Vice Chairman Of The US Joint Chiefs Called Donald Trump 'An Idiot'. Said Melania Is 'Smarter'

U.S. Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, testifies during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, March 7, 2017. (DoD Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. James K. McCann, CCby/2.0/)

Daily Mail: Revealed: Vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs called Donald Trump 'an idiot' and said Melania is 'smarter' after she asked about the 'locations of all our intercontinental ballistic missile fields' at private dinner

* The Pentagon's No. 2 John Hyten called President Trump 'an idiot' and Melania Trump 'smarter than the president,' claims a sexual assault accuser
* The Washington Post published notes given to them by Retired Col. Kathy Spletstoser who accused Hyten of assault
* Spletstoser also says that the military won't release documents related to her case because she believes they could be embarrassing to Hyten
* In turn, she gave her notes to The Post detailing a conversation Hyten had with Spletstoser and colleagues after dining with the Trumps in October 2017
* 'The president is an idiot. He is just a businessman without the basic understanding of national security,' Hyten said, according to Spletstoser
* Spletstoser also said Hyten believed Melania Trump was 'smarter' because she asked about the 'locations of all our intercontinental ballistic missile fields'
* Hyten declined to comment to The Post, while a White House official said, 'Discussions like this would not be had casually around a dinner table'

The Pentagon's No. 2 John Hyten called President Donald Trump 'an idiot' and Melania Trump 'smarter than the president,' according to testimony that was part of a sexual assault case involving the military leader.

The Washington Post published a profile Wednesday of Retired Col. Kathy Spletstoser, who's accused Hyten of assault and claims the military is trying to hide records because the testimony could be damaging to the Joint Chiefs vice chairman's career.

She revealed part of her testimony to The Post that included Hyten's take on the president and first lady after dining with them in October 2017, nine months after Trump took office.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Wow! A lot of dirt is coming out of this sexual assault case.

United Nations: Sexual Violence In War Zones At ‘Worst Ever’

The Guardian: Sexual violence in war zones at ‘worst ever’ as drive to protect women falters

Fall in global funding and weak UK initiative hamper attempts to save Rohingya and help victims in other conflict areas

The head of UN Women has condemned the inadequate response to the widespread use of rape and sexual violence in conflicts, and warned that the amount of money dedicated to fighting such war crimes is shrinking.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, executive director of the UN organisation dedicated to gender equality and empowerment, said “new types of violence and torture, worse than anything we’ve ever seen before” have been used against Rohingya women in Myanmar, yet only 2% of money sent to conflict settings is spent on improving women’s rights, while funding for UN Women fell 5% between 2013 and 2016.

Read more ....

Update #1: UN Women Chief Says Peanuts Spent on Battling Sexual Abuse (Sputnik)
Update #2: Male rape and sexual torture in the Syrian war: ‘It is everywhere’ (The Guardian)

WNU Editor: The UN Women website is here.

Sexual Harassment And Abuse Is A Global Condition

CNN: Sexual harassment: How it stands around the globe

(CNN)Any woman, in any country, will most likely be able to relate to this situation:

Walking down the street, alone, past a group of guys hanging out with nowhere to go. Her guard goes up, and preparation takes place. Many things could happen when she passes them.

It may be the words "hey, beautiful" or "hey, sexy," or being instructed to smile. It may be more intentional: standing in the way or blocking the path in hope of some interaction. It may get more aggressive, with hands reaching to inappropriate places.

The spectrum is far and wide, with one end harboring the potential for things to become more violent with physical abuse or rape.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Some jaw-dropping statistics here.

Why Is The U.S. Army Siding With Afghan Child Rapists?

FOX News: Army rejects appeal from soldier discharged after confronting accused Afghan rapist

EXCLUSIVE: Even as the U.S. military denies reports that American troops were told to ignore Afghan child abusers, an 11-year Green Beret who was ordered discharged after he confronted an alleged rapist was informed Tuesday that the Army has denied his appeal.

Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland earlier this year was ordered discharged by Nov. 1. He has been fighting to stay in, but in an initial decision, the U.S. Army Human Resources Command told Martland that his appeal “does not meet the criteria” for an appeal.

“Consequently, your request for an appeal and continued service is disapproved,” the office wrote in a memo to Martland.

