Air Force Secretary reports 54 cases of rape, assault at Academy...

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[Maedhros]

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[Maedhros]

Air Force Reports 54 Rapes, Assault
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By ROBERT GEHRKE, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The Air Force has identified 54 cases of rape or sexual assault in its investigation into impropriety at the Air Force Academy and there are likely many more cadets who will not come forward, Air Force Secretary James Roche said Thursday.



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"The part that is the saddest thing ... whatever we see, whatever the number is, 25, 50, there are probably a hundred more that we do not see," Roche said during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites). It wasn't immediately clear when the assaults occured.


"We're learning enough to realize that change must occur — change in the climate, change in how we manage" the academy, Roche said.


Roche said cases are being identified that will be the top priority for follow-up by the Defense Department's inspector general, focusing efforts on cases "where the person who placed the accusation felt the system let them down."


Roche also said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper was traveling to the Air Force Academy Thursday to meet with cadets. Jumper planned to remind cadets that they have a duty to report anything they might know about any alleged assaults, he said.


Sen. Wayne Allard (news, bio, voting record), R-Colo., said he believes the situation at the academy is worse than the 1991 Tailhook Scandal — when dozens of women complained they were groped or assaulted by drunken pilots at a Navy booster group's convention — because the system has failed the cadets in this case.


"The entire support and legal system at the academy appears to have failed," Allard said. "We really do need to instill confidence in the system so victims know when they report rape they know the rape itself will not jeopardize their career."


Meanwhile, Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., has accused the academy's top commanders of mishandling rape allegations and said they should be removed. But a spokesman for Roche and Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper issued a statement refusing to blame the academy's top brass.


"We believe this regrettable situation has resulted from a climate at the academy that has evolved over time," Lt. Col. Chester Curtis said. "We will not make a scapegoat of anyone nor offer pre-emptive judgments on any issue, but will ensure justice is served on all levels."


In the last 10 years, there have been two cadets charged with rape. One was acquitted, the other pleaded guilty at a court martial and was sentenced to seven months in jail. In other cases, administrative action was taken because there was not enough evidence to prosecute, Roche said.


Allard had criticized Air Force investigators for leaving Colorado without talking with 10 current cadets who have said they were raped. He also said he was unhappy the investigators did not consult a civilian rape crisis center whose counselors say they have heard from 22 cadets in the past 15 years who reported being assaulted.


Sen. James Warner, R-Va., chairman of the committee, told the heads of each branch of the military that they have a responsibility to examine their service academies to make sure the same thing is not happening there.

[hobbes1]

And all During one visit by the Former C-in-C....lol

[zarf]

Put some ice on it.....

[Britton J Wingfield]

Time to bring back flogging.

[Indy Pendance]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,80448,00.html

Foxnews

WASHINGTON — The Air Force has identified 54 cases of rape or sexual assault in its
investigation into impropriety at the Air Force Academy and there are likely many more
cadets who will not come forward, Air Force Secretary James Roche said Thursday.

"The part that is the saddest thing ...
whatever we see, whatever the number is,
25, 50, there are probably a hundred more
that we do not see," Roche said during a
hearing of the Senate Armed Services
Committee. It wasn't immediately clear
when the assaults occured.

"We're learning enough to realize that
change must occur -- change in the
climate, change in how we manage" the
academy, Roche said.

Roche said cases are being identified that
will be the top priority for follow-up by the
Defense Department's inspector general,
focusing efforts on cases "where the
person who placed the accusation felt the
system let them down."

Roche also said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper was traveling to the Air Force
Academy Thursday to meet with cadets. Jumper planned to remind cadets that they have
a duty to report anything they might know about any alleged assaults, he said.

Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., said he believes the situation at the academy is worse than
the 1991 Tailhook Scandal -- when dozens of women complained they were groped or
assaulted by drunken pilots at a Navy booster group's convention -- because the system
has failed the cadets in this case.

"The entire support and legal system at the academy appears to have failed," Allard said.
"We really do need to instill confidence in the system so victims know when they report
rape they know the rape itself will not jeopardize their career."

Meanwhile, Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., has accused the academy's top commanders
of mishandling rape allegations and said they should be removed. But a spokesman for
Roche and Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper issued a statement refusing to blame the
academy's top brass.

"We believe this regrettable situation has resulted from a climate at the academy that has
evolved over time," Lt. Col. Chester Curtis said. "We will not make a scapegoat of anyone
nor offer pre-emptive judgments on any issue, but will ensure justice is served on all
levels."

