SANCHEZ STATEMENT FOLLOWING BRIEFING ON SEXUAL ASSAULT INCIDENTS AT LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE

WASHINGTON, D.C.–Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after a briefing with Air Force Secretary Michael Donely on the ongoing investigations into sexual misconduct at Lackland Air Force Base, based in San Antonio, Texas.

“I am absolutely outraged at what has occurred at the Lackland Air Force Base,” said Sanchez.  “So far fifteen instructors have been involved in the sexual misconduct of 38 victims.  This is not just one case but a chain of serious events that occurred.  As I expressed to General Donley in the closed briefing, I am absolutely irate and speechless about how little exposure our leaders and Commanders have of the base.  It is the Command’s job to know the climate of their corps and this situation comes to show that the Command at the Lackland Air Force Base was not doing their job.

“The length of time it took Lackland to take action on these cases are unacceptable.  It is an egregious and unacceptable mistake for the Air Force to not  take all reports of sexual misconduct seriously and act immediately.”