(17 May 2013) HEADLINE: Top Gen.: "Too forgiving" of sex assaults by vets
CAPTION: Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey says the military runs the risk of being "too forgiving" of decorated veterans accused in sex assault and other misconduct cases. He says it is a potential side effect after more than 10 years of war. (May 17)
THE PENTAGON- 17 May 2013
POOL
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Gen. Martin Dempsey, Joint Chiefs Chairman:
"And you asked, do I think that there's an effect of 10 years of war? Yeah, instinctively, I do. And we've been looking at what that might be. And, you know, you might -- you might argue that we've become a little too forgiving because, you know, if a perpetrator shows up at a court martial with a rack of ribbons and has four deployments and a Purple Heart, you know, there is certainly the risk that we might -- we might be a little too forgiving of that particular crime."
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Gen. Martin Dempsey, Joint Chiefs Chairman:
"What I am suggesting is that, after 10 years of war, there is the potential that we should examine whether -- whether we've become a little bit too forgiving, not just of sexual harassment, sexual assault, but of other forms of misconduct, as well. So if you're -- what you're hearing me expressing is that -- is the commitment to try to gain a deeper understanding of what we're dealing with and -- and an instinct that suggests that 10 years of war might be a factor."
STORYLINE:
WASHINGTON (AP) _ Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Friday ordered the military to recertify every person involved in programs designed to prevent and respond to sexual assault, an acknowledgement that assaults have escalated beyond the Pentagon's control.
He said this step is one among many that will be taken to fix the problem of sexual abuse and sexual harassment within every branch of the military.
At a news conference with Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hagel said he believes alcohol use is "a very big factor" in many sexual assault and sexual harassment cases, but there are many pieces to the problem.
Hagel said it has become clear to him since taking office in February that holding people accountable for their actions is important, but simply firing people is not a solution.
"Who are you going to fire?" he asked.
A catalyst for congressional outrage has been the disclosure in recent days of at least two cases in which a military member with responsibility for sexual assault prevention programs has himself been accused of sexual misconduct.
Earlier Friday, the Air Force's top general said that sexual assaults in his branch of the military typically involve alcohol use and can be traced to a lack of respect for women.
"We have a problem with respect for women that leads to many of the situations that result in sexual assault in our Air Force," Gen. Mark Welsh told reporters in a lengthy interview in his Pentagon offices.
He spoke one day after he and other military leaders were summoned to the White House to discuss the sexual assault problem with President Barack Obama, who has expressed impatience with the Pentagon's failure to solve it.
Welsh said combatting the problem, which he characterized as a crisis, is his No. 1 priority as the Air Force chief of staff. He said he reviews every reported case of sexual assault; last year there were 792 in the Air Force.
Obama said after Thursday's meeting with the military leaders that he is determined to eliminate the "scourge" of sexual assault in the military, while cautioning that it will take a long and sustained effort by all military members.
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