Leaders outline academy overhaul

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Rick Burnham
  • Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON --  Four U.S. Air Force Academy leaders will be replaced as part of sweeping changes designed to ensure a safe and secure environment for the school's cadets, officials announced at a Pentagon press briefing March 26.

The changes were announced by Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper. They come in the wake of recent allegations by dozens of former female cadets who said they were sexually assaulted while attending the academy, and follow the completion of a review of academy policies and procedures by the Air Force General Counsel.

Maj. Gen. John W. Rosa Jr., deputy director of current operations on the Joint Staff, has been recommended to the secretary of defense to replace Lt. Gen. John Dallager as academy superintendent. Dallager is set to retire this summer.

Brig. Gen. Johnny A. Weida, commander of Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., will succeed Brig. Gen. Taco Gilbert III as 34th Training Wing commander and commandant of cadets. Gilbert will be reassigned to the Pentagon, where he will serve as special assistant to the deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for international affairs.

Col. Debra Gray, currently assigned to the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, will become the vice commandant of cadets, replacing Col. Robert D. Eskridge, who will be reassigned. The vice commandant is tasked with overseeing academy sexual climate issues.

Col. Clada A. Monteith, deputy director of security forces at U.S. Air Forces in Europe, will become commander of the 34th Training Group, replacing Col. Laurie S. Slavec, who will also be reassigned.

Despite the changes in academy leadership, both Roche and Jumper were quick to point out that they do not hold current leadership responsible.

"As the problems regarding sexual assault allegations predate the current leadership, we do not hold Generals Dallager or Gilbert responsible," Roche said. "Still, change must occur, and a new leadership team to implement these changes is in the best interest of the academy and the Air Force."

The new leaders will be responsible for instituting a wide variety of changes directly related to cadet life, including:

-- Extending amnesty from academy discipline in all reported cases of sexual assault to all cadets involved, with the exception of the alleged assailant, anyone involved in covering up the incident or hindering the reporting or investigation, and the senior ranking cadet in attendance.

-- Implementing an "Academy Response Team," composed of medical, legal, counseling and command specialists who will provide victims of sexual assault with immediate assistance.

-- Creating a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, dormitory security and monitoring system, as well as a dormitory duty officer responsible for good order and discipline.

-- Establishing separate billeting arrangements for female and male cadets upon entering the academy for basic cadet training -- a five-week military orientation each cadet must attend the summer before they begin classes.

-- Prohibiting any cadet from entering the room of another of the opposite sex without knocking on the door and announcing him or herself first, and keeping dormitory room doors "fully open" at all times when non-roommates are inside.

-- Providing substantial material on sexual assault prevention to all students in basic cadet training beginning this summer.

-- Disenrolling any cadet found providing, purchasing for, or selling alcohol to an underage cadet.

All of the directives can be read online at http://www.af.mil/news/change_agenda.pdf. Jumper said he is confident that the changes -- in both personnel and procedures -- will quickly reinforce the appropriate climate at the Air Force Academy to produce top-quality military officers.

"Our vision for the academy is to make it the best and most respected military training and educational institution in the world -- one that produces America's finest military officers, and a place where moms and dads are proud to send their children," Jumper said. "General Rosa, General-select Weida, and Colonels Gray and Monteith have the background, experience, and leadership skills to see this vision through."