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CSAF: One academy assault is too many

by Senior Master Sgt. Rick Burnham
Air Force Print News

03/10/03 - U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Air Force leaders met with reporters here March 7 for a roundtable discussion on recent sexual assault allegations by current and former cadets.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray stressed that getting to the root of the problem and finding the predators is the most important task, Jumper said.

Make no mistake, he said, "One sexual assault at our academy is too many."

Dozens of women have come forward in recent weeks with reports of alleged rape and assault by classmates, bringing to light shocking allegations about the institution responsible for molding the future leaders of the service.

"There is no room for even one person among us who is guilty of (these) charges," the general said.

He said that Air Force leaders must ensure that the climate is right for cadets to learn the "high standards of character that will be demanded of them in the future ... that they learn the basics of mutual respect for one another."

Jumper and Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche are contemplating a number of changes at the academy, many of which will be in place before the next class of cadets arrive in June.

"Secretary Roche and I have written letters to the parents of each of those females to assure them that steps have been taken to ensure the climate and the environment here is safe and that they can be proud of this institution."

The changes in store for incoming cadets range from alterations in dormitory life to adjustments of day-to-day activities, the general said.

"We have to create a situation in the dormitories where we make sure that the conditions are not conducive for would-be predators to be around females at the wrong time and in the wrong setting," Jumper said. "In our day-to-day living, we must have an environment where the basic human dignity of males and females (is) preserved in this very intense situation where they live together and do military duty together and do athletics together virtually 24 hours a day.

"There has to be (a) separation that provides for human dignity. I am not sure we have done that as well as we could, and we will be addressing this problem, and others as well."

Changes also have to be made to procedures when a cadet reports an alleged assault or rape, Jumper said.

"We need a climate in which the cadets who have suffered assault can come forward in an environment where the situation will be dealt with in a way that produces results and in a way that they have confidence in the leadership's ability to take the appropriate action," he said. "We have to make sure that the climate is right for our cadets to learn the high standards of character that will be demanded of them in the future, that they learn the basics of mutual respect for one another and that part of that mutual respect is zero tolerance for those who would commit these crimes."

Those crimes, and the people who commit them, simply cannot be tolerated in the U.S. Air Force, said Jumper.

"The standards of human nature dictate that we don't tolerate such things," he said. "We have to go forward with all the evidence that we can possibly muster to take those people out of our midst."

During the visit to the academy, Jumper also met with groups of cadets and found an overwhelming sense of pride.

"We have met with groups of cadets who are absolutely outstanding, but who are distraught that the reputation of the academy has been sullied," he said. "Our emphasis has been on the seniors, who we have charged with the responsibility for making sure they exercise the power they have over lower cadets in appropriate ways and in ways that are aimed at the highest standards of character and morale development."

Despite the stain of the allegations, he said, the vast majority of the young people at the school are exemplary, and worthy future leaders in what the general termed "the greatest air force on the planet."

"We know that 99.9 percent of academy graduates and those who are at the academy now are out there serving in way that we can all be proud of as Americans," he said. "I spent 37 years on duty with academy graduates, and they make up the very finest among us. There is no reason to believe that the current student body will be any less effective as leaders in the future."