I call BS on that. He performed sex acts on another man. That is homosexual acting out. I wonder what happened to the enlisted men. They were of age. To say "he got me drunk" is a pretty thin excuse. I believe that under the UCMJ they aren't even supposed to get drunk.
You are NOT giving credibility to the supposed stature of a priest.
I hope you're not saying they deserved to be molested by this freak who they put their trust in. Who knows what this guy put in their drinks. What should they have done after they were molested, just walk it off?
I would not make any excuse for the abuser.
Extreme intoxication can lead some individuals to ignore (drop their guard), or fail to realize completely, what is going on. How many drunken sailors have awakened the next morning in a bed that they have no idea how they arrrived at and with a girl who they do not even remember meeting?
To take advantage of someone who is very intoxicated, particularly if you helped them get intoxicated, is no excuse for your belief that they were "willing" at the time.
If the only thing that is known is that they were drunk, you weren't and they regret what happened, then the onus must be on you that they were taken advantage of. You could have just pulled a blanket over them and let them alone.