THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, January 26, 1997              TAG: 9701260108
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A2   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: BALTIMORE                         LENGTH:   43 lines

FEMALE RECRUIT WHOSE CHARGES LED TO SCANDAL LEAVES THE ARMY JESSICA BLECKLEY ASKED FOR AND WAS GIVEN AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE.

Jessica Bleckley, the soldier whose allegations about sexual harassment sparked an investigation into the worst military sex scandal since Tailhook, is leaving the Army.

Bleckley, 18, requested and was granted an honorable discharge for hardship reasons, Rachel McDonald, a spokeswoman for Aberdeen Proving Ground, said Friday. Bleckley was to leave Monday.

McDonald declined to comment on a report from WUSA-TV in Washington that Bleckley faked a suicide attempt Wednesday other than to confirm that she was hospitalized.

The station reported that Bleckley was admitted to two hospitals for an overdose of Prozac, a drug prescribed for depression and anxiety, but that neither facility found evidence of an overdose.

In November, Bleckley went public with her allegations that a drill sergeant at Aberdeen Proving Ground sexually harassed her.

Since then, four instructors at the post north of Baltimore have been charged with sexual crimes including rape, sexual harassment and adultery involving more than a dozen female recruits.

McDonald said the Army did not resist Bleckley's request for a discharge.

``Our goal since these allegations came to light is to care for the soldiers,'' McDonald said. ``When she requested her discharge, the Army felt it was an effective way to care for her.''

The spokeswoman said Bleckley was probably headed back to her home in South Carolina.

Allegations of misconduct at Aberdeen emerged when Bleckley said publicly that a married drill instructor threatened to kill her if she revealed unwanted advances he made in May.

She said about nine other higher-ranking soldiers - mostly drill sergeants - also made unwanted advances.

In November, a captain and two drill sergeants at the Ordnance School were charged with rape and other crimes.

Staff Sgt. Delmar Simpson, who is being held in a military prison, faces the most serious charges, of raping 10 women from 1995 to 1996.