Third MIlitary Man in Charge of Stopping Harassment Arrested for Doing Just That
The U.S. military has now had three men in charge of programs to limit harassment or violence against women accused of similar crimes revolving around harassment and violence against women in the same month. It's only May 16th.
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Army Lt. Col. Darin Haas, who ran Fort Campbell's sexual harassment program, turned himself in Wednesday on "charges of violating an order of protection and stalking," the Associated Press reports. Haas is no longer in charge of the program.
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On Monday, a sergeant first class serving as coordinator for Fort Hood's sexual assault prevention program was suspended after being accused of "abusive sexual contact." And just 11 days ago, Air Force Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski was arrested and charged with sexual battery in Arlington, Virginia. He was in charge of the Air Force's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office and was also removed from that post.
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Haas's case differs from the other two. Haas and his ex-wife have taken out orders of protection against each other, the AP reports; police said he'd contacted her repeatedly Wednesday night.
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The news came the same day a bipartisan group of senators proposed changing military law so that commanders do not control cases that involve subordinates if the crime could result in a prison sentence of more than a year. Six hours before the charges against Haas surfaced, the White House announced a late afternoon meeting between President Obama, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Martin Dempsey and other officials "to discuss sexual assault in the military." Having asked his military leaders to "leave no stone unturned" in looking into the problem, Obama said: "I heard directly from all of them that they are ashamed by some of what's happened."
