Hagel orders retraining of recruiters, sexual assault responders

News > Hagel orders retraining of recruiters, sexual assault responders

Hagel orders retraining of recruiters, sexual assault responders

Posted 5/15/2013

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5/15/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Amid a spate of allegations of criminal behavior by military recruiters and service members involved in the Defense Department's efforts to prevent sexual assaults and help that crime's victims, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered the services to retrain, re-credential and rescreen all sexual assault prevention and response personnel and military recruiters.

In a statement, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Hagel was informed yesterday about allegations of criminal behavior against an Army sergeant first class who was a sexual assault prevention and response coordinator at Fort Hood, Texas.

"I cannot convey strongly enough his frustration, anger and disappointment over these troubling allegations and the breakdown in discipline and standards they imply," Little said.

Hagel met with Army Secretary John M. McHugh and directed him to fully investigate the matter rapidly, to discover the extent of the allegations, and to ensure that all of those who might be involved are dealt with appropriately, the press secretary added.

Little said Hagel directed the retraining, re-credentialing and rescreening to address the broader concerns that have arisen out of these allegations and other recent events.

"Sexual assault is a crime, and will be treated as such," the press secretary said. "The safety, integrity, and well-being of every service member and the success of our mission hang in the balance. Secretary Hagel is looking urgently at every course of action to stamp out this deplorable conduct and ensure that those individuals up and down the chain of command who tolerate or engage in this behavior are appropriately held accountable."

Army officials announced yesterday that the Army Criminal Investigation Command is investigating the Fort Hood soldier for pandering, abusive sexual contact, assault and maltreatment of subordinates.

In a statement, Defense Department officials said the soldier had been assigned as an equal opportunity advisor and sexual harassment and sexual assault response and prevention program coordinator with a 3rd Corps battalion at Fort Hood when the allegations surfaced. The soldier was immediately suspended from all duties by the chain of command once the allegations were brought to the command's attention, officials said, adding that charges had so far not been filed or preferred.

(Courtesy of American Forces Press Service)

Comments

5/22/2013 11:41:05 AM ET
It is DADT DO ASK DO TELL nowand these are just one of its side-effects. But our country is losing morals too so whether or not you believe in the higher power. You can't deny our country of the U.S. is decreasing in moral conduct.

Wolf-1, Earth

5/17/2013 4:23:03 PM ET
Editor's note: This comment was rejected due to incompliance with our comment rules. Please review the comment rules, which can be found just above the comment submission form.

Freethinker, Nevada

5/17/2013 3:12:11 PM ET
Editor's note: This comment was rejected due to incompliance with our comment rules. Please review the comment rules, which can be found just above the comment submission form."

Freethinker, Nevada

5/17/2013 1:03:09 PM ET
You would think people adding a comment where never in the military. This has nothing to do with actually stopping sexual assualt. It is all about showing the ones above you in this case the President and Congress you are doing something. It doesn't matter if it works or not. What matters is keeping your job. This type of decision making takes place thousands of times a day at all levels of the military.

JD, Tinker AFB

5/17/2013 11:31:51 AM ET
Id like to echo that we need more accountability and less training. God has nothing to do with it. Whether you believe religious nonsense or not we all have free will. There are just as many religoius offenders as there are non religious ones so saying that subscribing to religion is a predictor of good behavior is ridiculous. Please reference the countless religious scandals throughout human history.

Maj W, Edwards

5/17/2013 10:02:06 AM ET
While retraining re-credentialing and rescreening may help what Mr. Hagel needs to do is enforce the zero-tolerance policy. If you are convicted you go straight to jail. You do not pass go. You do not collect any retirement benefits. A 19 year TSgt recruiter was found guilty of inappropriate sexual contact with recruits before they went to BMT. His punishment 6 months confinement and reduction in rank to SrA. I was absolutely floored when I heard his sentence. Of course the wife of the TSgt took the stand to plead what would she do if his retirement were to be taken away. Why didnt the TSgt think of that while he was breaking the rules The TSgt plead that he had PTSD which I do feel bad for but who allowed someone who has PTSD to be a recruiter So go ahead and retrain re-credential and rescreen what we need to do is take a serious zero tolerance stance against this.

