108-1 Hearing: The Final Report [H.A.S.C. No. 108-16] Y 4.AR 5/2 A: 2003-2004/16 THE FINAL REPORT OF THE PANEL TO REVIEW SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGA- TIONS AT THE U.S. AIR FORCE ACAD- EMY HEARING BEFORE THE TOTAL FORCE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION HEARING HELD SEPTEMBER 24, 2003 SUPERINTfNBlNT OF DOCUMENTS DEPOSITORY IVIAR 1 9 2004 BOSTON PUBLIC LIB GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS DE U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 2004 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (8661 512-1800; DC area (202l 512-1800 Fax: (202) 512-2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-0001 108-1 Hearing: The Final Report [H.A.S.C. No. 108-16] Y 4.AR 5/2 A: 2003-2004/16 THE FINAL REPORT OF THE PANEL TO REVIEW SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGA- TIONS AT THE U.S. AIR FORCE ACAD- EMY HEARING BEFORE THE TOTAL FORCE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION HEARING HELD SEPTEMBER 24, 2003 SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS DEPOSITORY MAR 1 9 2004 BOSTON PUBLIC LIB GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS DE U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 2004 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; DC area (202) 512-1800 Fax: (202) 512-2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-0001 TOTAL FORCE SUBCOMMITTEE JOHN M. McHUGH, New York, Chairman TOM COLE, Oklahoma VIC SNYDER, Arkansas CANDICE S. MILLER, Michigan MARTY MEEHAN, Massachusetts PHIL GINGREY, Georgia LORETTA SANCHEZ, Cahfornia JIM SAXTON, New Jersey ELLEN O, TAUSCHER, Cahfornia JIM RYUN, Kansas JIM COOPER, Tennessee ED SCHROCK, Virginia MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO, Guam ROBIN HAYES, North Carohna Lynn Henselman, Professional Staff Member Mary Petrella, Research Assistant Elizabeth McAlpine, Staff Assistant (II) CONTENTS CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF HEARINGS 2003 Page Hearings: Wednesday, September 24, 2003, The Final Report of the Panel to Review Sexual Misconduct Allegations at the U.S. Air Force Academy 1 Appendix: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 51 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2003 THE FINAL REPORT OF THE PANEL TO REVIEW SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AT THE U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS McHugh, Hon. John M., a Representative from New York, Chairman, Total Force Subcommittee 1 Snyder, Hon. Vic, a Representative from Arkansas, Ranking Member, Total Force Subcommittee 3 WITNESSES Fowler, Hon. Tillie K., Chairwoman, Panel to Review Sexual Misconduct Allegations at the U.S. Air Force Academy; Major General Michael Nardotti, Jr., (U.S. Army Retired) and Ms. Anita Carpenter, CEO, Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Inc. and Dr. Laura Miller; General Josiah Bunting; Ms. Anita Carpenter; Colonel John Ripley; and Dr. Sally Satel 6 APPENDIX Prepared Statements: Fowler, Hon. Tillie K 64 McHugh, Hon. John M 55 Miller, Hon. Candice S 69 Snyder, Hon. Vic 60 Documents Submitted for the Record: Report of The Panel to Review Sexual Misconduct Allegations at the U.S. Air Force Academy 77 Questions and Answers Submitted for the Record: [There were no Questions submitted.] (Ill) THE FINAL REPORT OF THE PANEL TO REVIEW SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AT THE U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY House of Representatives, Committee on Armed Services, Total Force Subcommittee, Washington, DC, Wednesday, September 24, 2003. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:10 p.m., in Room 2118, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. John M. McHugh (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN M. MCHUGH, A REP- RESENTATIVE FROM NEW YORK, CHAIRMAN, TOTAL FORCE SUBCOMMITTEE Mr. McHuGH. We will call the subcommittee hearing to order. As a point of information, we expect votes to be called—two votes here, very shortly. But we thought because of the rather long day that our distinguished panel has already spent, we should at least try to get some of the formalities out of the way. So let us begin with some opening statements. And hopefully, we can facilitate to the substance of today's hearing. And I certainly want to welcome everyone here today, particularly our distin- guished panelists. And we deeply, deeply appreciate their being here. As I men- tioned, they had a rather long session with our good colleagues in, as we say, the other body this morning. And to do two at once truly is above and beyond the call of duty. So if there was a medal we could give you, we would. But in lieu of that, we just deeply appreciate your presence here today. Today's hearing is an opportunity to review and assess the final report that is issued by today's panel, the