Update: U.S. military accused of telling soldiers to overlook Afghan abuse of boys -- CNN

WNU Editor: I suspect that this is just the tip of the iceberg .... U.S. military indifference to Afghan sex abuse led boy to kill Marines, suit claims (Washington Times). And the U.S. military is continuing to deny these claims ..... US General denies there is a policy to ignore the sexual abuse of little boys in Afghanistan after a marine was gunned down by teen 'being kept as a sex slave by the local police chief' (Daily Mail). But as I had mentioned in a previous post .... I know soldiers who served in Afghanistan who have told me personally that they were told to look the other way when it came to children being sexually exploited by our Afghan allies. As this story continues to grow with more revelations of U.S. soldiers being told to look the other way when children were being raped .... a part of me wondering is now wondering how big of a scandal this is .... and my gut is telling me that it must be massive. In Abu Ghraib during the U.S. occupation, Iraqi prisoners were abused and President Bush suffered politically because of this. But when I look at Afghanistan .... this is a far bigger scandal .... and it involves God only knows how many children. The Obama White House has so far not suffered the same fate as President Bush's White House when it came to misconduct in a war zone .... but if the stories keep on piling up .... this is a far worse scandal than Abu Ghraib.

U.S. Soldiers In Afghanistan Were Told To Ignore Boys Being Sexually Abused By Afghan Allies

Dan Quinn was relieved of his Special Forces command after a fight with a U.S.-backed militia leader who had a boy as a sex slave chained to his bed. Credit Kirsten Luce for The New York Times

New York Times: U.S. Soldiers Told to Ignore Afghan Allies’ Abuse of Boys

KABUL, Afghanistan — In his last phone call home, Lance Cpl. Gregory Buckley Jr. told his father what was troubling him: From his bunk in southern Afghanistan, he could hear Afghan police officers sexually abusing boys they had brought to the base.

“At night we can hear them screaming, but we’re not allowed to do anything about it,” the Marine’s father, Gregory Buckley Sr., recalled his son telling him before he was shot to death at the base in 2012. He urged his son to tell his superiors. “My son said that his officers told him to look the other way because it’s their culture.”

Rampant sexual abuse of children has long been a problem in Afghanistan, particularly among armed commanders who dominate much of the rural landscape and can bully the population. The practice is called bacha bazi, literally “boy play,” and American soldiers and Marines have been instructed not to intervene — in some cases, not even when their Afghan allies have abused boys on military bases, according to interviews and court records.

WNU Editor: American soldiers were not the only ones who were told to ignore this behaviour. I was told by a friend who served in the Canadian Army that soldiers were given the same orders (this was about 5 or 6 years ago) ... and someone who served in the British Army in Helmand province told me the same thing only last year.

Angelina Jolie Appears In The U.K. Parliament To Discuss Sexual Violence By The Islamic State

Daily Mail: ISIS is using rape as 'the centrepoint of their terror', Angelina Jolie tells Parliament as she recalls meeting girls as young as seven brutally assaulted in conflict zones

* Hollywood star tells peers that sexual violence is an 'effective weapon'
* Warns it is used by the the 'most aggressive terrorist group in the world'
* Called for a 'very, very strong response' to the fanatics in Iraq and Syria
* Appearing at committee alongside former Foreign Secretary William Hague

Hollywood star Angelina Jolie today told the Houses of Parliament that ISIS is using rape as the 'centrepoint of their terror' as she warned of the destruction caused by sexual violence in conflict zones.

The actress and human rights activist spoke of the harrowing moment she met girls as young as seven who had been brutally raped in war zones.

Jolie, who is giving evidence to a Lords committee, said jihadist fanatics in the 'most aggressive terrorist group in the world' were using sex attacks as a 'very effective weapon'.

