatory slur to his cat, you'll probably lose rank. She obviously has a ****ty chain of command, but she doesn't seem to know how to call one of the many agencies in the Army that specifically deal with this kind of thing.

I agree. There has to be more to this story than what is being reported. I'd like to hear some comments from fellow soldiers. Also, she's an E-7. Who exactly is harassing her? She's probably a platoon SGT. Her troops are picking on her?

Also she's a Farsi linguist. I just can't buy that she would get this school yard behavior in an MI unit. They have plenty of soldiers in those language groups who are actual Muslims, not just having Muslim names. Something is up.
 
When people demonize Muslims it can affect people other than a person of Islamic faith. Her father was born into a Muslim family, however he converted to Christianity after meeting her mother, a Catholic.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sgt. 1st Class Naida Hosan is not a Muslim — she’s a Catholic. But her name sounded Islamic to fellow U.S. soldiers in Iraq, and they would taunt her, calling her “Sgt. Hussein” and asking what God she prayed to.

So before deploying to Afghanistan last year for her second war tour, she legally changed her name — to Nadia Christian Nova.

This did not solve her problems.

Instead, matters escalated. Nova complained to her superiors about constant anti-Muslim slurs and jokes. She says they responded with a series of reprisals intended to drive her out of the Army, leading her to consider suicide.

“My complaints fell on deaf ears every time,” said Nova, 41, a member of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, N.C. “Any time I would say something about it I was treated like I didn’t know what I was talking about or that I’m an idiot or that I was a Muslim sympathizer. It was just a very lonely feeling.”

Determined to remain in the service for at least eight years, until she is eligible for retirement, Nova recently re-enlisted. But she agreed to tell her story to The Associated Press because “I don’t want this to happen to anyone else if I can help it. It’s a horrible to feel like people are against you when you are supposed to be on the same team.”

Soldier Says She Was Harassed Because of Muslim-sounding Name


Just how many people do you actually think were harassing her? I have a hard time swallowing this story. "Constant" slurs and jokes? She was considering suicide? Her complaints fell on deaf ears every time? Why would they want to drive her out of the army if she was a good soldier? This sounds made up or at least MUCH exaggerated.
 
When people demonize Muslims it can affect people other than a person of Islamic faith. Her father was born into a Muslim family, however he converted to Christianity after meeting her mother, a Catholic.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sgt. 1st Class Naida Hosan is not a Muslim — she’s a Catholic. But her name sounded Islamic to fellow U.S. soldiers in Iraq, and they would taunt her, calling her “Sgt. Hussein” and asking what God she prayed to.

So before deploying to Afghanistan last year for her second war tour, she legally changed her name — to Nadia Christian Nova.

This did not solve her problems.

Instead, matters escalated. Nova complained to her superiors about constant anti-Muslim slurs and jokes. She says they responded with a series of reprisals intended to drive her out of the Army, leading her to consider suicide.

“My complaints fell on deaf ears every time,” said Nova, 41, a member of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, N.C. “Any time I would say something about it I was treated like I didn’t know what I was talking about or that I’m an idiot or that I was a Muslim sympathizer. It was just a very lonely feeling.”

Determined to remain in the service for at least eight years, until she is eligible for retirement, Nova recently re-enlisted. But she agreed to tell her story to The Associated Press because “I don’t want this to happen to anyone else if I can help it. It’s a horrible to feel like people are against you when you are supposed to be on the same team.”

Soldier Says She Was Harassed Because of Muslim-sounding Name


But...but...but...our troops are way too mature and professional for this kind of behavior to exist!

That being said, she needs to excercise her authority and kick some ass for a lack of professionalism, discipline and military bearing, vice crying about it to the media. It sounds like she's a weak, substandard NCO.
 
Here's my guess: she is an outspoken Christian and that's why it was funny. I met a guy in the army named Sgt. Harry Beaver. He didn't change his name.

I figure the woman is unstable and being used for political purposes. Of course, it wouldn't be the first time that the anti-military agenda uses a soldier in distress. It never seems to matter what the troops say until one goes off the deep end and hits a talking point. That one is used and discarded, others are paid no heed.

I was in the service with a guy named Justin Teim--pronounced, "time". He was the toughest sum-bitch in the battalion. Sure, people ****ed with him about his name...once...never twice.

I also served with a cajun boy named Richard Richard. Cajuns pronounce the surname Richard as, "ree-shard". He didn't get picked on twice, either.

This ol' girl sounds like she needs to soldier up.
 
There are plenty of cases where harassment or cases brought up before the Chain of Command fall on deaf ears. Does that mean it's a ****ty Chain of Command? You damn right they are, but it's this kind of attitude of "oh, it's just an agenda" instead of maybe an actual problem, that annoys me. I'm not saying it's all over, but I've personally seen problems with certain Chain of Commands and I feel that's something that should be addressed by the military.

