Assault study advises
educationA military team finds a need for
more training in the wake of rapes
involving isle troops
The head of an inquiry team charged with identifying factors that allowed for at least 11 rapes involving Hawaii-based Air Force personnel during a three-year period says service members need more sex assault education.
The team is one of four assembled in the wake of a study released earlier this month that found at least 92 Air Force personnel stationed in the Pacific had been accused of rape between 2001 and 2003. Eleven of the 92 cases were reported at Hickam Air Force Base.
Col. Laura Battle, chief of civil law at the Air Force's Hawaii-based headquarters, said she spoke to Hickam's squadron leaders, first sergeants and others in leadership positions yesterday to identify perceptions and policies on sex assault.
"Our team is reviewing the effectiveness of existing plans, programs, policies and procedures," Battle said in a press conference yesterday. "We identified a need to do more training and education."
The sex assault study, prompted by the Air Force, comes as the military is also dealing with widespread reports of sexual misconduct by troops attached to the Middle East's Central Command, which includes Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan.
No rape victims were interviewed as part of Battle's base assessment, but those who provide medical and judicial services to victims of sex assault were included.
Battle said her group's report, which will include a series of recommendations, is set to be sent to Air Force headquarters Tuesday.
One of the questions asked of Air Force leaders -- which received "mixed responses" -- was whether alcohol should be banned from service members' dormitories, Battle said.
According to the Air Force study, alcohol was a factor in 60 percent of documented rape cases.
After the report was released, Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. William Begert suggested instituting a "dry dorm policy" at bases across the Pacific. However, he left the decision up to each installation's head.
Besides Hickam, assessment teams were sent to the Air Force's eight other major Pacific bases, three of which are in Japan, two in Korea, two in Alaska and one in Guam.
The Air Force is expected to act on the input submitted by the four teams. But, Battle said, headquarters is not working on a specific time line.
"I think what we're going through here is some self-searching," she said. "It takes a lot of courage, and I think that the fact that the Air Force is willing to engage in self-searching ... is something that we should be proud of."