In the last 10 years, there have been two cadets charged with rape. One was acquitted,
the other pleaded guilty at a court martial and was sentenced to seven months in jail. In
other cases, administrative action was taken because there was not enough evidence to
prosecute, Roche said.

Allard had criticized Air Force investigators for leaving Colorado without talking with 10
current cadets who have said they were raped. He also said he was unhappy the
investigators did not consult a civilian rape crisis center whose counselors say they have
heard from 22 cadets in the past 15 years who reported being assaulted.

Sen. James Warner, R-Va., chairman of the committee, told the heads of each branch of
the military that they have a responsibility to examine their service academies to make
sure the same thing is not happening there.

[k2blader]

How sad, and how sick.

[CholeraJoe]

But a spokesman for Roche and Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper issued a statement refusing to blame the academy's top brass.

When I was AD USAF, any installation commander that failed to prosecute even one such offense was risking his career.

[sinkspur]

"We believe this regrettable situation has resulted from a climate at the academy that has evolved over time,"

"We believe this regrettable situation has resulted from a climate in the Catholic Church that has evolved over time," said any excuse-making member of the hierarchy in the US or at the Vatican.

Cultures for which secrecy is one of the mainstays are subject to abuse. Those in power feel that that secrecy will protect them from the judgments that affect other mortals. Watch these rats, just like the episcopal rats, hide behind protocol or some other such lame excuse.

If heads don't roll here, then the US Air Force will join the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the hall of shame.

[George W. Bush]

Sad. Start the courtmartials. Commandant and senior staff probably have to be retired or replaced.

You know, there was lot fewer rapes in the military before we let the women in there. It would be better to outlaw fraternization between unmarried soldiers altogether.

[L,TOWM]

Well spoken, sir.

[cynicom]

Officers, gentlemen and ladies??? Must be some mistake.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Were these real rapes or feminist-defined rapes?

[Centurion2000]

Funny how this should get published TODAY of all days.

[Ford Fairlane]

We're learning enough to realize that change must occur

I realize some here may not agree with me, but the best change would be to not allow any women in the military

[CatoRenasci]

There was a thread on this several weeks ago here on FR, and I'm glad to see the situation is finally being dealt with. It's despicable and those involved should be shipped.

The Superintendant and the Commandant both must be cashiered, immediately. The have permitted an atmosphere to exist in which cadets do not treat each other with respect. They probably need to ship a couple of hundred cadets as well.

As a VMI man from the late '60s, I'm not a fan of women in the academies, but once the command decision to have women was taken, the chain of command has an absolute obligation to ensure that no cadet is the subject of assault or unwanted sexual advances. Unbelievable. At VMI, we have had some problems with women and sex, but I cannot imagine anything on this scale going on. If for no other reason than the women would be able to go to their class officers or honor court representatives to have the matter handled by the Corps, which would surely do so. And Rat women would surely be able to go to their senior mentors (dykes - the term refers to the cross belts on the dress uniform and has been in use since before the Civil War), or if their senior mentor was the problem, to their own classmates, or to the EEO officer at last resort.

[Thud]

ping

[montomike]

Looks like the male cadets have decided to try out a new kind of airplane.

It is despicable that the powers that be let it go so far. Why can't the military realize that the males and the females need to be kept separate and allowed to concentrate on studies and training without the hormones interfering?

When you are 20 and you see a fairly attractive woman (the female cadets are in good shape, smart, and probably in the top 20th percentile as far as looks)...biology takes over. I don't condone the rape on the part of the male cadets who should be prosecuted to the point where their rapee quotient increases considerably.

It is also obvious that the air force needs to be more selective in who they admit to the academy. It may also, sadly, be a reflection of the general attitude among young men toward women that they have taken away from MTV, our Hollywood role models, the general acceptance of pornography, etc.

[kellynla]

Well one thing is for sure, we definitely know there are some males who do not belong in the AF academy...I don't know the housing situation at the AF academy but in th USMC we have separate boot camps for men and women. Semper Fi

[MudPuppy]

Women have a place in today's military and they serve there with Pride. No one deserves to be raped!
Those criminals need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and immediately kicked out of the military.

Do you want a rapist commanding any troops? all male or mixed? Show's a definate integrity / moral problem. Not worthy of leading anyone let alone a military unit.

Clean up this mess the sooner the better.

God Bless the military!!