GovernmentExecutive.com

Return to Article: Pentagon blames Air Force Academy leaders for sexual misconduct scandal

• 7611
  

  What happened to the right of people in this country to face their accuser? People who make these charges should not be allowed to hide behind a "confidentiality rule". Surely, the U.S. Supreme Court will not be so stupid as to allow the "Chu rule" as I would term it to stand, under any test whatsoever. The next thing we know is that he will want the testicles cut from any man who is even accused of sexual misconduct, without a trial.

  GovExec.com reader Posted December 21, 2004 7:30 PM
• 7585
  

  Read these comments! It is obvious that the military do not want any civilian direction. However, the entire background of military in the USA is that they should serve based on civilian direction. The military think that they exist in their own little world and that anything they do is right! They have thir own code of justice, their own pay system, etc etc etc. Fact is they are out of control and it has nothing to do with fighting a war. Of course the military should design and implement plans and actions for combat;however, they should not be the sole determinant of their pay, housing standards, weapons systems etc.

  Example, they have, for the past decade at least, submitted a financial plan and combat plan to be able to fight two major conflicts at the same time in different regions of the world. However, look at today - they cannot even fight one minor action in a single area of the world with the resources they said would handle two major conflicts. Military control of the military is totally unamerican oand not feasible. The public has to look to non-military to judge what should be done based on overall concerns and not simply self interest. This is even more true now that the military is all volunteer.

  taxpayer Posted December 20, 2004 12:38 PM
• 7501
  

  I can imagine that the Antioch policy makes for an interesting night out with your date, but isn't the idea to respect the lady's simple word "no" when you are told hands off? Why would you require your date to tell you "yes" or "no" at each level of sexual contact? This is not only ambiguous, but a very childish manner of behavior. When you are told "no", that should be sufficient.

  GovExec.com reader Posted December 14, 2004 12:21 PM
• 7489
  

  It's not in California, but Antioch College is definitely a liberal arts school. And it has a sexual harrassment policy the Air Force could learn a thing or two from: http://www.antioch-college.edu/community/survival_guide/policies_procedures/sopp.htm

  For those of you who don't have time to read it, the Antioch policy requires students to get verbal consent ("yes") at each new level of sexual conduct.

  Bobby Posted December 12, 2004 2:14 PM
• 7486
  

  When will you people understand that the military isn't like it was 25 years ago or even 10 years ago? The military is consistently being required to change to suit its civilian populace who never served a day in the military, but yet seem to know it all. The kids of today have no respect for military authority because they have grown up to see the way their parents behaved including their elected leaders at the time. The business of sexual harrassment and rape in the military will never end. Yes, it is wrong but after all it was wrong for a former President and also some members of our Congress and Senate who have been accused of sexual harrasssment, but they were never penalized. In fact, their peers stood up publicly and stated what fine individuals they were. How do people expect young men and women (yes, they are guilty also) to behave when their elected officials set the example. These young men and women have a right to face their accuser. The heck with any confidentiality status for those who claim they have been harrassed or raped. This is modern day America - give our boys fair justice.

  GovExec.com reader Posted December 10, 2004 8:42 PM
• 7483
  

  I've observed that the people that most consistently act with honor and integrity do so without the need to denigrate others. When I hear people insulting broad groups to support their positions, I usually find hypocrisy. The most virtuous seem content to be virtuous, whereas the most hypocritical seem intent on proclaiming fault in others.

  Lots of students in California are honorable people that do not rape their fellow students. Many people with a liberal arts degree have contributed greatly to society. Neither seems relevant to what has gone on at USAFA.

  GovExec.com reader Posted December 10, 2004 4:58 PM
• 7482
  

  I had the great good fortune to work at the Air Force Academy back in the mid 70's. I can still remember the Cadet Honor Code....I was so impressed that kids that had the opportunity to go to any school in the country decided to put service to their country and adherance to a code that stated "We will not lie, cheat, or steal nor tolerate those among us that do" above self. I was also impressed that the Academy took a no BS approach to enforcing the code. Commit a Code violation or have knowledge of a Code violation and not report the violation and you were out. See, the real sticky part of the Honor Code was the part about "tolerating those among us". Obviously, times have changed. The guys that raped or molested their fellow Cadets didn't do so in a vacuum, people knew and didn't report what they knew. Shame on the United states Air Force for letting such an outstanding institution go in the crapper. I hope the Navy and Army Academies are paying attention. People accused the Academy of being overly tough on the kids, setting too high a standard....that standard has served us for decades, it needs to return in spades.

  If the kids want to be like the majority of their high school buddies, they can pick any number of California liberal arts schools. But, if they want to be among the best of the best, a Service Academy is their choice. They are tough for a reason, that must not ever change.

  GovExec.com reader Posted December 10, 2004 2:50 PM
• 7473
  

  I am shocked that a retired officer would not realize that a Constitution would not even exist without the U.S. Military. To even imply that our servicemen (even if accussed of some type of discrimination) are conducting themselves as terrorists in the U.S. Military is disgusting. This nation has been so used to using the military as their defenders and then turning around and stabbing them in the back every chance they get, they can't seem to understand what is going on in the military today. Apparently this retired officer can't either. This military retiree does understand it but then I am from the enlisted ranks and that makes a difference.

  GovExec.com reader Posted December 9, 2004 8:20 PM
• 7471
  

  I am a bit shocked at the first comments to this article. "If I were an officer in the military today, I would get the heck out as soon as possible." Having been an officer on active duty (now retired) I can tell you that anytime that an organization has sexual or racial harassment, and crimes, that everyone suffers. The unit does not perform their mission, and everyone fails in their oath of office to support and defense the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. No, the terrorists are those who ignore their duty, ignore criminal activity, and ignore the pain of others. I believe that one of the reports mentioned that the cadets felt a higher loyalty to their peers than to the United States Air Force. My question is do they (and this goes from the Secretary and Chief of Staff down) have a higher loyalty to the Constitution and the country, or to the Air Force. That seems to be the cause of most of the problem. Chu is not to blame for enforcing the law. The concept of civilian control over the military seems to be foreign to the first writer. A question for that person, why have we not heard of those in military uniforms complaining about the discrimination and harassment? Are they too intimidated by the system to do their jobs? Did the AF JAG who is now being investigated for criminal acts do this in complete isolation, or did other military officers see it, and just look the other way?

  GovExec.com reader Posted December 9, 2004 4:07 PM
• 7467
  

  This investigation is long overdue. Rape is a crime and shouldn't be tolerated by the military.

  GovExec.com reader Posted December 9, 2004 12:22 PM
• 7457
  

  If I were an officer in the military today, I would get the heck out as soon as possible. The Pentagon and the entire nation seem to be just looking for scapegoats to satisfy their social agenda. The Pentagon has always had its anti-military civilians such as "CHU" in positions where they can do the most harm to the american serviceman and destroy what military is left in this country. If we have any real terrorists in this country, they are what I would term as "Pentagon terrorists". If they want to run the war and worry about sexual discrimination, or harrassment, let them put on a military uniform and then we will see how long they will complain.

  GovExec.com reader Posted December 8, 2004 7:55 PM