Soldiers at Fort Sill in Oklahoma have been suspended from their duties as Army investigators conduct an inquiry right into a sexual assault allegation, army officers mentioned.
A feminine soldier who was a trainee “reported that she was the victim of sexual assault involving Fort Sill cadre members,” Maj. Gen. Ken Kamper, commanding normal of the bottom, said in a statement on Thursday.
A proper grievance was made on March 27, however it’s unclear when the assault came about or what number of troopers have been concerned.
The allegations have been “immediately reported to law enforcement,” and particular brokers from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command have opened an investigation, General Kamper mentioned.
The troopers mentioned to have been concerned have been “suspended from their normal duties, removed from any trainee environment and are all presumed innocent pending a full and thorough investigation,” he mentioned.
The investigation was previously reported by The Lawton Constitution. Fort Sill, about 90 miles southwest of Oklahoma City, is a outstanding coaching middle for artillery troopers. About 53,000 people live on the base, together with 20,000 army and civilian personnel.
General Kamper mentioned that the soldier who introduced ahead the grievance was shortly related with victims providers.
“We’re proud of the courage she displayed in coming forward with these allegations,” he mentioned.
Sexual assault within the army was highlighted as a widespread situation after the horrific killing of Specialist Vanessa Guillen, whose remains were discovered about 25 miles from Fort Hood in central Texas. Officials mentioned she was killed by a fellow soldier who dismembered and burned her physique. Specialist Guillen’s household mentioned she had informed them she was being sexual harassed, however by no means made a report.
An investigation into the tradition of Fort Hood revealed a local weather wherein girls have been “vulnerable and preyed upon, but fearful to report and be ostracized and re-victimized,” in keeping with the report released in December.
A Defense Department report released in 2019 that surveyed women and men throughout the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines estimated that there had been 20,500 cases of “unwanted sexual contact” within the earlier fiscal yr.
The Defense Department found that there have been 7,825 sexual assault experiences involving service members as victims in 2019 — a three p.c improve from 2018 — and that sexual harassment experiences rose 10 p.c over the identical interval.
From 2018 to 2019, the conviction fee for circumstances was unchanged, the report mentioned: 7 p.c of circumstances that the command took motion on resulted in convictions, the bottom charges because the division started reporting in 2010.
When requested by a reporter whether or not this was an remoted incident on the bottom, General Kamper declined to immediately reply, The Lawton Constitution reported.
“Unfortunately, sexual assault is a national problem,” the overall mentioned. “When we look at the Department of Defense, our new secretary’s words about the sexual assault and when we look at our Army’s commitment over time to root out sexual assault, it hurts our soldiers and families. It’s terrible for unit cohesion and is detrimental to our mission.”
