Why Was Jeffrey Dahmer Kicked Out of the Military
This article contains references of murder and sexual assault that some may find upsetting. Reader discretion is advised.
Ryan Murphy's DAHMER Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story shared a fictional retelling of Jeffrey Dahmer's life. The series examined everything from his childhood to becoming a notorious serial killer who drugged, raped, killed, and dismembered the bodies of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991. The Netflix series has led many true crime enthusiasts on a journey to uncover new details about Jeffrey Dahmer and his family members. Questions have emerged about whether Jeffrey's father, Lionel Dahmer, is alive and how his brother, David Dahmer, was impacted by his unfathomable crimes. The fourth episode of the Netflix series touched on Jeffrey's enrollment in the United States Army, raising questions about whether or not he truly served or if that was fictionalized for the series. Read ahead to find out if Jeffrey Dahmer served in the military and why he was kicked out.
Did Jeffrey Dahmer serve in the army?
Six weeks after Jeffrey murdered his first victim, 18-year-old Steven Hicks, he enrolled in Ohio State University, where he was expelled after one semester. Jeffrey's father, Lionel, encouraged him to join the military as an alternative to college. According to Military.com, he worked as an Army medic at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. He was later stationed with the 2nd Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment, 8th Infantry Divison at a base in Baumholder, West Germany, where he worked as a combat medic.
Did Jeffrey Dahmer commit any crimes during his time in the army?
Twenty-year-old Preston Davis accused Jeffrey of sexually assaulting him while they worked in the field together between October 5 and October 25, 1979. According to a letter Preston wrote on Protect Our Defenders, he was "sexually assaulted, which included penetration," during a three or four-day period while he was "isolated and alone" with Jeffrey, who he claimed was a racist. "He was a very racist individual, and once he started drinking, he became a very obnoxious individual," Preston told TheWrap.
Preston believes he was drugged because he "lost time" and has "memory gaps." According to TheWrap, Preston confirmed that Jeffrey admitted to previously killing someone and would brag about it when he'd get drunk. "Jeffrey had killed his first victim a year before joining the military, and he would get drunk in the barracks and say, 'I killed the guy in Ohio," he recounted. Preston left the unit he worked in shortly after the assault, but his standing as an "outstanding soldier" was largely impacted. He received an honorable discharge in May 1986.
Billy Capshaw was 17 years old when he met his roommate Jeffrey. Billy claims he was sexually assaulted, tortured, and controlled by the infamous serial killer for 18 months. According to Survivingjeffreydahmer.org, Billy alerted officials of the abuse by Jeffrey, who would often be drunk, but those in power often ignored it. He said Jeffrey beat him with an iron bar across his knuckles and shins. Billy said that he was often locked in their room because Jeffrey was the only one with a key and that Jeffrey intentionally made sure his family's mail and phone calls would go unanswered. Billy claims things got so bad that his status was changed to AWOL (absent without leave) when he had not left the base.
"It was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," he revealed to TheWrap. "I was in a room I was scared to come out of. I would steal Jeff's money, thinking that if he didn't have any money, he wouldn't drink anymore and, therefore, wouldn't hurt me anymore. He beat me so badly for that, and to stop me from screaming; he hit me harder."
Did Jeffrey Dahmer kill anyone when he was in the military?
According to the Associated Press, police officials across Germany reviewed all cases of unidentified male murder victims or missing men after Jeffrey's arrest in 1991. German officials did not discover any links connecting Jeffrey to cold cases during his time in Germany.
Why did Jeffrey Dahmer get kicked out of the army?
One year before he completed an entire three-year enlistment, Jeffrey received an honorable discharge from the Army in March 1981. According to Military.com, Jeffrey's superiors believed his consistent drinking impaired his ability to function as a soldier.
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