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Pentagon: Lack of Oversight on Junior ROTC Abuse

Published SEP 22 2022

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Image credit: nytimes

The Facts

On Wednesday, US Pentagon officials said that "additional oversight is necessary" to stop alleged sexual abuse in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), stating that measures to better supervise the program are being discussed.
nytimes
This comes as Pentagon officials were questioned in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing about a report accusing JRTOC instructors of sexually abusing and harassing students.
NPR
In July, the New York Times alleged that at least 33 instructors were charged with sexual misconduct involving students over the past five years, a higher-than-average rate compared to civilian high school teachers.
Business Insider
The JROTC program, which teaches around 500K students annually, has been targeted by US lawmakers in the House and Senate, who demanded explanations about the program and reported misconduct.
nytimes
In early September, a Pentagon survey showed that reports of sexual assault across the US military grew by 13% in the 2021 fiscal year. Roughly 36K people, 8.4% active-duty women and 1.5% men, reportedly experienced unwanted sexual contact.
Al Jazeera
The US Army currently faces a recruitment crisis, far from meeting its goals for the fiscal year 2022. The eligibility rate of Americans aged 17-24 has reportedly fallen to 23%, with only 9% of those qualified to serve inclined to do so.
NBC

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The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

While it may have some positive aspects, the JROTC program is more troublesome than helpful as school districts are responsible for its oversight, not the military. On top of that, the very nature of its activities allows low-trained military veterans to have an unusual level of access to teenagers while teaching them obedience to orders, making students more vulnerable to sexual assault.

nytimes

Pro-establishment narrative

While these cases of sexual misconduct are deplorable, they don't represent the experience of the vast majority of those who take part in the JROTC. Overall this program inspires patriotic American values in students, offering a place for teenagers to get involved with a community, find their voice, and transform their lives for the better.