Air Force Academy Installs Two New Leaders

NY Times ^ | April 11, 2003 | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Pharmboy]

COLORADO SPRINGS, April 10 — After months of criticism over its handling of a sexual abuse scandal, the United States Air Force Academy installed two new leaders today at a ceremony attended by thousands of cadets.

"We must ensure an environment that is free of discrimination, harassment, intimidation or assault of any kind," the new commandant of cadets, Brig. Gen. Johnny A. Weida, said outside the academy's chapel.

"Enough talking," General Weida told the crowd of about 4,000. "It's time for doing. Be proud, walk tall and do your part to make us better."

Cadets in military dress blue uniforms stood at attention as Lt. Gen. John R. Dallager, the academy's superintendent, transferred the command of the cadets to General Weida from Brig. Gen. S. Taco Gilbert III. Nearby was Col. Debra Gray, who took over as vice commandant.

General Weida was also named acting superintendent until the new superintendent, Maj. Gen. John W. Rosa Jr., arrives in late May. A fourth new officer assigned as training group commander is to arrive soon.

The new leadership is part of an overhaul that began after dozens of women at the academy said they had been reprimanded or ostracized when they reported being raped. The cadets' accusations are under investigation by the Air Force and the Defense Department.

Academy officials plan to cluster the rooms of women and establish round-the-clock security, train medical personnel to respond to assault cases and expel cadets who drink if they are underage.

General Weida, an academy graduate, recently commanded the Squadron Officer College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala.

Colonel Gray, who replaced Col. Bob Eskridge, graduated in 1980 in the academy's first class that included women. She has been assigned to the academy off and on for the past nine years, working directly with cadets. She will handle sexual assault cases with her other duties.

After the ceremony, the two new officials said they planned to rewrite the cadet training program after they talked with cadets and staff members.

"I make a personal commitment and promise to anyone that has an unfortunate incident happen to them that I'll leave no stone unturned to listen to them," General Weida said.

[Pharmboy]

Good for the Zoomies; they needed to do this.

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[joesnuffy]

The femanization of the American warrior continues............

[Restorer]

What ever happened to "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman?"

[SJSAMPLE]

Yes, they did. Today's "modern" warriors aren't feminine enough for our congress-critters. I think every male cadet should be coerced into displaying PMS symptoms, monthly, in support of their fellow "warriors."

[Pharmboy]

Nah...they don't have to get PMS. Just no raping, please.

[NMFXSTC]

And just why is it that "Canoe U" (US Naval Academy) and "Hudson High" (West Point) don;t seem to have these problems and knee jerks, nor do the Citadel or VMI?

As George Carlin says it, it is the "pussification" of the system.

[SJSAMPLE]

"Alleged" raping, please.

Seen it before in my 15 years in the Army: Female private takes a weekend off with a bunch of boys. They get a common hotel room and go out partying. Hard. Shit happens and somebody gets "raped."

Then the gyno-feminysts come in and pretty soon, it's a "culture of rape" and "heterosexism." Even a "phallocracy".

No good thing is going to come of this. The USAF Academy exists to produce warriors, or the closest thing that the AF can come to that. Now, it will exist only to prove that the "feminine condition" can coexist with warfare and violence. Doubt it? Look at what that attitude did to the US Navy after tailhook. Deployability - down. Fitness for duty - down. Morale - down.

[Restorer]

Good point about the allegedness of the charges.

Almost by definition, rape is he said, she said stuff.