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Sexual harassment persists at military academies, panel says

WASHINGTON - Hostile attitudes and inappropriate treatment of women persist at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and at the Naval Academy, a Pentagon task force says.

The panel called for better training of future officers at the academies, saying the value of women in the military should be better emphasized. It said present training regarding sexual harassment and assault issues is inadequate, resulting in misunderstandings by cadets and midshipmen about how to obtain medical care, counseling and legal assistance.

"The sexual harassment and assault training programs at both academies are not effective in conveying key concepts," the task force said in its report. The study's authors included several military officers and experts on sexual harassment issues.

The "Report of the Defense Task Force on Sexual Harassment and Violence and the Military Service Academies" is the latest to deal with sexual issues and cultural attitudes at those academies after a scandal at the Air Force Academy surfaced in January 2003.

Other studies have focused on the Air Force Academy, and its leadership has been replaced. But Congress also requested a look at the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md.

The study called for putting more women in leadership roles at the two academies and said more women should be admitted as cadets and midshipmen.

At each academy 15 percent to 17 percent of the students are women.

Delilah Rumburg, executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape and a co-chairwoman of the task force, blamed many of the problems on a sexually permissive civilian culture. Vice Adm. Gerald Hoewing, chief of naval personnel, said cadets and midshipmen have a hard time when those values run up against military culture.

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - As Air Force cadets return to classes this month, they are seeing a new system for handling rape allegations - reforms put in place throughout the military in response to the sex scandal that rocked this prestigious school more than two years ago.

The Defense Department is adding sexual assault response coordinators at every major base around the world.

In another groundbreaking move, all 1.5-million active duty military personnel will have the option of reporting a sexual assault and having their identity shielded from commanders. Base commanders will be told there has been an incident but given no information about the alleged victim.

Observers call the changes - part of a series of reforms since the academy scandal - a milestone for the military.

"I liken it in importance to the establishment of equal opportunity offices on bases," said Terri Spahr Nelson, an Army veteran and therapist who has written about assault in the military.

[Last modified August 26, 2005, 01:37:18]