Yesterday, the Air Force revealed that 31 female victims have been identified in a sex scandal at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Twelve male training instructors have been accused of seeking improper relationships, adultery and rape with their trainees and six men have been charged.
Allegations were first made last June when a trainee reported sexual misconduct. According to General Edward Rice, commander of the Education and Training Command, the sexual misconduct began in 2009.
The first allegations were made against Staff Sgt. Luis Walker who is scheduled to be court-martialed next month and faces over 28 charges including rape, aggravated sexual misconduct and multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault.
Nine of the twelve commanders were in the same squadron but Gen. Rice said he does not think the misconduct is endemic to the military base.
All of the airmen report for basic training trained at Lackland, which totals about 35,000 every year. Only one in five trainees are female and 90 percent of the flight instructors are male. Gen. Rice said he will look into whether the base needs to hire more female flight instructors or have only female instructors to oversee female trainees.
Here is video of Gen. Rice's press conference addressing the scandal:
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