"Our Core Values, Integrity first, Service before self and Excellence in all we do, set the common standard for conduct across the Air Force. These values inspire the trust which provides the unbreakable bond that unifies the force. We must practice them ourselves and expect no less from those with whom we serve."
--- General Michael E. Ryan, Chief of Staff, United States Air Force
Apparently, these values are not shared by everyone in the Air Force Academy.
Honor, Code, Betrayal At Air Force Academy: ..... The dream was to be and Air Force officer and to fly jets. The Air Force Academy is the dream of thousands of the nation's brightest and most patriotic young people who embrace the regimented military lifestyle and pledge themselves to a code of honor. But behind the facade of spit polish and sharp creases is a culture that many women found to be accepting of rape and sexual assault.[...] It's a culture where a male cadet can be expelled for lying but can receive only a minor reprimand for date rape. [...] It's a culture where women who report a crime are themselves targeted by their peers and the administration for expulsion......
After acknowledging that it had a problem with sexual assault a full ten years ago, the Air Force set up a program to assist the women who were assaulted. Yet, somehow, the head of that service does not know how many sexual assaults are actually reported by cadets. Yes, one is too many. However, if you know how many cases are reported, at the very least, it would be an indicator of how well you're training your men that this is unacceptable. Given that the women are terrified to report assaults because they know that they will be punished and the men won't, I would imagine that the men are being taught very well indeed. They're being taught that while lying is punishable by expulsion, raping women is just something that soldiers do, and that the women are just supposed to take it.
You wonder about a culture that says that raping the people who are supposed to be your colleagues, your fellow soldiers-in-arms ... that this is acceptable behavior.
TheDenverChannel.com - 7News Investigates - Allard May Ask For Senate Hearing Into In AFA Rape Case: Sen. Wayne Allard said Friday he is ready to ask for a full hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in the case of alleged sexual assaults at the Air Force Academy. This, in the wake of a 7NEWS investigation which has brought to light cases of female cadets who said that after they reported rape and sexual assault by fellow cadets, they were punished for coming forward. Allard said Friday that 12 current and former female AFA cadets have contacted his office to report that they were sexually assaulted at the academy and then ostracized by colleagues and reprimanded by the administration for reporting what happened.
The other part of this problem is that now, the Air Force Academy is responsible for investigating itself, and the Air Force hierarchy at the Pentagon is also investigating. The Air Force is responsible for determining whether or not it has itself punished women for being violated. How on earth is the Air Force expected to produce a fair and accurate report of this? More importantly WHY would it be expected to do so? Surely the officers in charge knew and approved of this; if they didn't, they damn well should have, and in either case should not be in charge of the Academy itself, much less of the investigation thereof.
Posted by iain at February 21, 2003 03:22 PM
