Army disqualifies 588 soldiers after sexual assault review

• They are banned from so-called %22positions of trust%22 -- recruiters%2C sexual assault counselors and drill sergeants
• More than 20%2C000 soldiers in these positions were reviewed over the last eight months
• The Army reported it dismissed 55 soldiers from similar positions last summer

WASHINGTON — The Army has disqualified 588 soldiers as sexual assault counselors, recruiters and drill sergeants for infractions ranging from sexual assault to child abuse to drunken driving, USA TODAY has learned.

The number of disqualified soldiers from what are called "positions of trust" is 10 times higher than the initial number the Army reported last summer after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered that troops in sensitive positions be screened for previous criminal or unethical behavior. The Army suspended 55 soldiers last summer after an initial review. Then investigators combed through more records of 20,000 others and disqualified 588 soldiers in total.

Hagel called for the review in May after a Pentagon study found troops reported that incidents of unwanted sexual contact had risen 35% from 2010 to 2012. Hagel has "been exceedingly clear about the need to continue stamping out sexual assault from our ranks," said his spokesman, Rear Adm. John Kirby.

"He was happy to learn that the Army widened the scope of their review and he is grateful for the work they have done to get a better grip on a very difficult issue and hold people accountable," Kirby said.

The Army is moving to get rid of 79 of the soldiers, said Col. Tom Collins, an Army spokesman. Others could face further action from their commanders, he said.

"We will continue working to better ensure we select the very best people for these posts, and that the chain of command knows what is expected of them, and how important this work is to the Army," Army Col. David Patterson, a spokesman, said in a statement.

Top brass have branded sexual assault in the military a crisis and vowed in testimony on Capitol Hill to eliminate it. Democratic Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Claire McCaskill of Missouri, both members of the Armed Services Committee, have rolled out competing proposals to bolster prosecution of sexual assault cases and to aid victims.

Gillibrand's measure would strip authority from commanders to decide the cases that get prosecuted, and put the decision in the hands of career military prosecutors. McCaskill's approach retains the commander's input, but prevents them from overturning convictions.

The number of soldiers disqualified, Gillibrand said, indicates the need for radical reform of the military's approach to sexual assault prosecution.

"These continued reports paint a very clear picture of why nine out of 10 sexual assault victims don't report their attack and why the military needs a reformed, independent and transparent system of justice," Gillibrand said.

McCaskill said she was encouraged that her push for a comprehensive review of soldiers involved in sexual assault and prevention had weeded out bad characters.

"The Army's review of soldiers responsible for combating sexual assault was an important step in our effort to curb sexual assaults in the military," McCaskill said.

The other services reported few, if any, problems after completing their reviews last summer. The Navy dropped three of 5,125 recruiters it had reviewed, and two of 4,739 counselors. None of its 869 recruit instructors was disqualified. The Air Force and Marine Corps reported that none of their servicemembers had been disqualified.

Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif. and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, has been a persistent critic of the military's response to the crisis and also has pushed for changes. She praised the Pentagon for addressing the issue, but questioned why the other services reported few if any problem troops.

"The numbers are staggering," Speier said. "I also want to applaud the leadership in the Department of Defense for scrubbing what has been a cancerous culture."

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