An Air Force Academy cadet accused of raping a female cadet in his dorm room last fall will face a court-martial after all.

Sophomore cadet Douglas Meester, 20, is accused of rape, forcible sodomy, providing alcohol to minors (conduct unbecoming) and indecent assault.

The investigating officer who presided over Meester's pretrial hearing on May 14 recommended against a court-martial. Maj. Todd McDowell recommended administrative punishment. But acting academy superintendent, Brig. Gen. John Weida made the final decision to go forward with a court martial hearing. No trial date has been set.

Word about a court-martial comes as welcome news to Meester's alleged victim who has spoken exclusively to 7NEWS Investigates about her ordeal.

"They tried to convince me it was my fault. They told me repeatedly that's how I would be perceived," she said. "They wanted to put blame on somebody and it was hard to put it on three guys as opposed to putting it on one freshman girl."

Marie, who did not want her real name to be used, said she knew Meester because he was a member of her athletic team. She trusted him and when she was invited to his room, she went. However, when she arrived, there were two other male cadets in the room.

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AFA Investigation: Alleged Rape Victims Speak Up, Punished -- Marie's Story Part 1Part 2 Part 1Part 2Part 3Part 4

"I felt like I had more control over the situation than I did. I walked in and I was like, 'I don't know these people, but I can leave anytime I want,'" Marie said.

But after her teammate encouraged her to drink, she found herself woozy and in unfamiliar territory.

"I had never been in a situation where I had gotten sick from alcohol," Marie said. "I didn't know my limit. I didn't know how much is a lot for a girl was, or for a girl my size."

She said passed out and drifted in and out of consciousness, and at one point woke up to realize that she was being raped. The next day, she went to a local hospital where evidence was taken in a rape kit. Then she filed an official report with the Air Force Academy.

Marie told 7NEWS Investigates that that she knew she had violated cadet rules by drinking on campus and going to the room of an upperclassman, but she also knew there was an amnesty rule in place at the academy to encourage women to report sexual assault.

"I realized it was a crime. And I wasn't even thinking about disciplinary problems at the academy. I didn't even care. I wanted to report a crime because to me that was more important," she said.

However, after a short investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigation, it handed her several reprimands. She received seven of the most serious reprimands and punishments possible, including one for sexual activity in cadet dorms, drinking alcohol and fraternization with upperclassmen.

In fact, Marie's sexual assault case was so disturbing to the cadet counselor who encouraged her to report it that he resigned from the sex assault program.

He said in a written letter, "I encouraged her to come forward. This was a grave mistake on my part. I should never have trusted the Air Force Office of Special Investigation ... I should have never trusted the command representatives ... It is my firm belief that the victim would be better off (both professionally and emotionally) today if she had never come forward."

"The whole reason I did report was because I didn't feel it was my fault ... you know, it's the military -- integrity, everything else. They should take care of me. They should right the wrong. They didn't," Marie said.

Marie, who now attends college in the Northeast, and her family pressed for a review of her case.

During his Article 32 hearing, Meester admitted to the sex, but said it was consensual.

Meester faces life in prison, dismissal from the Air Force, and forfeiture of all pay and allowances if convicted. He may be one of the first cadets to face a court-martial over sexual assault allegations since 7NEWS Investigates broke the story in February.