SAN ANTONIO
(AP) -- From a chapel pulpit on Lackland Air Force Base, where every
American airman reports for basic training, Col. Glenn Palmer delivered
his first order to nearly 600 recruits seated in the pews: If you're
sexually harassed or assaulted, tell someone.
"My job is to give you a safe, effective training environment," Palmer said firmly.
What
the colonel did not mention directly in his recent address was a
widening sex scandal that has rocked the base, one of the nation's
busiest military training centers. Allegations that male instructors had
sex with, and in one case raped, female trainees have led to criminal
charges against four men. Charges against others are possible.
The
most serious accusations surround an Air Force staff sergeant scheduled
to face a court-martial in July on charges that include rape and
multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault. The other three defendants
were charged with lesser crimes ranging from sexual misconduct to
adultery. All of the defendants were assigned to turn raw recruits into
airmen in eight weeks of basic training.
A
two-star general is now investigating alongside a separate criminal
probe, which military prosecutors say could sweep up more airmen.
Advocates for female service members and members of Congress have
started taking notice.
"It's a pretty big
scandal the Air Force is having to deal with at this point," said Greg
Jacob, a former Marine infantry officer and policy director of the
Service Women's Action Network. "It's pretty substantial in its scope."
No comments:
Post a Comment