Training, Really

5/17/2013 8:56:58 AM ET
Is sexual assault something new in an organization as large as the DoD Really Or is this getting more press now at a time when the DoD is fighting for funding and therefore more people are coming forward with accusations. When you put young men and women together in non-traditional roles and environments things are going to happen. I dont condone bad behavior but keeping things in perspective helps to understand where the problem is.

Really, Somewhere

5/16/2013 7:20:44 PM ET
@Dane why does someone have to have a rough childhood for them not to believe I was raised with high morals but not on the basis of ANY religion. It's just human decency that prevails not the all-mighty fear of a deity. There are many people who believe in God and still commit these crimes including those who are preachers pastors priests...etc. Lessons need to be taught with punishment in reality not the hope that it will get dealt with in another life. People can always ask for forgiveness anyway right

Dred, Germany

5/16/2013 4:19:48 PM ET
As an active duty first sergeant for nine years I saw accusations and command responses to assaults in several different ways. There were times sexual assaults happened and they were reluctant to come forward. This was sad. It was disheartnening to know our wingmen were suffering in silence.Unfortunately there were instances where someone came forward but there was not enough evidence to hammer the alleged offender. We believed the accuser. If we could have prosecuted them we would have. Unfortunately the majority of the instances where someone came forward there was enough evidence to show they were lying about it. The sad truth was the majority of the parties involved were intoxicated and did things they normally wouldn't do. After getting caught by someone and realizing word was going to get back to their respective spouses then the assaults took place. We have to look out for each other. Leadership has to take responsibility for this but each individ

Retired First SergeantChief, Nebraska

5/16/2013 3:33:30 PM ET
No amount of training is going to prevent someone from making the decision to commit crime. It's all about accountability. I think the time and manpower being expended would be much more useful in figuring out this budget mess but what do I know.

SJ, Florida

5/16/2013 2:15:41 PM ET
Yeah keep trying shove your god down everyones throats. Because we all know there is no hypocrisy in the church.

Rob, Ohio

5/16/2013 1:28:15 PM ET
This is a great idea More training just like we do when the DUI counts go up. More training has always solved the problem that is why no one gets arrested for DUIs anymore. Insert Sarcasm here.

Time to Actully Punish Offenders, Ohio

5/16/2013 12:48:15 PM ET
@PB actually that does make people have morals. Must be lacking for you personally. Did you have a rough childhood

Dane, US

5/16/2013 12:09:41 PM ET
@Realistic you are exactly right. The funny thing about the military or any other secular organization is that they try to deal with the issue of sin and wrong doing by developing more senseless training programs. God's retraining programs are much more effective with these types of matters if you know what I mean.

Guy, Life

5/16/2013 11:38:22 AM ET
It's clear there is a problem that can only be solved with a stand down day consisting of 4 hour briefings and CBTs. Forget accountability.

SW, OK

5/16/2013 11:35:06 AM ET
I am ordering retraining is military-speak for I am C my A.

Don, USA

5/16/2013 11:33:15 AM ET
If you need the fear of an all-powerful deity to keep you in line that does not make you a moral person. Meanwhile plenty of folks who do not subscribe to the idea of an all-powerful deity who can't seem to mind his own business do just fine.

PB, US

5/16/2013 10:40:38 AM ET
Maybe instead of re-training the 99 percent of us that follow the law of the land we start convicting jailing and discharging the 1 percent of violators and make examples out of them. I am sick of having to deal with all this training and knee jerk reaction from leadership after something happens. Get rid of the garbage that should send a message out to the others even thinking of doing something this stupid.

DP, USAF

5/16/2013 10:38:55 AM ET
God has nothing to do with this it's the fact that people are punished or hel accountable for their actions. That or we need the Flying Spaghetti Monster in our lives.

Brett, Lackland

5/16/2013 8:44:43 AM ET
@Realistic...Spot on Could not have said it better.

Tired of Mediocrity, VA

5/16/2013 1:52:20 AM ET
You cannot TRAIN sexual assault out of the military or any other subset of society for that matter. Better trained response coordinators only help after the fact which certainly should be done but it does nothing for prevention. The prevalence of sexual assault is a direct representation of societal morals or lack thereof. Dare I say it The more society pushes God and faith out of every aspect of life the more pervasive problems like sexual assault will become.

Realistic, Remote

5/15/2013 4:22:17 PM ET
Yep that will fix it

Tim, CAFB

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