Obama: Sexual assault threatens trust in military

May 24, 2013 @ 8:15 am


President Barack Obama speaks at the commencement ceremony for the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., Friday, May 24, 2013. The president urged new graduates to exhibit honor and courage in tackling incidents of sexual assault as they assume leadership positions in the military. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) | Zoom

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Choosing future Navy and Marine leaders as his audience, President Barack Obama issued a pointed call Friday for an end to sexual assaults in the military, appealing to graduating midshipmen to display honor and moral courage to contain what has become a growing epidemic.

Obama spoke at the commissioning ceremony for 1,047 midshipmen, telling the 841 men and 206 women that the wrongdoing of a few can damage the nation's institutions, from government to Wall Street, and that "even in our military we've seen how the misconduct of some can have effects that ripple far and wide"

"Those who commit sexual assault are not only committing a crime, they are threatening the trust and discipline that make out military strong," he said.

The issue of sexual assault in the armed services has captured the attention of Washington, prompting Obama last week to meet with top military brass and Pentagon leaders at the White House, instructing them to lead a process to root out the problem.

A Pentagon report released earlier this month estimated that up to 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted last year. It said thousands of victims are still unwilling to come forward despite stronger efforts to curb the crimes.

The report showed the number of sexual assaults actually reported by members of the military rose 6 percent to 3,374 in 2012. But a survey of personnel who were not required to reveal their identities showed the number of service members actually assaulted could be as high as 26,000. That figure is an increase over the 19,000 estimated assaults in 2011.

Obama also urged the new Navy ensigns and Marine second lieutenants to use the leadership skills and values learned at the Naval Academy to help prevent behavior on the battlefield that can damage the image of the U.S. overseas.

"In our digital age, a single image from the battlefield of troops falling short of their standards can go viral and endanger our forces and undermine our efforts to achieve security and peace," the president said.

Obama spoke amid cool temperatures and a light rain, which drove away many spectators and left large sections of the blue stadium seating empty.

Obama's address was the second to a military audience in as many days, coming a day after he laid out his counterterrorism vision at the National Defense University, where he defended his controversial program of strikes by unmanned drones and renewed his push to close the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility.

It's a tradition for presidents to rotate speeches at the commissioning ceremonies of the four service academies. The Naval Academy, about 30 miles from the White House in Annapolis, Md., says 16 presidents have addressed graduates, and Obama is the sixth to do so twice. He also addressed 2009 graduates.

The ceremony and its pageantry could not escape Washington's budget fights. The Navy's Blue Angels aerobatic team won't perform because of budget cuts due to a fight between Obama and congressional Republicans.

But the ceremony also featured a fitting achievement: For the first time in the academy's history, an entire family will have graduated from the school.

Matt Disher was joining his brother Brett and sister Alison, as well as his father Tim and mother Sharon as alumni.

"Tim and I never expected anything like this," said Sharon, who graduated in 1980 in the first class that included women. "In fact, if anything we probably discouraged the kids from going, because if you don't come in for the right reason, which is to serve your country, you're not going to last."

Sharon Disher, of Annapolis, wrote the book "First Class" about the difficulties of being in the first class that included women at the academy.

___

Associated Press writer Brian Witte contributed


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Comments (183)


  • Add A Comment

  • longwayhome wrote...
    Obamagate Bengazi
    November 17, 2012 6:27 pm
    Forgot to tell you that I watched your face go swirling down the porcelain fixture this morning. You are really mad, aren't you? I can tell, and it gives me great pleasure to read your renewed anger at the Democrats, who will run your life for the next 16 years or so. Quit cutting and pasting my posts, it only adds to your jealously of my intelligence and wit and your total lack of it. How did that election work out for you? Did limbaugh come through? Did all those posts about parrots and dear leaders come through for you? Just wondering, you certainly were quite sure that your party was going to kick some butt on the Democrats. Go get a hobby, fix the roof on your mobile home, get some exercise, go hiking, do some normal stuff instead of posting garbage that everyone know is crap(except for you) and GET A LIFE!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    There is help for you
    November 25, 2012 6:34 pm
    Counseling is available for grieving republicans that simply cannot believe that their beloved (losing) party did not win an overwhelming victory in 2012. Call this toll free # 1-800-you-lost. Grief counselors are standing by to to tell you that you as a group wasted 4 years of your pathetic lives to try and get Obama replaced by a republican. It didn't happen, did it? It's not going to happen in 2016 either. Go back to your little rooms where you computers are and post all the rhetoric you need to make yourselves feel better, but when you wake up tomorrow Obama will still be YOUR PRESIDENT, and will be for the next 4 (four) years.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Boo Hoo - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo . . . .
    December 8, 2012 2:04 pm
    we had in the bag. What happen?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • C"mon Man wrote...
    USS Carl Vinson CVN-70 Vet
    December 22, 2012 2:17 am
    Forget the hollow gesture, stop gutting our funds to allow the gravy train of free stuff to thrive.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    What is mittens and ann doing this joyous time of the year? . . . .
    December 22, 2012 4:37 pm
    you fill in the plank ___________________
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CupofJoe wrote...
    filling the blank
    December 22, 2012 11:58 pm
    Paying for the EBT card in your Christmas stocking.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    CH
    December 29, 2012 9:50 am
    Piss Off.....who cares the uniformed, lazy, stupid and UNION fools voted Obama bak into office. Let your stupid hatred for Romney Go. He'll have 100 times better life than you, you welfare rat.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    i like how they make it sound like Obama is doing us a favor cutting his traditional family vacation short....
    December 26, 2012 5:38 am
    the Obama administration has made it so i will never be able to afford a Hawaiian vacation now that my taxes are going up and i will be forced with the burden of purchasing govt mandates insurance...Obama does not care about America or Americans.....welcome to the financial holocaust brought to you by the almighty dumbocrats and liberal twitts. I don't understand how when i run out of money i have to stop spending......when the govt runs out of money.....they just borrow, print, and spend more...and people are okay with this????
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    i like how they make it sound like Obama is doing us a favor cutting his traditional family vacation short . . . .
    December 26, 2012 6:15 pm
    and you think boner is getting off his bar stool and returning to Washington DC, than Santa claws and the Easter Bunny is real. Hope boner between her drinks she is looking at help wanted ads. He is going to need one (job) Jan. 1st.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Ok, people
    December 29, 2012 8:47 am
    You left wing idiots do understand that the DEMOCRATIC SENATE has NOT PASSED A BUDGET in over 1000 Days.....Right? Obama is the President of the United States. He is the one that needs to compromise. He is the one that is responsible. He is to stupid, incompetent and inept to do his friiggin job. Any "Leader" with jackshit would have done his best to start trying to fix this months ago. He is simply going to do what he always does....BLAME EVERYONE ELSE for his FAILURE as a Leader. Can you imagine letting this tool run a real business??? we get the government we deserve. Good luck suckers. You voted for this narcissist moron.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    YES! We can avoid the cliff.
    December 29, 2012 1:29 pm
    Make the clown eared man child work with the American people for once and COMPROMISE!. This is all on the Dear Leader.

    We Americans and more and more former Obama supporters realize this!

    2014!!!!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Hey, Barry
    December 30, 2012 10:36 am
    Concentrate on NOT bankrupting our country and leave the 2nd Amendment alone!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Obama wants gun violence measures passed in 2013
    December 30, 2012 4:32 pm
    Translation of ObamaSpeak: I want the Second amendment abolished as soon as possible!

    Revenge!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }