AF holds sexual assault offenders accountable, convictions now online

  • Published
  • By Col. Chad Franks
  • 23d Wing
I want you to be aware that the Air Force now publishes sexual assault convictions online. Anyone can review more than 100 sexual assault convictions from across the Air Force, to include viewing them by base.

After a few minutes of reviewing the facts of these cases, you may soon see that many cases are very similar: They involve the use of alcohol, the absence of personal respect for the victim and a lack of consent.

You will also see that Airmen convicted of sexual assault can be held accountable by military judges and court-martial panels with punishments that often include jail time, rank reductions and punitive discharges.

Sexual assault is not just an Air Force problem: it's a problem at Moody. Over the last year, we've had more than a dozen incidents where there was at least an allegation of inappropriate sexual conduct and alcohol was involved. These incidents are unacceptable and avoidable. I need you to be smart on this issue and engaged with your fellow Airmen. As wingmen, you have the ability and responsibility to prevent one of your friends from becoming a sexual assault victim or perpetrator.

A number of the cases at Moody, and those you can review online, involved Airmen assaulting fellow Airmen. Many of these victims were co-workers and former friends: people who trusted their assailant. The offenders violated that trust and were punished accordingly. However, criminal sentences are not the only consequence of sexual assault. Even an allegation of sexual misconduct can devastate your personal and professional life.

Effective two months ago, Airmen who commit a sexual assault will have administrative discharge proceedings initiated against them and may be retained only if they meet all the retention criteria in a cumulative, multi-part test. For Airmen at Moody, only the 9th Air Force commander can waive this requirement and take final action, and only after concluding that the Airman meets the criteria of the multi-part retention test.

Additionally, as required by many state laws, convicted Airmen must also register in their jurisdiction's sexual assault registry. These sex-offender lists include the names and addresses of convicted sex offenders, and are publicly available online.

I encourage all of you to visit the website below and review the facts of the cases that resulted in Airmen being convicted of sexual offenses. Talk to your fellow Airmen about what you read and the consequences of committing these crimes. You can create a culture of respect by being a wingman and intervening when you see a situation that isn't right: just a few words could forever change the lives of the Airmen around you for the better.

Visit the website here: http://www.afjag.af.mil/sexualassaultprosecution/index.asp.