More News On Angelina Jolie Appearance At The U.K. Parliament To Discuss Sexual Violence By The Islamic State

Angelina Jolie tells parliament: Isis atrocities show need to tackle sexual violence in conflict -- The Guardian
Watch: Angelina Jolie tells heartbreaking tale of girls who were raped and sold off for $40 -- The Independent
Angelina Jolie: 'Islamic State using rape as a centrepoint of their terror' -- The Telegraph
Angelina Jolie urges Europe to prioritise refugees from war torn countries saying they are in more need than economic migrants -- Daily Mail
Angelina Jolie calls for better screening to prioritise refugees over economic migrants -- ITV News

Recruiting Academics To Fight Sexual Violence In War

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Special Envoy Angelina Jolie meets members of the Yazidi minority in Khanke internally displaced person (IDP) Camp in Dohuk, northern Iraq January 25, 2015. Credit: Reuters/UNHCR/Andrew McConnell/Handout via Reuters

Reuters: Angelina Jolie aims to recruit academics to fight sexual violence in war

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie said she hoped Britain's first academic center devoted to women, peace and security studies would benefit millions of girls, like an Iraqi teenager she met who had been kept as a sex slave by Islamic State.

WNU Editor: Since the beginning of this blog I have always advocated that sexual crimes committed in war zones should be considered as a war crime and that the leaders and military commanders whose soldiers have committed these crimes be held accountable for what they have done. We are still a long way from that .... but .... Angela Jolie's support and work to get the discussion going is a positive sign .... and for that I applaud her.

Curbing Sexual Violence In Conflicts

US, Britain to Step Up Efforts to Curb Sexual Violence in Conflicts -- Voice of America

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his British counterpart, William Hague, are adding their weight to the international effort to stop sexual violence in armed conflicts. Rape has been used worldwide as a tool to subdue and demoralize individuals and tear apart communities. Although most of the victims are women, men and boys also have been targeted. Kerry and Hague on Tuesday participated in a discussion in Washington about measures to curb this type of crime.

Armed forces use sexual violence as the spoils of war for their soldiers or to terrorize populations they want to subdue or force to flee their homes. Kerry said that this kind of violence has too long gone unpunished, and the United States wants to change that.

Read more ....

More News On U.S. And British Attempts To Curb Sexual Violence In Conflicts

Preventing Sexual Violence Is a National Security Imperative -- US Department of State
Preventing Sexual Violence Is a National Security Imperative -- John Kerry and William Hague, Huffington Post
U.S. vows to deny visas to those accused of wartime sexual violence -- L.A. Times
Britain's Hague, Jolie to chair summit on rape in war -- New Straits Times
Sexual violence in war: “Not a second-class crime” -- Kim Thuy Seelinger, Berkley Blog

Mass Rape Now Endemic In Syria

Thirty Seven Thousand Women Were Raped In The Suburbs Of Damascus Only - Bianca Madia -- Voice of Russia

The number of victims during the war in Syria has exceeded 100 thousand people; the number of refugees has exceeded two million people. Statistics usually bypass the number of victims among women. But crimes against women are an essential part of the tragic statistics of this war, participant of the women's movement in Syria Bianca Madia said in an interview with the Voice of Russia.

The number of rapes committed during the last three years is simply enormous. The Human Rights Watch organization (HRW) recently published a report on the living conditions of Syrian women. But there is not one iota of truth in this document; it looks like it was created only to accuse the authorities. There's not a word about the crimes of the militants. I can say with full responsibility that the Jabhat al-Nusra and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants use to burst into small villages, kidnap women and rape them. After this they are usually killed or left in sexual slavery. If a woman survives, she needs professional medical help, otherwise she will remain crippled - mentally and sometimes physically.

Read more ....

My Comment: I have seen some of these videos .... they are still on YouTube and they are horrific. And while it is hard to verify if these sex crime statistics are true there is one thing that I do know .... considering the hell that Syria has been going through (and is still going through), when it comes to war crimes in Syria nothing now surprises me.

UN Survey Reveals Massive Asia Rape Crisis

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Almost A QUARTER Of Men Admit To Being Rapists Across Parts Of Asia, UN Report Finds -- Daily Mail

* The survey, by the United Nations, interviewed 10,000 men across Bangladesh, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea
* While most rapes were inside relationship, 1 in 10 were out of marriage
* Of the men who admitted rape, just under half had done so more than once
* 75% of rapists said they did it for reasons of 'sexual entitlement'
* 60% did it because they were bored and 40% as a form of punishment

Almost a quarter of men in parts of Asia admit to raping a woman, a report by the United Nations has revealed.

The alarming results show that while the majority of sexual assaults took place within a relationship, one in ten men confessed to forcing a woman to have sex outside of marriage.