The chain of command can't have it's time monopolized by snivelling candy asses that can't take some ribbing, or can't stick up for themselves. On the battlefield, the enemy is trying to KILL you. Let's not lose perspective of what's important.
 
I have a hard time believing that she went up the chain of command and nobody did anything and that they tried to "force" her out of the army because of her Muslim-sounding name. The whole story sounds too stupid to be true IMO.
 
I have a hard time believing that she went up the chain of command and nobody did anything and that they tried to "force" her out of the army because of her Muslim-sounding name. The whole story sounds too stupid to be true IMO.

Sounds to me like she's a ****ed up NCO and she's playing the victim card; more to this story than we're being told, I'm sure.
 
Sounds to me like she's a ****ed up NCO and she's playing the victim card; more to this story than we're being told, I'm sure.

I don't discount the fact that some people are so overly sensitive that insults exist only in their own minds. :roll:
 
I don't discount the fact that some people are so overly sensitive that insults exist only in their own minds. :roll:

True, but the fact that she went to the media rather than discipline her own soldiers--which she has complete authority to do--makes the whole thing smell fishy.
 
True, but the fact that she went to the media rather than discipline her own soldiers--which she has complete authority to do--makes the whole thing smell fishy.

Well, one thing we could say for certain is that she definitely doesn't have any business to take on a leadership role in the army.
 
When people demonize Muslims it can affect people other than a person of Islamic faith. Her father was born into a Muslim family, however he converted to Christianity after meeting her mother, a Catholic.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sgt. 1st Class Naida Hosan is not a Muslim — she’s a Catholic. But her name sounded Islamic to fellow U.S. soldiers in Iraq, and they would taunt her, calling her “Sgt. Hussein” and asking what God she prayed to.

So before deploying to Afghanistan last year for her second war tour, she legally changed her name — to Nadia Christian Nova.

This did not solve her problems.

Instead, matters escalated. Nova complained to her superiors about constant anti-Muslim slurs and jokes. She says they responded with a series of reprisals intended to drive her out of the Army, leading her to consider suicide.

“My complaints fell on deaf ears every time,” said Nova, 41, a member of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, N.C. “Any time I would say something about it I was treated like I didn’t know what I was talking about or that I’m an idiot or that I was a Muslim sympathizer. It was just a very lonely feeling.”

Determined to remain in the service for at least eight years, until she is eligible for retirement, Nova recently re-enlisted. But she agreed to tell her story to The Associated Press because “I don’t want this to happen to anyone else if I can help it. It’s a horrible to feel like people are against you when you are supposed to be on the same team.”

Soldier Says She Was Harassed Because of Muslim-sounding Name


I just retired from Ft. Bragg for a second time last year. If you go over the personnel rosters of the 82nd, XVIIIth ABN Corps, FORSCOM, USARC etc you will find hundreds with Muslim sounding names. I think I read in the Army Times where there are approximately 20,000 Muslim's serving on active duty in the Army alone. I am not doubting this girls story, but the army gives classes on things likes this to every active duty soldier and civilian, mandatory classes and the army practices a zero tolerance. But things like do happen and it may have fallen through the crack.

If she did complain to her superiors and they did nothing, they will pay.
 
When people demonize Muslims it can affect people other than a person of Islamic faith. Her father was born into a Muslim family, however he converted to Christianity after meeting her mother, a Catholic.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sgt. 1st Class Naida Hosan is not a Muslim — she’s a Catholic. But her name sounded Islamic to fellow U.S. soldiers in Iraq, and they would taunt her, calling her “Sgt. Hussein” and asking what God she prayed to.

So before deploying to Afghanistan last year for her second war tour, she legally changed her name — to Nadia Christian Nova.

This did not solve her problems.

Instead, matters escalated. Nova complained to her superiors about constant anti-Muslim slurs and jokes. She says they responded with a series of reprisals intended to drive her out of the Army, leading her to consider suicide.

“My complaints fell on deaf ears every time,” said Nova, 41, a member of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, N.C. “Any time I would say something about it I was treated like I didn’t know what I was talking about or that I’m an idiot or that I was a Muslim sympathizer. It was just a very lonely feeling.”

Determined to remain in the service for at least eight years, until she is eligible for retirement, Nova recently re-enlisted. But she agreed to tell her story to The Associated Press because “I don’t want this to happen to anyone else if I can help it. It’s a horrible to feel like people are against you when you are supposed to be on the same team.”

Soldier Says She Was Harassed Because of Muslim-sounding Name


I feel bad for her, but she shouldn't be a soldier. Soldiers need to tough it out, not cry to mommy that the bad man is making fun of me.

Women shouldn't be soldiers anyway.
 
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