[Peace-discuss] USAF academy

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

Ex - Cadet: Leadership Change Not Enough
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

 
Filed at 6:07 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A planned change in leadership of the Air Force Academy is 
a positive step, but the Air Force needs to do more to assure the academy 
takes reports of rapes and sexual assaults seriously, according to a former 
cadet who says she was raped at the academy.

``They need to rebuild the system. There is a combination of too many bad 
things going on, and they can't just come up with a quickie solution,'' said 
Jessica Brakey, 23.

Four top officers at the academy will be replaced, at least two of them by 
women, Air Force Secretary James Roche told senators Tuesday. A fifth will be 
allowed to retire as planned this summer. The Air Force is investigating 
allegations that female cadets were ostracized or reprimanded for reporting 
rapes and sexual assaults.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., said it will take a culture change at 
the academy to root out the problems that have existed for years -- long 
before the current leadership.

``Cadets have to realize they owe their allegiance to the values of the Air 
Force and the country they are preparing to represent and defend, and there 
has been quite a bit of evidence that the camaraderie of the cadets has taken 
precedence over stopping inappropriate behavior or reporting criminal act and 
that has to end,'' she said.

Fifty-six cases of rape or sexual assault have been reported at the academy 
since 1993. Colorado Republican Sen. Wayne Allard says 50 cases have been 
reported to his office, many by women upset with the way the academy handled 
their complaints and a significant portion occurring within the last two 
years.

``The evidence indicates now that we need to have some changes in leadership 
at the top,'' Allard said. ``I think they're moving in the right direction.''

Roche, who is scheduled to announce the changes Wednesday, would not answer 
questions as he left the Senate briefing.

A congressional aide familiar with the planned changes said the four who will 
be replaced are Brig. Gen. S. Taco Gilbert III, the commandant of cadets and 
second in charge at the academy; Col. Steve Eddy, vice superintendent; Col. 
Bob Eskridge, vice commander; and Col. Sue Slavec, training group commander 
and the academy's highest-ranking woman.

Lt. Gen. John R. Dallager is expected to remain as superintendent and the top 
official at the 4,100-cadet institution until his scheduled retirement in 
June.

Gilbert, who declined to comment, is scheduled to leave the academy this 
summer after completing a standard two-year tour.

The Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post reported that Maj. Gen. John W. 
Rosa Jr., deputy director of current operations for the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff, will replace Dallager and that Brig. Gen. Johnny Weida, a 1978 academy 
graduate, will replace Gilbert.

The papers also reported that Col. Debra D. Gray will become vice commandant 
of cadets, and that another woman, Col. Clada Monteith, also will be among 
top officers. The News said Monteith will replace Slavec as training group 
commander.

Brakey said simply reassigning the officers is inadequate punishment.

``They've proven they're ineffective leaders, and a little slap on the wrist 
isn't enough,'' she said. ``As far as I know they were covering up crimes. 
Isn't that a crime?''

Rep. Joel Hefley, R-Colo., said command changes alone are not sufficient, but 
he is confident that other changes at the academy will help fix the problems.

``My fear was at the outset that they would find somebody to be the scapegoat 
and then say everything is fine and everything is not fine. There's a 
cultural problem there that needs to be changed,'' Hefley said.

The other changes, he said, include clustering female cadets' dormitory rooms 
and providing round-the-clock security; training medical personnel to respond 
to sexual assault cases; offering amnesty to cadets raising sexual assault 
allegations; and expelling cadets for underage drinking or providing alcohol 
to an underage cadet.

The academy will also remove a prominent sign that says ``Bring Me Men...'' 
from its spot near the campus courtyard and parade area.

Hefley said that today he can't promise parents that their daughters planning 
to attend the academy would be safe, but he hopes the changes under 
consideration solve the problems.

Also Tuesday, Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Calif., Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., 
and 18 other female House members sent a letter to Roche seeking a meeting 
with the secretary and urging the Air Force to provide more support for 
sexual assault victims and harsher sentences for the perpetrators.

Two investigations of the academy's handling of rape claims are underway and 
a third is due to start by the end of the week.