[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 120 (Thursday, September 11, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9240-S9241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   ARMY REPORTS ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, the American people watched with horror and 
disgust as the incidents of sexual misconduct at Aberdeen Proving 
Ground unfolded last fall. As details emerged at Aberdeen and other 
Army training facilities, the extent and seriousness of this problem 
became increasingly and terribly evident.
  As a result of these events, the Secretary of the Army, Togo West, 
commissioned his senior review panel and tasked the Army Inspector 
General to conduct two separate widescale investigations of sexual 
harassment within the Army. Today, the Secretary released the results 
of these two studies.
  Both reports delivered a scathing indictment of the climate and lack 
of leadership that permits sexual harassment to permeate all levels of 
the Army.
  Mr. President, in each case involving leaders and trainees, the 
sexual misconduct which occurred at Aberdeen and elsewhere within the 
Army was a result of abuse of authority. The key to solving this 
problem is to eliminate the systemic conditions which created the 
atmosphere which allowed these outrageous and egregious instances of 
abuse to occur. The Army's equal opportunity system, which is supposed 
to provide a safety valve when all else fails, is itself a complete and 
utter failure--devoid of support by the chain of command and lacking 
credibility by those it seeks to protect.
  The stark reality is that only 5 percent of the 9,000 people 
surveyed, as part of the Army's own review, said they would use the 
formal complaint mechanism provided by the equal opportunity system.
  Mr. President, what kind of program engenders confidence in only 5 
percent of the population? The answer is simple. One that is badly 
broken, and in desperate need of repair.
  The reports released today found that sexual harassment exists 
throughout the Army, crossing gender, rank, and racial lines. They also 
found that the Army leadership is the critical factor in creating, 
maintaining, and enforcing an environment of respect and dignity, yet 
too many leaders have failed to gain the trust of their soldiers.
  As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I have taken a long hard 
look at sexual harassment throughout the military. I have made visits 
to Fort Jackson, SC, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, and Camp Lejeune, NC. 
As part of these visits, I asked the Army about the quality of its 
sexual harassment training designed to sensitize both instructors and 
trainees to the problems of sexual harassment. Army officials assured 
me that the training was adequate, but today's shocking report reveals 
otherwise.
  The Inspector General's survey reported that professionals and 
leaders who are expected to deal with soldiers reporting incidents of 
inappropriate sexual behavior need to be trained and qualified, 
indicating that is obviously not the case today.
  Army officials must act swiftly and aggressively to change the 
climate that has allowed sexual harassment to permeate the Army. These 
same officials must also vastly improve the education provided to both 
instructors and

[[Page S9241]]

trainees to ensure beyond the shadow of a doubt that all parties 
understand their responsibilities with regard to sexual harassment. The 
equal opportunity system has clearly failed and must be repaired so 
that victims of sexual harassment will have confidence that Army 
leadership will act on valid complaints and actively seek to eliminate 
sexual harassment.
  Today's acknowledgment by the Army is a first step that identifies 
the alarming scope of this problem. Now, it is incumbent upon the 
military and on our civilian leaders to put an end to sexual harassment 
once and for all.
  I will again meet with Army officials tomorrow and will continue to 
aggressively pursue changes to eliminate the poisonous environment that 
allows such pervasive levels of sexual harassment to undermine the good 
order and discipline of the United States Army, so crucial to our 
national security.

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