Fired Air Force wing commander charged with sexual assault, cruelty

I have no experience to indulge in the topic of Air Force improprieties. If my memory is correct, in the army young soldiers are given more breaks than the young officers. However that flips as CSMs are hit harder than LTC+. I would appreciate if someone can confirm or deny my perceptions.

I know this may seem insignificant but I am proud of myself. I have had a few attractive female soldiers hit on me but I knew it was wrong, and I did not want to jeopardize my career. Despite the fact I am a man. I told them they were forbidden fruit. lol Irony is when I was in my early 20s I had a crush on a woman who was 40. Life went full circle.

I have always espoused the notion that the army should be fair in doling out rewards and punishments/details. I so know this, if the CG is involved, the punishment can be swift and severe. I knew of a highs speed E-8 who was fast tracking but was found sexually harassing a female soldier. As a formal complaint, the CG had eyes on the investigation. The E-8 was out of the army in two weeks. The army needs to weed out toxic leaders, sexual predators, racists, and buddy fuckers. We need soldiers who are driven by pure intentions.

SSgt Veronica Fraga - I apologize about the belated response. I was in the army and I can't talk about other branches. I would say leadership has a big influence on actions taken or not taken. I knew of a SSG who was messing with another soldier's wife, but nothing happened to him. In my 20 years I had only witnessed 2 incidents of soldiers messing with other soldier's wives and one for running a fake mutual fund. I personally was driven by values. Due the right thing is a great rail to guide one's life. Many great sports coaches want a good person first, then a great athlete.

That being said. I have always believed in fairness should it be bad details or sudden and unexpected rewards. This also applies to punishment. I knew of an E-7 at Ft Riley who was kicked out for living on post and receiving BAH. I also knew of a MAJ who did the same thing but don't know his disposition. He should have been kicked out as well.

MAJ Ken Landgren - In the USAF, tradition holds that Officer protect their own as a primary duty

1stSgt Nelson Kerr - Some are driven by values, others don't want to risk punishment, idiots will take a chance. In the totality of my life, I worked hard in high school and college. I had a great 20 year army career. I flew in helicopters, rode in tanks, did finance and budget, and national disaster relief planning. I was not going to risk all I have done on booty or any other unethical practice. They were wrong and the consequences can be significant.

There was no way with 15 years in the service, I would have to go to the wife and said I lost my job and career because I made a stupid unethical mistake. I am sorry. What do I tell her? What will my parents think of me?

Agreed. The higher the rank, the more the victim is scrutinized. I remember an O6 commander saying he had zero tolerance for domestic violence. In 2006 female Airman with a handprint on her arm filed for divorce from her aircrew abusive husband, and the O6 shielded him. She ended up having to go to mandatory counseling when he had a history of fooling around, getting drunk, and starting fights on every trip.
I remember back in the day when I was a young Airman (1997) and a girl was sexually assaulted. Leadership started grumbling that maybe she should dress more conservatively. I spoke up that their thinking was unprofessional and inappropriate.
In 2006 I thought we were past those days. Here I thought we were past those days again. Now I realize it's absolutely a leadership issue. On a deployment in 2016, I went as a 1Sgt - we had zero sexual assault/harassment/etc issues in our unit. An IG came in to interview people to find out if it was really true, and mostly WHY. It was because from the top down, we didn't tolerate anyone hurting our own. If there was a complaint or suspicion, the Commander immediately assigned someone (usually me), and I tracked down every angle I could find. (On top of "normal" duties!) It was the least amount of sleep ever in the military, but it turned out to be worth it. All my guys and gals knew I would stand beside them and sometimes that can make all the difference. They were a mix of different services, units: ANG, AF Reserve, active AF, Army NG, active Army, units from all over the world - yet the message AND follow thru, follow thru, follow thru from leadership was the #1 important thing that kept 200+ ppl together.

If charges were preferred then they have a reasonable suspicion he actually did it.

I'm not so sure...I once was charged with losing a Top Secret, code word message, despite three people of equal or senior rank seeing it after I 'lost' it. Only by threatening (in a round about way) to go to the NIS was I able to prevent being sent to mast after being screamed at in XOI. It was then that I finally made up my mind that I would never wear khaki in the Navy and I took the ROAD route...I did my job, but no extra's, never volunteered again, kept quiet and in the back of the room, never gave my opinion or made suggestions and didn't serve as LPO unless actually given an order to do it.