Army officials have reprimanded a dozen soldiers as part of a monthslong investigation into allegations that leaders of an Illinois-based reserve unit mishandled sexual harassment and assault complaints.
The Department of Defense started investigating the 416th Theater Engineer Command in January 2020 after The Associated Press published a story about allegations that 416th commanders improperly opened internal investigations into sexual assault complaints and retaliated against a whistleblower.
The Army Reserve's deputy commanding general, Greg Mosser, announced the disciplinary steps on Monday but declined to name the soldiers or elaborate on their violations, referring questions to the Army's public affairs office. No one from that office responded to a message.
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement on the completion of the investigation into the mishandling of sexual assault allegations at the 416th Theater Engineering Command (TEC), an Army Reserve unit in Darien, Illinois:
“Sexual misconduct and pervasive problems that led to the mishandling of cases at the 416th TEC in Darien are unacceptable within the Army or anywhere in our military. The Army Reserve’s completed investigation makes clear the Army is working to improve how it handles allegations of sexual assault, but more must be done. In Congress, we will continue to support programs that improve the military justice system, increase training for command leaders, and offer support for sexual assault and harassment survivors. Servicemembers cannot be silenced or abandoned for seeking justice and accountability. We look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Defense on this important issue.�
