Benito Almaguer III

HM2 Benito Almaguer III
REU BMC 1007
Great Lakes, IL 60088

May 4, 2009

Naval Health Clinic Great Lakes

To Whom it May Concern,

I am HM2 Benito Almaguer III I have been a co-worker and at times direct supervisor of HM2 Daniel Lakemacher for nearly three years.

Upon initially meeting HM2 Lakemacher it was clear that he was very mature and intelligent. He quickly made known his intentions of seeking out responsibilities and progressing in his military career. Already a Petty Officer Third Class, he established himself as a mentor to several younger psych techs that arrived along with him in June 2006. HM2 Lakemacher made it known that the Navy was a career choice he had made in a attempt to become a Navy SEAL and often wondered out loud what his chances might have been. His outstanding work ethic and utmost reliability allowed him to become the only Third Class Petty Officer working at an independent satellite clinic within the recruit separation building ship 17. HM2 Lakemacher worked under one Second Class Petty Officer who was turning over the position upon his rotation date from Great Lakes. This earned him the highest of praises from both senior enlisted and officers which reflected in every yearly evaluation.

He remained at ship 17 until shortly before he deployed to Guantanamo Bay Cuba in July 2007. He was deployed for more then six months in Cuba becoming a pen pal to 30 seventh grade students from Woodland Middle School (delete - promoting the Navy as a great career). Prior to his deployment he verbalized how his deployment was great for periodic evaluations and would help him make second class. While in Cuba he emailed periodically just to inform myself and his immediate chain of command how he was doing and wanting to stay informed with everyday news pertaining to our REU and the command.

He returned from GITMO February 2008 and I spoke with him about his deployment and we talked about co-workers that had moved and some that had separated while he was deployed. He spoke about being happy to be home with his wife and needing some leave time to catch up with his family. During our conversations it was obvious to see he was withholding himself and he seemed hesitant and cautious. Being a psych tech for 11 years I instinctively pushed until he opened up asking if he could speak freely about his deployment. He never gave any detail about his dealing in GITMO just that he was beginning to feel morally conflicted about his Naval career. He told me how he wanted to learn more about what Liberty truly meant, which lead him to read articles and publications from the CATO Institute. He spoke to me about reading the Libertarian Manifesto by Murray Rothbard and how he was beginning to change morally. It was obvious that we were clearly at different ends often having long friendly debates about our differences of opinions.

Throughout his time back we have had many discussions about his change of moral and personal ethics yet he never missed a duty and he always informed me ahead of time of any appointments or if he was running late. He remained my most reliable petty officer. His work ethic has never compromised and he even volunteered many of his off duty hours on behalf of the Navy with Habitat for Humanity. This continued to earn him the highest praise while not verbalizing his moral change to the Command. He earned all Early Promote evaluations while a Third Class Petty Officer receiving his first Must Promote after being promoted to Second Class and being told that it is policy not to give newly promoted personnel (delete - Must Promotes and not) Early Promotes. Upon his promotion to Second Class Petty Officer he was given the responsibility of Work Center Supervisor over senior Second Class Petty Officers one a former Work Center Supervisor.

He was truly affected by the recent deaths of three service members from his hometown of Woodstock, Illinois. He spoke to me about how even though he didn’t know the three, it felt so close to home for him and it made it clear to him how war is not the answer and that it never resolves any issues. We had spoken many times previously since his return from GITMO but it he had not been so clear as he was that day about his objection to war. (delete - the War on Terror.)

I ask that you sincerely consider the package put forth by HM2 Daniel Lakemacher. I have witnessed a young man’s personal ethics change from wanting to be a Navy SEAL to no longer agreeing with the ideal of war.

Sincerely,

(Signature)

Benito Almaguer III

*This letter was signed and notarized on May 4, 2009.