Who watches the watchmen, asks the satirist Juvenal. In respect of which comes today's lovely little fable:
The United States Air Force has an unfortunate track record with scandalous sexual behavior. A 2003 investigation at the Air Force academy, 70% of the women who had graduated the previous year reported that they had been subjected to sexual harassment, and 12% reported that they had been victims of rape or attempted rape. Recently, two generals (including a female ex-astronaut) have made the controversial decision to reverse judgments against officers convicted by a military court of misconduct. More recently still, a series of 18 military trials connected to Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland has revealed a vast network of sexual abuse, including rape, and resulted in the conviction of a dozen instructors and the high-profile discipline of 5 commanding officers.
Fortunately, they have put somebody in charge of policing this sort of misconduct: Lt. Col. Jeff Krusinski, chief of the Sexual Assualt Prevention and Response Program. The program's website includes stern messages from the brass, talking about respect, core values, personal responsibility and moral courage. Secretary Donley says, "Sexual assault is a crime and is categorically unacceptable." General Welsh reminds his people that "You know what right looks like," and adds that, the way he sees it, "You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem."
The Pentagon estimates that sexual misconduct in the military is on the rise -- up 35% since 2010,
Early last Sunday morning, Col. Kusinski was arrested for sexual battery.
It seems that, in a Virginia parking lot, he drunkenly fondled a stranger's breasts and buttocks. In addition to committing a crime, abdicating personal responsibility, and violating his force's core values, he let women in the Air Force know just what sort of respect and moral courage they could expect from his program.
The Air Force says that Kusisnski has been relieved of duty. The police are unable to say how he got the cuts (or are they scratches?) that appear on his face in the booking photos.
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