DOONESBURY MELS STORY SURVIVING MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT

The first time B.D. encounters command-rape survivor Melissa Wheeler in the waiting room at the VA Center, he has no idea what to make of the scowling former chopper mechanic. But in the months that follow, witnessing Mel's pain and her healing process help him with his own, and B.D. ends up a staunch and encouraging ally. With help, Wheeler is able to reframe her experience and move forward to the point where she re-ups and re-deploys, though the trauma continue to haunt her. As always, Trudeau manages to find humor and humanity in a tale of suffering and sheds serious light one of the most pressing problems in our military today.