On Thursday, soldier in the U.S. Army was charged with videotaping female cadets while they were taking a shower and in other places at West Point’s U.S. Military Academy. This is just one more development in the growing sexual assault scandal that has given the Defense Department a black eye.
Officials from the Army said that Michael McClendon a Sgt. First Class, would be prosecuted using military law. He is facing multiple charges that include dereliction of duty, indecent acts, maltreatment, cruelty and creating discredit to the armed forces.
McClendon, who was in Iraq for two tours, was assigned in July 2009 to the military academy and was there until earlier in may. He worked at the academy as an adviser.
West Point is a training ground for officers for their service in the U.S. Army and commissions cadets upon graduation in the military. Out of 4,500 cadets, only 15% are female.
Officials in the Army said cadets at West Point, who were allegedly filmed by McClendon, are being contacted by the Criminal Investigation Division.
The military has received increased criticism from President Obama and Congress for the way it has handled a series of sexual assault cases, along with a number of incidents reported in the military.
President Obama was meeting Thursday with top leaders in the military including Chuck Hagel, the defense secretary and Martin Dempsey the Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff to discuss the cases and a recently released report detailing an increase last year in assault allegations.