The figures came after 10,000 men in Bangladesh, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea were interviewed.

Read more ....

More News On Asia's Rape Crisis

Almost a quarter of men 'admit to rape in parts of Asia' -- BBC
A quarter of men say they have raped their wife or girlfriend in survey of six Asian countries -- National Post/AP
UN survey reveals Asia-Pacific rape crisis -- FOX News/AFP
One in Four Asian Men Confess to Rape: UN Study -- Voice of America
Nearly a quarter of men in some Asian countries admit to rape, study finds -- The Telegraph
UN report finds widespread sexual assault in Asia-Pacific region -- Deutsche Welle
One in Four Men Surveyed in Asian Study Say They Raped -- Bloomberg Businessweek
In Some Asia-Pacific Nations, 1 in 10 Men Have Committed Rape -- Time
1 in 4 men in parts of Asia admit to rape, says UN study -- Al Jazeera
UN Survey of 10,000 Men in Asia and the Pacific Reveals Why Some Men Use Violence Against Women and Girls -- Digital Journal
A Quarter of Men in 6 Asia-Pacific Countries Admit to Rape: UN Survey -- Epoch Times
U.N. study in Asia delves into why men rape -- CNN

Another Major Sexual Assault Case In The U.S. Military

Army Sergeant Assigned To Sex-Abuse Prevention Being Investigated For Pimping, Sexual Assault -- NBC

Just a week after an Air Force lieutenant colonel working in its sexual-assault prevention office was arrested and accused of sexual battery, a second U.S. service member assigned to a military sexual assault program is being investigated for various forms of sexual misconduct, officials revealed Tuesday.

A U.S. Army sergeant first class, assigned to III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas, is now under investigation for pandering — a prostitution solicitation charge — abusive sexual contact, assault and maltreatment of subordinates, the Pentagon said.

A Defense Department source told NBC News the publicly unidentified soldier allegedly forced at least one subordinate soldier into prostitution and sexually assaulted two others.

Read more ....

More News On Another Soldier Responsible For Sex-Abuse Prevention Now Under Investigation For A Sexual Assault

Assault Prevention NCO Investigated for Sex Crimes -- Military.com
Military sexual assault: Another prevention coordinator investigated -- MSNBC
Army Sergeant Is Accused of Sexual Abuse -- New York Times
Soldier in Sexual Assault Office Accused of Abuse -- US News and World Report
Army sergeant who watchdogs sex assault cases now accused of sex crimes -- Washington Times
Soldier Who Led Sex-Abuse Prevention Under Investigation -- Bloomberg
Army sexual assault watchdog accused of “abusive sexual contact” -- Salon
Army Coordinator at Sexual Assault Prevention Office Accused of "Abusive Sexual Contact" -- The Atlantic
Lawmakers outraged over another military sex case -- Star Telegram
Army continues to aggressively push sexual assault prevention, response efforts -- Army.mil
Hagel orders retraining of sex-assault prevention officers; Army sergeant investigated -- Washington Post
Can the military solve its sexual assault crisis? -- Peter Weber, The Week

My Comment: It does not take a rocket scientist to see that the system is broken.

Among Reports On The Rise Of Sexual Assaults In The U.S. Military Are Reports That False Complaints Of Sexual Abuse Are On The Rise

False Reports Outpace Sex Assaults In The Military -- Washington Times

False complaints of sexual abuse in the military are rising at a faster rate than overall reports of sexual assault, a trend that could harm combat readiness, analysts say.

Virtually all media attention on a Pentagon report last week focused on an increase in service members’ claims of sexual abuse in an anonymous survey, but unmentioned were statistics showing that a significant percentage of such actually investigated cases were baseless.

From 2009 to 2012, the number of sexual abuse reports rose from 3,244 to 3,374 — a 4 percent increase.

During the same period, the number of what the Pentagon calls “unfounded allegations” based on completed investigations of those reports rose from 331 to 444 — a 35 percent increase.

Read more ....

My Comment: The main stream media is focused (and justifiably so) on the rise of sexual assaults in the U.S. military. But with the exception of the Washington Times, they are choosing to ignore the rash of false reports. I guess there is some truth to the talk that the U.S. military now needs professionals to handle the sexual assaults within the ranks.

