Navy's Owens recommended for expulsion

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
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<p>I thank Vice Adm. Rodney P. Rempt, the Naval Academy's superintendent, and Mrs. Rempt for all they have done for the academy.</p>

<p>As a member of the Class of 1980, the first class with women, and as the mother of a daughter and son in the Class of 2010, I believe the academy has made great strides integrating women - many of those strides in the last four years.</p>

<p>Adm. Rempt achieved his goal of increasing the percentage of female midshipmen to 20 percent. This per-centage, sociologists agree, reduces the stigma of a minority within a group.</p>

<p>Female graduates of the Class of 2006 told me they were initially furious when the superintendent changed the words of the alma mater to make it more inclusive. The male midshipmen blamed them. Yet the women said the change eventually helped make a big difference in the men's attitudes.</p>

<p>Female naval officers who served in all capacities - a plethora of role models - are visible throughout the Yard.</p>

<p>Alcohol played a huge part in the tragic incident involving Midshipman 1st Class Lamar Owens. In response, Adm. Rempt has taken a progressive stance on alcohol abuse at the Naval Academy.</p>

<p>The silver lining in the Owens case is that the young woman felt comfortable reporting her story. She knew it would not be brushed off as another "boys will be boys" episode - as it would have been in my day. No mat-ter the verdict, the system works when young people feel they can report a difficult accusation.</p>

<p>A former commandant of midshipmen said to me, "If a woman of (the Class of) '80 is allowing her daughter to attend the academy, a lot must have changed."</p>

<p>He couldn't be more correct.</p>

<p>SHARON HANLEY DISHER
Annapolis</p>

<p>Copyright 2007 Capital Gazette Communications, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
The Capital (Annapolis, MD)
April 15, 2007 Sunday
*Article Edited To Include USNA News only</p>

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<p>^^^^Thanks for posting.</p>

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<p>as the proud youngster to 4/C Disher, i can only say that as long as we have role models like CDR Disher, we are in good hands. </p>

<p>i just want to say one thing to the women. all male mids are not like this. they are, by and large, honorable, dashing and amazing young men. i should know, they are some of my best friends, and i am dating one. they are my classmates and my peers. </p>

<p>there are men that will have sex with you when you are passed out and unconscious, and there are men (and women) that will defend them to their dying breath. lamar owens was not found guilty because the UCMJ definition of rape has two stipulations: the victim must deny consent and there must be force involved. you don't have to force someone when they are unconscious, and when a victim is blacked out it turns into "he said she said" concerning consent. </p>

<p>wonder why, right now, the UCMJ definition is being revised?</p>

<p>remember: in this situation, "not guilty" doesn't equal "innocent."</p>

<p>do we want to believe things like this can happen? of course not. do they? far too often. victims MUST be granted immunity in order to foster the kind of environment at this academy where victims of violent crimes feel safe coming forward. she didn't come forward to get out of standing a month's restriction for underage drinking, please don't be absurd and suggest that that is the case. no one was going to find out anything had happened, that any conduct offenses had occurred, if she did not say anything about what happened to her. please, don't see this as some nasty, lying woman coming forward to ruin a good midshipman's life. this was a MIDSHIPMAN coming forward with a serious allegation against another midshipman! recognize that she has just as much merit as he. to the alumni, she is equally (if not much more) deserving of your concern.</p>

<p>i came to this academy with wide, innocent eyes as to the continuing gender wars dividing us. i am not so innocent now. my boyfriend's classmates tell him to be careful because no female mids can be trusted. does anyone remember three years ago, when a male mid was separated for raping...another male mid? no, i thought not. somehow, no one seemed to question that victim's motives for coming forward.</p>

<p>i say that we have come very far at the academy, but we still have a long long way to go. we need the alumni to stand behind us, all of us, with fair and equal concern, turning away from past prejudices. i thought i saw that on this board. i was wrong. i cannot write anymore, i am too disappointed.</p>

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<p>Why does this have to be about the SEX of the accuser? No one has said that a female midshipman doesn't have the right to come forward with a legitimate accusation against anyone. What we ARE saying is that just because one legitimate claim is brought forward, it does not exonerate the accuser from a legitimate claim brought against HER.</p>

<p>If THAT is disappointing, then I wonder what your definition of fairness is?</p>

<p>Male mid accused of rape by a woman who was too drunk to even realize it was happening. Male mid is rightfully dragged through the UCMJ system, but found not guilty. While it is true that "not guilty" does not mean "innocent" (OJ Simpson, anyone?), it DOES mean that LEGALLY. </p>

<p>Meanwhile, female mid gets so drunk she can't even tell she is (allegedly) being raped. Thank God she wasn't on duty. The alleged rape aside, she is clearly guilty of horrendous judgement, and should be disciplined for it. Just because she was attacked doesn't excuse her behavior BEFORE the attack.</p>

