Army Doctor Suspended Over Disturbing Patient Abuse Allegations
A United States Army gynecologist has been suspended from his duties following shocking allegations that he secretly filmed and inappropriately touched dozens of female patients during medical examinations at a Texas military base.
The controversy centres around Major Blaine McGraw, a doctor stationed at Fort Hood's Carl R Darnall Army Medical Center, who now faces a civil lawsuit filed in Bell County on Monday. The legal action alleges systematic abuse of trust and violation of patient privacy over an extended period.
Systematic Betrayal of Trust Uncovered
The 13-page lawsuit, obtained by the Guardian, reveals disturbing details about McGraw's alleged misconduct. One plaintiff, identified under the pseudonym Jane Doe - the wife of an active duty service member - claims the doctor repeatedly groped her during seven or eight consultations and took intimate videos and photographs without her knowledge.
These illicit recordings were later discovered on McGraw's personal phone, sparking a wider investigation. According to court documents, investigators recovered thousands of photographs and videos taken over multiple years, depicting numerous female patients, many of whom remain unidentified.
Attorney Andrew Cobos, who filed the lawsuit, stated he represents at least 45 women who have come forward with similar allegations against the suspended doctor. A military official speaking anonymously to NBC confirmed that at least 25 women had contacted the army's criminal investigation division after the images were discovered.
Previous Complaints Ignored by Military Leadership
Perhaps most concerning is the lawsuit's allegation that senior officers allowed McGraw to continue practising despite receiving complaints about his behaviour stretching back years and involving another military medical facility.
The legal filing states that initial complaints were made years earlier when McGraw worked at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Instead of taking appropriate action, the lawsuit claims army leadership laughed off credible allegations, effectively enabling his misconduct to continue when he transferred to his Texas position.
This failure to act, the lawsuit argues, gave cover to a predator in uniform and turned what should have been a place of healing into a stage for abuse.
Victims Speak Out About Trauma and Institutional Failure
The emotional impact on victims has been profound. Jane Doe described learning about the secret recordings during an interview with investigators, where she was shown screenshots from videos recovered from McGraw's phone that unmistakably depicted her body during examinations conducted just three days earlier.
Court papers describe how she sat in her car and cried after the interview, feeling disoriented and disarrayed with her sense of safety shattered. She received only a generic pamphlet with phone numbers for various army departments following her traumatic discovery.
Several alleged victims recently spoke at a press conference outside Fort Hood's gates, criticising the army's handling of their complaints. One woman expressed that while the act itself was devastating, the indifference and lack of humanity shown during the aftermath compounded her pain.
The army suspended McGraw from his position on 17 October, though their initial statement announcing the investigation did not identify him by name, referring to him only as a medical provider.
In an updated statement released on Monday, military officials provided more details about their investigation timeline and claimed they had attempted to contact all patients the suspended doctor saw during his Fort Hood tenure.
Legal Battle and Calls for Accountability
Attorney Andrew Cobos plans to file a separate action under the federal Tort Claims Act to hold the army responsible for what he describes as a culture of silence and indifference that permitted McGraw's alleged abuses to continue unchecked.
This lawsuit represents the first step in exposing this misconduct and restoring justice, Cobos stated, emphasising that accountability only happens through transparency.
Daniel Conway, an attorney representing McGraw, told NBC that his client had been fully cooperative with the investigation. Conway expressed concern about plaintiffs' attorneys holding press conferences citing inaccurate information apparently learned from government sources and suggested it would be best to let the investigation complete before commenting further.
The case continues to develop as more victims potentially come forward and the army faces increasing scrutiny over its handling of sexual misconduct complaints within its medical facilities.