Is The 'Hookup Culture' Responsible For The Increase In U.S. Military Rapes?

Air Force General Blames Increase in Military Rape on Hookup Culture -- Daily Beast

Is an uptick in military sex assault just due to our hookup culture? That’s what an Air Force general said on Capitol Hill Tuesday, testimony Senator Gillibrand tells Eleanor Clift is ‘outrageous.’

If it was possible to make a bad situation worse, that’s what Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh managed to do at a Senate hearing Tuesday morning when he blamed an increase in sexual assault in the military on the “hookup” culture prevalent among young people. Welsh said 20 percent of female recruits report being assaulted before they joined the military. “They come in from a society where this occurs,” he said.

Not only did Welsh’s remark seem to place blame on the victim, it also revealed a tendency to view sexual assault in the most benign way, as a date gone bad or a breakdown in communications rather than a violent act. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the first woman to chair the personnel subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee, told The Daily Beast it was “outrageous testimony” that showed a fundamental misunderstanding about the violent nature of sexual assault.

Read more ....

Update: Air Force General Mark Welsh Blames 'Hookup Mentality' for Rapes in Military -- Opposing View

My Comment: A horrible choice of words, and if the General is smart .... he should apologize and retract this statement. Eleanor Clift .... a person that I disagree with almost all of the time .... is right when she says .... What the military has to confront is criminality, not a hookup culture.

The Growing Epidemic Of Sexual Assaults In The U.S. Military

Defense Secretary Worries Sexual Assault In Military Nearing A Tipping Point -- Christian Science Monitor

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says that sexual assault allegations in the military are so alarming that they could hurt the Pentagon's ability to recruit and retain 'the good people we need.' Critics are pushing for reform.

Calls to change how the US military justice system prosecutes those accused of sexual assault grew increasingly robust as lawmakers vowed to create a minimum punishment for US troops convicted of the crime.

The calls come in the wake of revelations Monday that the US Air Force officer in charge of the service’s sexual assault prevention program had himself been arrested and charged with sexual assault.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he was “outraged and disgusted” by the allegations, and warned that the Pentagon “may be nearing a stage where the frequency of this crime and the perception that there is tolerance of it could very well undermine our ability to effectively carry out the mission to recruit and retain the good people we need.”

Read more ....

More News On The U.S. Military's Sexual Assault Crisis

Hagel: Sexual Assault Report Shows Armed Forces 'Need Cultural Change' -- ABC News
Lawmakers act fast with new legislation on military sexual assault -- Air Force Times
Lawmakers demand military leaders curb sex assaults -- Reuters
Congress turns attention to sexual assault in the military -- Washington Post
Military Courts Are Called Outdated on Sex Crimes -- New York Times
New figures show sexual assault in the U.S. military is on the rise -- CBS
Military Sex Assaults Rising 35% Bring Calls to Revamp System -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Sexual Assault In Military Raise Alarm In Washington -- New York Times
500 Military Sexual Assault Cases A Week: Our View -- USA Today
Pentagon report shows big jump in sex crimes in military -- Reuters
Obama scolds military over sexual assaults -- The E-Ring/Foreign Policy
Obama: Sexual Assault in Military an Outrage -- Voice of America
Obama calls for military to do more to combat sexual assaults -- L.A. Times
Obama urges prosecution, courts-martial for sexual assaults in military -- Miami Herald
Obama warns on US military sexual assaults -- BBC
Obama to Military Sexual Assault Victims: ‘I’ve Got Your Backs’ -- US Department of Defense
The U.S. military's growing sexual assault problem -- The Week
Military injustice -- Baltimore Sun editorial
Sexual assaults stain the U.S. military -- Kansas City Star editorial
Because they can: Three rapes every hour in the military -- Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, Washington Post

500 U.S. Military Sexual Assault Cases A Week

Military Sexual Assaults Skyrocket As Hagel Announces New Plan of Attack -- US News and World Report

New report comes less than 24 hours after senior sexual assault prevention officer arrested for sexual assault

America's top defense official announced Tuesday a new plan to combat sexual assaults in the U.S. military, saying reports of improper sexual contact by troops have increased more than 35 percent in the last two years.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's press conference on the "FY2012 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military" came less than 24 hours after the Air Force's head of sexual assault prevention was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in a parking lot near the Pentagon.

