DECA investigating alleged sexual harassment at Yokosuka commissary
By Steve Liewer, Yokosuka
bureau chief
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — The Defense Commissary Agency has
nearly completed a major investigation of alleged sexual harassment and other workplace
violations at Yokosuka’s commissary, a DeCA official confirmed.
Sandy Horan, DeCA’s Japan district manager, said the agency sent
a security specialist from Korea into the commissary last month to investigate. The
specialist questioned many commissary employees about the work climate before leaving July
6.
Horan said Privacy Act considerations prevent him from discussing
whom or how many people the investigation targets. Two other sources familiar with the
probe said it is aimed at Store Director Walter Bogicevic and Assistant Store Director Bob
Meria.
Horan confirmed both have been temporarily reassigned to training
positions at other DeCA locations in Japan.
“The No. 1 and No. 2 (managers) have been detailed to other
stores to make it a little easier for the investigators to talk to folks,” Horan
said.
The two other sources also said the probe has spread to include
possible financial misconduct. Horan, however, said the investigation remains limited to
workplace harassment.
The investigation began in May after a local woman — the wife of
a Yokosuka-based sailor — gave a statement to Navy officials alleging Bogicevic
repeatedly made crude sexual jokes and comments to her in his office, frequently in front
of store employees. Often he called Meria in to listen, she said.
The woman said she visited Bogicevic at his office about 20 times
from November 1999 to May 2001 after he invited her to apply to become a commissary
vendor.
In her statement, the woman said he asked her how often she liked to
have sex, invited her to Japanese love hotels, rubbed her back and suggested she wear
mini-skirts to his office.
“He always, always talked about sex,” she said.
Earlier this spring, she took a tape recorder into his office and
secretly recorded some of his comments. In May, she was introduced to an investigator for
U.S. Naval Forces Japan Equal Employment Opportunity, who urged her to give a statement.
Because the woman is not a U.S. citizen, she could not file a formal
EEO complaint. EEO officials turned the statement and the recording over to DeCA, which
decided the complaint merited an investigation. In late May, according to the sources,
Bogicevic was called away to Tokyo for a day so DeCA and EEO investigators could interview
store employees.
As a result of those interviews, DeCA officials decided to broaden
the investigation and call in the security specialist. The probe also was expanded to
include other store officials.
Bogicevic has been reassigned to Sagami Depot, near Camp Zama, while
Meria is working at Atsugi Naval Air Facility, Japan. Both declined to comment on the
investigation.
The investigation has been unsettling for employees, many of whom
have been questioned but don’t fully know why.
“All they know is that there is an ongoing investigation,”
said Wayne Walk, the acting store director.
Mariko Kasahara, who works in the commissary’s administrative
offices, said employees are looking forward to a resolution.
“People just talk about it. It looks like everyone is trying to
find out what would become of Mr. B(ogicevic) and Mr. Meria,” she said. “Many
rumors are around.”
According to a DeCA biography, Bogicevic, who is retired from the
Navy, was transferred to Yokosuka in January 1999, shortly before the opening of the new
expanded commissary there.
Since his arrival, the store has expanded its hours and days of
service, and is cited by many residents as one of the base’s top amenities.
Horan said the security specialist, Fred Schram, is preparing a
report on his investigation for DeCA managers.
He said Tom Milks, the director of DeCA’s Western Pacific
region, will make a decision as to whether any disciplinary action is warranted, probably
within the next week to 10 days.
Nancy Onell, a spokeswoman for DeCA Western Pacific, said she could
not comment on the investigation until it is complete.
“The region has a strong commitment to enforcing a healthy
workplace environment,” she said. “We do want to bring this to a close as
quickly as possible.”
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