The Army Reprimands Several Soldiers In The Sexual Assault Investigation
Army officials said on Tuesday that a top general has lost her command and numerous soldiers have been rebuked following a months-long investigation into allegations that an Illinois-based Army Reserve unit had mishandled sexual assault complaints for years.
In January 2020, the Army had launched a review of the 416th Theater Engineer Command at the request of the Illinois Sens, Tammy Duckworth, and Dick Durbin. The senator’s request was followed by an Associated Press story about the allegations of improper internal investigations into the sexual assault complaints within the unit and revenge against a whistleblower.
On Tuesday, the army officials had released the findings from the investigation and the probe concluded that the multiple leaders in the 416th lacked the basic knowledge of how to handle the sexual assaults and the harassment, and had reportedly failed to properly staff the offices designed to support the victims.
Miyako Schanely, the 416th’s commanding general has been suspended last summer as a part of the probe. The Pentagon officials said that she has relinquished her command.
The investigation found that Schanely had failed to publish an updated sexual assault policy for the 416th for over two years and didn’t convene a sexual assault review board for fifteen months even though the Department of Defense had required such meetings to be held monthly. She had left a sexual assault response coordinator position vacant for over nine months and had also failed to survey the unit’s command climate.
So far, twelve soldiers have been rebuked or have been given counseling statements. Three civilian employees have faced administrative actions as well.
The Army officials didn’t identify them or elaborate on their violations, citing privacy concerns, and the names were largely censored from the investigatory findings.
Retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant colonel, Rachel VanLandingham who teaches at the national security law at Southwestern Law School in LA said that the generals could decide to remove a reprimand from the soldier’s file if their behaviors improved. It can also be used to justify the tougher punishment if the problems continue.
Furthermore, they could place the reprimand in the soldier’s permanent human resources file which could hurt an officer’s chances at further promotion, she added.
The problems came to light in January 2020 when Amy Braley Franck, a civilian sexual assault victim advocate with the 416th had told the AP that the commanders had launched internal investigations into at least two sexual assault cases, one in 2018 and the other in 2019.
Braley Franck had also alleged that the 416th went months without even holding a sexual assault management meeting and the unit commanders had placed a woman on the firing range with someone, whom she had accused of sexually harassing her. This caused her to fear for her life.
She has stated that the claims are true. Durbin and Duckworth have stated that they shall continue to support the programs that improve the military justice system and the service members cannot be silenced for seeking justice.
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