Read more ....

More News On The Rise Of Sexual Assaults In The U.S. Military

New figures show sexual assault in the U.S. military is on the rise -- CBS
Military Sex Assaults Rising 35% Bring Calls to Revamp System -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Sexual Assault In Military Raise Alarm In Washington -- New York Times
500 Military Sexual Assault Cases A Week: Our View -- USA Today
Pentagon report shows big jump in sex crimes in military -- Reuters
Obama scolds military over sexual assaults -- The E-Ring/Foreign Policy
Obama: Sexual Assault in Military an Outrage -- Voice of America
Obama calls for military to do more to combat sexual assaults -- L.A. Times
Obama urges prosecution, courts-martial for sexual assaults in military -- Miami Herald
Obama warns on US military sexual assaults -- BBC
Obama to Military Sexual Assault Victims: ‘I’ve Got Your Backs’ -- US Department of Defense
The U.S. military's growing sexual assault problem -- The Week

US Air Force's Sexual Assault Prevention Chief Charged With Sexual Battery

Air Force Chief of Sexual-Assault Prevention Arrested on Sexual Battery Charges -- Danger Room

How serious is the Air Force’s sexual assault epidemic? Yesterday, police in northern Virginia arrested the Air Force’s chief of sexual-assault prevention — for sexual assault.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, Jeffrey Krusinski, 41, was “arrested and charged with sexual battery,” according to the Arlington, Virginia police department. According to the arrest report, Krusinski drunkenly “approached a female victim in a parking lot and grabbed her breasts and buttocks.”

Read more ....

More News On The USAF Sexual Assault Prevention Chief Charged With Sexual Battery

USAF sexual assault prevention chief charged with sexual battery -- Air Force Times
Hagel 'Outraged' Over AF Sexual Assault Arrest -- Military.com
Air Force sex assault prevention chief charged in sex assault -- Stars and Stripes
US Air Force officer in charge of rape prevention arrested -- AFP
Head of Air Force's anti-sexual assault unit arrested for sexual battery -- Reuters
Airman who led sex assault unit charged in groping -- AP
Air Force's Sexual Assault Prevention Officer Charged With Sexual Battery -- ABC News
Air Force's sex-abuse prevention honcho charged with sexual battery -- NBC
Air Force's sexual assault prevention chief arrested for sexual assault -- CBS

US Fighter Pilot's Overturned Sex Assault Conviction Continues To Spark Controversy

Photo: Lt. Col. James Wilkerson. US Air Force

Convicted Of Sex Assault - Then Cleared - Fighter Pilot Sparks Protest At Tucson Base -- NBC

The family of a woman who accused a U.S. fighter pilot of rape spoke at protest Thursday outside the Tucson Air Force base where that airman recently was transferred after his military conviction was erased, his prison sentence voided and his discharge overturned.

The brother of Kim Hanks said the family came to “voice outrage at the military’s betrayal of our sister” and he questioned why Air Force commanders chose to send Wilkerson to Tucson where much of Hanks’ family resides.

Kim Hanks reported that Lt. Col. James Wilkerson assaulted her in March 2012 at his former home on the Aviano Air Base In Italy.

Read more ....

More News On Protests Over Lt. Col. James Wilkerson's Overturned Sex Assault Conviction

Protesters rally against Air Force officer's transfer after sex assault conviction overturned -- FOX News/AP
The Sexual Assault Case That Has The Pentagon Scrambling Just Took A Surprising Twist -- Business Insider
Family upset over Air Force officer's transfer -- US News and World Report/AP
Woman who accused military officer of sexual assault stunned by reversal of his conviction -- FOX News/AP
Group seeks firing of 3-star who overturned sex assault conviction -- Military Times
McCaskill puts hold on Air Force officer’s promotion over overturned conviction -- Washington Post
A call to fire general in sexual-assault dismissal -- Politico

Should This Air Force Pilot's Sex Assault Conviction Been Overturned?

