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Sweeping Changes Proposed At Air Force Academy

Air Force Ousts Top 4 Leaders At Academy

UPDATED: 5:42 am MST March 26, 2003

There will be sweeping changes in personnel, policies and programs at the Air Force Academy in response to the military's largest sex scandal.

Video

Top Air Force leaders met Tuesday in a closed-door meeting with the Senate Armed Services Committee to discuss these changes.

Most symbolic among the proposed changes is that the sign that says "Bring Me Men" will be removed. It's located at the entrance of academy and it's one of the first things cadets see when they arrive.

Other changes include retraining medical staff to deal with sex assault victims, blanket amnesty for victims and around-the-clock security and monitoring in cadet dorms.

There will also be significant changes in the academy's senior leadership.

7NEWS Investigates has confirmed four top academy leaders will be reassigned and they will be replaced by at least two women. The current superintendent responded to the change at a Chamber of Commerce meeting in Colorado Springs.

"I would be naive if we didn't expect some senior leadership changes in the near term and over the next couple months at the academy," superintendent Gen. John Dallager said.

7NEWS Investigative reporter John Ferrugia will be at the Pentagon on Wednesday to report on these developments and other major changes expected at the Air Force Academy.

All these changes came about in light of a 7NEWS Investigation into allegations that female cadets at the academy were ostracized and reprimanded after they reported they were raped. It is believed that the ousted officers are Brig. Gen. S. Taco Gilbert III, the commandant of cadets and second in charge at the academy; Col. Steve Eddy, vice superintendent; Col. Bob Eskridge, vice commander; and Col. Sue Slavec, training group commander.

Dallager will remain as superintendent and the top official at the 4,100-cadet institution until his scheduled retirement in June.

Two investigative teams are looking into the reports of rapes at the academy. A third team from the Department of Defense inspector general's office was to arrive at the academy this week for its own investigation.

Three Republicans -- Sen. Wayne Allard of Colorado and Sen. John Warner of Virginia and Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado -- have all called for a change in leadership at the academy. Allard said victims are unwilling to talk with Air Force investigators while the current commanders are in place.

A spokesman for Allard declined to say what was discussed at the closed-door meeting Tuesday.

As more and more women -- 39 in all -- told Allard's office they were victims, the senator called Gilbert a "common thread."

Gilbert, who declined to comment, was scheduled to leave the academy this summer after completing a standard two-year tour. In late January, Gilbert said that every case of sexual assault has been thoroughly investigated and that misconduct was punished.

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