Panel to Review Sexual Misconduct Allegations at the United States Air Force Academy. This congressionally-chartered panel, chaired by the distinguished former representative from Florida, the Honorable Tillie Fowler, is here today to help the subcommittee better understand their find- ings related to issues of sexual misconduct, particularly as they re- late to the recent events at the Air Force Academy. And we are es- pecially concerned about the panel's recommendations and sug- gested strategies for prevention and intervention with respect to fu- ture abuses. Let me state that it is obviously a grave tragedy when any human being is subjected and becomes a victim to acts of sexual harassment, sexual assault or rape. It becomes even more disturb- ing when female cadets at an institution like the Air Force Acad- emy, an institution considered a center of excellence with stand- (1) ards of performance exceeding—we hope—other American institu- tions of higher education and a model for developing leaders for our Nation and individuals of outstanding character, failed to provide a safe and healthy environment for our young people. We have learned this year from Air Force testimony and reports that there were countless failures at the academy that promoted an atmosphere of mistrust of the academy leadership by many female cadets. Many times, this mistrust left abuses unreported by female cadets for fear of inaction or even worse—reprisal from the acad- emy leadership. We also learned there were a number of red flags raised regard- ing abuses that went unnoticed or ignored by academy officials over a ten-year period. In March these findings, along with numer- ous others, prompted the Air Force to issue its Agenda for Change, a series of preliminary efforts to improve the safety and security of every cadet and regain the trust and confidence of the American people in the academy itself. In addition to the review of sexual misconduct and the polices that affect it and those issues I have mentioned, the Air Force In- spector General (IG) and the Inspector General for the Department of Defense (DOD) are conducting their own investigations of indi- vidual allegations of sexual crimes at the academy. The IG for the Department of Defense is also investigating allegations that female cadets suffered reprisal for reporting abuses. To broaden the focus, the DOD IG is also completing systemic re- views of sexual assault issues at all of the service academies. These efforts continue to have this subcommittee's attention, our support and we anticipate receiving their reports later this year. Today, we will look forward to hearing the panel's findings regarding the ade- quacy of the Air Force and DOD efforts to review these initiatives, to date. However, the subcommittee is especially interested in the find- ings and recommendations that this esteemed group of experts brings from their review. And I say this in light of the panel's ex- tensive expertise in social science, academics, leadership, substance abuse, victim advocacy and military matters. More importantly, this subcommittee expects that the leadership of the Air Force will use the panel's recommendations to develop, institute and sustain effective solutions for improving the Air Force Academy environment. The continuing confidence of the American people that the academy is developing leaders of character de- mands no less. And finally, I earnestly believe that leadership should and must be held accountable for the failures that occurred at the academy. The Air Force has taken several actions to do this. But I am par- ticularly interested in hearing from the panel what improvements are needed to ensure that there is no future lapse in accountability. And before I turn the microphones over to my colleagues, let me thank this panel. I have read this report. And I would highly rec- ommend it to anyone who has even a passing interest. And I think it is a remarkable piece of work, given the very short time and lim- ited resources you had available to you. And as I understand, the pay was not particularly good either. This is a very, very serious subject. I hope the American people believe that those of us on this subcommittee and those of us in this Congress believe it. But if the American public reads this re- port, they will certainly come to the conclusion that you believe it. And we deeply appreciate that. And let me say to my former colleague and my current continu- ing friend, Tillie Fowler, how happy I am to see her again. Tillie and I came to this town in the same class. We served on this com- mittee together. She, as she always did, kept her promise to her constituents, one I am sure her constituents wished she had never made, about lim- iting herself. And she kept her word. And she voluntarily left this Congress. It was a loss for the American people.