Lt. Col. James Wilkerson speaks as the then 20th Fighter Wing chief of safety at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Aug. 11, 2008. Henry Hoegen/U.S. Air Force

Air Force Pilot's Sex Assault Dismissal Sparks Cries For Reform -- Stars and Stripes

An Air Force general’s decision to overturn a jury’s guilty verdict and reinstate a fighter pilot convicted of sexual assault could prove to be a lightning rod in efforts to legislatively strip commanders of their long-held authority in sexual assault cases, victims’ advocates say.

Third Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin’s decision to reinstate Lt. Col. James Wilkerson was a stunning example of structural problems in an outdated military justice system rife with bias that discounts victims while emboldening offenders, advocates said.

“It’s really shocking,” Susan Burke, a lawyer who represents numerous military women in lawsuits against the Defense Department, said of the case.

Read more ....

My Comment: An all male jury convicted him .... but the commander overruled it anyway. If the jury was split .... I understand .... but this .... this I do not understand. Expect a lot of blow-back and calls for reform from this decision.

U.S. Air Force Appalled By The Number Of Sex Assaults In The Service

Air Force General Calls Widespread Sex Assaults Within Service Ranks A 'Cancer' -- Daily Mail

* There were nearly 800 reports of sexual assault cases, ranging from inappropriate touching to rape in 2012
* Dozens of female recruits at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio say they were sexually harassed by instructors

Likening sexual assault in the Air Force's ranks to a cancer, the service's top officer resolved Wednesday to tackle the problem by screening personnel more carefully and putting an end to bad behaviors like binge drinking that can lead to misconduct.

But Gen. Mark Welsh, the Air Force chief of staff, underscored the challenge by telling a House oversight committee that the service recorded a disturbing number of reports of sexual assault last year even as it worked to curb misconduct in the wake of a sex scandal at its training headquarters in Texas.

Dozens of young female recruits and airmen at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio were victimized by their instructors who sexually harassed, improperly touched or raped them.

Read more ....

More News On The U.S. Air Force's Report On Sexual Assaults For 2012

Air Force Officials Aim to Eliminate Sexual Assault -- US Department of Defense
Air Force Aims To Root Out Sexual Harassment -- Wall Street Journal
Air Force’s top officer tells lawmakers reports of sexual assaults within service grew in 2012 -- Washington Post/AP
Air Force general calls sex assault within service a cancer: 'I will never stop attacking this problem' -- New York Daily News/AP
Scope of U.S. Air Force sexual assault case "stunning:" general -- Reuters
Air Force officials testify about sexual assaults -- Washington Times
Air Force calls number of sex assaults 'appalling' -- FOX News/AP
Air Force Chief Calls Sex Misconduct a ‘Cancer’ -- ABC News
General admits failure in Lackland sex scandal; 32 alleged culprits -- L.A. Times
USAF chief, brass to review sex assaults -- UPI
Air Force appalled by the number of sex assaults -- RT
Air Force chief says sexual assaults are a 'cancer' to be stopped -- Government Executive
Air Force defends handling of sex scandal -- L.A. Times
How the Air Force is fighting sexual assault, post-Lackland scandal -- Anna Mulrine, Christian Science Monitor
Little has changed since Tailhook, based on Lackland scandal testimony -- Joyce Tsai,
Stars and Stripes

Pentagon's Policy On Women In Combat Proceeds Despite Reports That Show An Increase In Sexual Assaults Among The Troops

(U.S. Army photo)

Pentagon Undeterred By Sex Scandals; Policy On Women Proceeds -- Washington Times

The Pentagon is pushing ahead with its campaign to move women closer to the battlefield, despite a series of sex scandals involving senior officers and a report showing an increase in sexual assaults among the troops.

At the dawn of the all-volunteer military force in 1973, women accounted for less than 3 percent of active-duty and reserve members. Today, 310,000 women make up about 15 percent of the force. In and around the Afghanistan War are nearly 17,000 women in uniform.

With the influx has come increasingly close contact between men and women — and a sharp rise in sexual misconduct. Militarywide, sexual assaults are up 22 percent since 2007, according to a Pentagon report.

Read more ....

My Comment: With recent studies that are now showing that almost a quarter of U.S. female troops become victims of sex assaults in combat zones you would think that the Pentagon would maybe stop and reconsider .... but it appears that they are not. There are some who are hoping that the culture can change .... I wish them luck.