<p>I am really getting sick and tired of the whole "so much has been done, but so much more remains to be done" garbage. Women are at USNA and have been for 20+ years. The blasted Alma Mater got changed (yeah, we can see those "changed attitudes" all right!), Mids are dragged through hour after hour of senseless "training". Haven't we had a female Brigade Commander and/or Valedictorian? What more do you want? Are you suggesting now that calling a female mid on her improper conduct BEFORE an attack on her is somehow sexist? Are we ALWAYS going to have "so much further to go" so as just to keep the issue alive and useful?</p>

<p>If you do, then you see why your boyfriend's buddies tell him female mids cannot be trusted: because you KNOW there is a double standard. That double standard does nothing to help women; quite the contrary. It also builds up the resentment that you describe.</p>

<p>Both of these mids should have been expelled for conduct unbecoming a USNA Midshipman. The attacker THEN should have gone through a courts-martial for the alleged rape. Instead, we have one guy acquitted of rape (whether he did it or not) but now being expelled (which raises all sorts of questions of bias - if he didn't do it, why the expulsion?), and another mid who drank so much she blacked out and wasn't able to even TRY to avoid this scandal that has so hurt the Academy, but she gets to stay. It makes no sense, and anyone who is surprised that outcomes like this cause resentment should seriously reconsider.</p>

<p>If USNA truly wants to end these problems, they need to put out the word CLEARLY that being drunk SHALL NOT be accepted as an excuse for ANY conduct offense, that charges of assault and the like will be thoroughly investigated, and if ANY mid is found guilty of either of the foregoing they SHALL be expelled. Period. No exceptions, no special dispensations. If YOU have behaved in a manner that brings discredit to USNA, YOU ARE GONE. </p>

<p>I just summed up several hours worth of "training" in one paragraph. </p>

<p>Tell them that, make sure they know it, and STICK TO IT, and these problems will vanish quickly. Keep trying to play this middle-road where one side seems more protected than the other, and we will, sadly, continue to have to live through these sordid incidents.</p>

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<p>
[Quote]
Meanwhile, female mid gets so drunk she can't even tell she is (allegedly) being raped.

[/Quote]
</p>

<p>But apparently not too drunk to IM Owens and invite him to her room in the middle of the night.</p>

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<p>"Any commissioned officer, cadet, or midshipman who is convicted of conduct unbecoming an of-ficer and a gentleman shall be punished as a court-martial may direct."</p>

<p>So states Article 133 of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice in language that is about as clear as the Swedish Chef reading Shakespeare.</p>

<p>"Jurisprudence for Dummies," it ain't. </p>

<p>Even though the grim "shall be punished as a court-martial may direct" makes me wonder if a judge uses a Magic 8-Ball for sentencing, it pales in comparison to the ambiguity of how "unbecoming" conduct is identified.</p>

<p>Is there a picture book listing all the possibilities? Hmm, let's see, running a brothel in your stateroom? Check. Falsifying official documents? Sure. Walking onto the quarterdeck with just your underwear on your head? You betcha.</p>

<p>But what about behaviors that aren't as obvious? It actually boils down to something that just doesn't look or feel right. It's like that old argument about what is or isn't obscene. While you may not be able to describe it exactly, you sure know it when you see it.</p>

<p>In other words, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it sure isn't a rhesus monkey.</p>

<p>So it is with conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. I'm firmly onboard with holding people accountable for actions that don't seem right. And don't give me the old, "Well, other people are doing it, so why are you picking on me?" canard, either.</p>

<p>The fact that hardly anyone is brought up on Article 133 alone -- most times it's brought up in combination with another offense -- doesn't lessen its seriousness. I maintain it's actually more serious because of the nature of the business we're in. Certainly, I wouldn't want my division officer to stage cockfights in his garage. Neither would I want one who'd ignore rules he finds inconvenient.</p>

<p>With this in mind, I've paid very close attention to the circus that has surrounded the Lamar Owens case.</p>

<p>In light of these findings, the superintendent of the Naval Academy, Vice Adm. Rodney Rempt, has recommended he be punished for "unsatisfactory conduct." In Rempt's opinion, Owens is not fit to wear the uniform of a naval officer and should forfeit his college education.</p>

<p>Enter the hysterical hand-wringing over injustice foisted upon a star quarterback who led the Midshipman to an 8-4 record and a win in the Poinsettia Bowl.</p>

<p>We've endured a plethora of arguments in favor of this midshipman. From statements of what a fine leader he is to overwrought despair over the damage this will do to his future, the wailing has addressed every aspect of this case.</p>

<p>Thank goodness nobody has argued, "Well, it's just about sex."
Yet. After much consideration as to what should be done about someone who decided rules against sex in a dormitory -- albeit consensual -- didn't apply to him, I have to agree with Vice Adm. Rempt. Partly.</p>

<p>Let's allow the man his degree. After all, he put in a considerable amount of time and effort into his studies. By all accounts, he was a good student. To act as if the past several years didn't exist would be wrong.</p>

<p>However, there is no way he should have the privilege of becoming a commissioned officer. By acting in a manner that brings his integrity into question, he has forfeited the honor of leading Navy men and women.</p>

<p>Copyright 2007 Army Times Publishing Co.
All Rights Reserved
Navy Times
April 16, 2007</p>