emma_goldman
21st August 2006, 21:54
http://www.washingtontimes.com
Military recruiters cited for sex abuse
Published August 20, 2006
ASSOCIATED PRESS
More than 100 young women who expressed interest in joining
the military in the past year were preyed upon sexually by
their recruiters. Women were raped on recruiting office
couches, assaulted in government cars and groped en route to
entrance exams, a six-month investigation by the Associated
Press found.
The investigation found that more than 80 military
recruiters were disciplined last year for sexual misconduct
with potential enlistees. The cases occurred across all
branches of the military and in all regions of the country.
"This should never be allowed to happen," one 18-year-old
victim said. "The recruiter had all the power. He had the
uniform. He had my future. I trusted him."
At least 35 Army recruiters, 18 Marine Corps recruiters, 18
Navy recruiters and 12 Air Force recruiters were disciplined
for sexual misconduct or other inappropriate behavior with
potential enlistees in 2005, according to records obtained
by the AP under dozens of Freedom of Information Act
requests. That's significantly more than the handful of
cases disclosed in the past decade.
The AP also found:
• The Army, which accounts for almost half of the military,
has had 722 recruiters accused of rape and sexual misconduct
since 1996.
• Across all services, one out of 200 frontline recruiters
-- the ones who deal directly with young people -- was
disciplined for sexual misconduct last year.
• Some cases of improper behavior involved romantic
relationships, and sometimes those relationships were
initiated by the women.
• Most recruiters found guilty of sexual misconduct are
disciplined administratively, facing a reduction in rank or
forfeiture of pay; military and civilian criminal
prosecutions are rare.
The Pentagon has committed more than $1.5 billion to
recruiting efforts this year. Defense Department spokeswoman
Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke said that each of the services takes
the issue of sexual misconduct by recruiters "very seriously
and has processes in place to identify and deal with those
members who act inappropriately."
The sexual misconduct almost always takes place in
recruiting stations, recruiters' apartments or government
vehicles, the AP found. The victims are typically between 16
and 18 years old, and they usually are thinking about
enlisting. They usually meet the recruiters at their high
schools, but sometimes at malls or recruiting offices.
"We had been drinking, yes. And we went to the recruiting
station at about midnight," one young woman's story begins.
The 18-year-old from Ukiah, Calif., hides her face in her
hands as she describes the night when Marine Corps recruiter
then-Sgt. Brian Fukushima climbed into her sleeping bag on
the floor of the station. Two other recruiters were having
sex with two of her friends in the same room.
"I don't like to talk about it. I don't like to think about
it," she says.
Fukushima was convicted of misconduct in a military court
after other young women reported similar assaults. He left
the service with a less-than-honorable discharge last fall.
His military attorney, Capt. James Weirick, said Fukushima
is "sorry that he let his family down and the Marine Corps
down."
"It was a lapse in judgment," Capt. Weirick said.
All of the recruiters the AP spoke with said they were
routinely alone in their offices and cars with young women.
They also all agreed that the lines were clear: Recruiters
do not sleep with enlistees.
"Any recruiter that would try to claim that, 'Oh, it's
consensual,' they are lying, they are lying through their
teeth," former Marine Corps recruiter Ethan Walker said.
"The recruiter has all the power in these situations."
Military recruiters cited for sex abuse
Published August 20, 2006
ASSOCIATED PRESS
More than 100 young women who expressed interest in joining
the military in the past year were preyed upon sexually by
their recruiters. Women were raped on recruiting office
couches, assaulted in government cars and groped en route to
entrance exams, a six-month investigation by the Associated
Press found.
The investigation found that more than 80 military
recruiters were disciplined last year for sexual misconduct
with potential enlistees. The cases occurred across all
branches of the military and in all regions of the country.
"This should never be allowed to happen," one 18-year-old
victim said. "The recruiter had all the power. He had the
uniform. He had my future. I trusted him."
At least 35 Army recruiters, 18 Marine Corps recruiters, 18
Navy recruiters and 12 Air Force recruiters were disciplined
for sexual misconduct or other inappropriate behavior with
potential enlistees in 2005, according to records obtained
by the AP under dozens of Freedom of Information Act
requests. That's significantly more than the handful of
cases disclosed in the past decade.
The AP also found:
• The Army, which accounts for almost half of the military,
has had 722 recruiters accused of rape and sexual misconduct
since 1996.
• Across all services, one out of 200 frontline recruiters
-- the ones who deal directly with young people -- was
disciplined for sexual misconduct last year.
• Some cases of improper behavior involved romantic
relationships, and sometimes those relationships were
initiated by the women.
• Most recruiters found guilty of sexual misconduct are
disciplined administratively, facing a reduction in rank or
forfeiture of pay; military and civilian criminal
prosecutions are rare.
The Pentagon has committed more than $1.5 billion to
recruiting efforts this year. Defense Department spokeswoman
Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke said that each of the services takes
the issue of sexual misconduct by recruiters "very seriously
and has processes in place to identify and deal with those
members who act inappropriately."
The sexual misconduct almost always takes place in
recruiting stations, recruiters' apartments or government
vehicles, the AP found. The victims are typically between 16
and 18 years old, and they usually are thinking about
enlisting. They usually meet the recruiters at their high
schools, but sometimes at malls or recruiting offices.
"We had been drinking, yes. And we went to the recruiting
station at about midnight," one young woman's story begins.
The 18-year-old from Ukiah, Calif., hides her face in her
hands as she describes the night when Marine Corps recruiter
then-Sgt. Brian Fukushima climbed into her sleeping bag on
the floor of the station. Two other recruiters were having
sex with two of her friends in the same room.
"I don't like to talk about it. I don't like to think about
it," she says.
Fukushima was convicted of misconduct in a military court
after other young women reported similar assaults. He left
the service with a less-than-honorable discharge last fall.
His military attorney, Capt. James Weirick, said Fukushima
is "sorry that he let his family down and the Marine Corps
down."
"It was a lapse in judgment," Capt. Weirick said.
All of the recruiters the AP spoke with said they were
routinely alone in their offices and cars with young women.
They also all agreed that the lines were clear: Recruiters
do not sleep with enlistees.
"Any recruiter that would try to claim that, 'Oh, it's
consensual,' they are lying, they are lying through their
teeth," former Marine Corps recruiter Ethan Walker said.
"The recruiter has all the power in these situations."