Fort Hood, TEXAS — More than a week since a Fort Hood OB-GYN was locked up ahead of his trial— after violating his commander’s orders — he was officially charged this week on multiple counts.
Dr. Blaine McGraw’s four charges and 61 specifications all deal with indecent visual recording, conduct unbecoming of an officer, disobeying a superior officer and making a false official statement.
The gynecologist is accused of secretly recording his patients during their medical exams, sexually assaulting them and not providing proper care.
Emotions were high as woman after woman shared the traumatic experience, they say they went through at the hands of McGraw, who was assigned to the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood.
“I walked into the exam room trusting the United States Army with my body, my dignity, and my safety. Instead, I was violated,” said one woman.
On Wednesday, a press conference was held in front of the memorial to Vanessa Guillen, a Fort Hood soldier who was sexually harassed and killed by another soldier in 2020.
“This is a site that’s symbolic,” said Andrew Cobos, attorney representing the victims. “It’s no accident that we’re having this press conference here.”
The Army counts 44 victims in this case as of this week. They charged McGraw with criminal offenses after an investigation launched in October.
“We’re getting calls every single day from witnesses,” Cobos said.
Cobos is the lawyer representing more than 80 women speaking out.
He said many law firms are taking cases representing more than 100 women so far — calling this the largest sexual assault case in the U.S. military.
“I’m calling on congress to pass legislation that a chaperone is mandatory at every OB-GYN examination,” Cobos said.
The U.S. Army’s Defense Health Agency has yet to respond to Spectrum News on claims against the medical center.
“The clinic attempted to schedule me with the same Doctor, Doctor McGraw,” another woman said.
Last month, Spectrum News spoke with a Jane Doe, as she’s known in her lawsuit, filed in Bell County.
She is just one of more than 1,400 patients McGraw saw over the last two years who were contacted by the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
“It’s not just here at Fort Hood,” Cobos said. “We know that this happened in Hawaii.”
McGraw is facing four charges and 61 counts dealing with indecent visual recording, conduct unbecoming of an officer, disobeying a superior officer and making a false official statement.
The Army said the incidents allegedly happened from January 1st until December 1st of this year during medical exams with women patients at the center.
“What happened here at Fort Hood and Tripler in Hawaii was not a mistake,” Doe said. “It is the result of apathy. Apathy towards women, towards our health, and now apathy towards our trauma.”
Lawyers for the growing number of alleged victims claim McGraw’s alleged inappropriate conduct stretches back to when he was stationed at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii and that the Army ignored prior complaints against him.
A preliminary hearing is next before charges can be referred to a court martial.
In the meantime, McGraw sits in a Bell County Jail for what the Army said is “violating conditions of liberty imposed by his commander.”