A U.S. Army SFC stationed at USMA secretly videotaped females in shower

sheriff3

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A U.S. Army sergeant first class stationed at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point has been charged with allegedly secretly videotaping female cadets in their shower and latrine areas, according to Army officials.

Sgt. 1st Class Michael McClendon was charged May 14 with 13 "specifications" or allegations of "indecent conduct" in making videos between July 2009 and May 2012. Army criminal investigators are now contacting more than a dozen women who might have been videotaped, according to Army spokesman George Wright.

Wright said the investigation has been going on since May 2012, but charges were not made until last week because the Army was still trying to assemble computer evidence and identify the women involved.

He said he could not comment on how the matter was discovered because of the ongoing investigation.

McClendon, who helped train and mentor cadets, was relieved of all cadet duties and barred from any contact with cadets or cadet areas on May 17, 2012, and assigned to a desk job, Wright said.

He was transferred to Fort Drum, New York, on March 13, Wright said.

The story was first reported by the New York Times. The Army made no public announcement of the case and has only responded when asked questions by reporters.

This case comes as the Pentagon is grappling with a rise in sexual assaults in the military and pledges from President Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to redouble efforts to address the problem.
 
As the parent of a female cadet when this story broke my level of anger was thru the roof as the anger subsided I was left with a level a melancholy equal to my anger. Something broke in me today and shattered into a million pieces...not sure what exactly.. maybe my trust and belief in the goodness of humans. This is West Point for goodness sake, a place of honor, integrity and character. Am so glad my daughter is so much tougher and stronger than I. Absolutely hate that this story broke during Grad Week!
 
Am hoping this new case is punished more heavily...to the full extent which is still probably not enough. He was in COC in a position where trust was violated in the worst way. Am happy to hear the offending cadet in your class spent some time in Leavenworth....restores a tad bit of my faith.
 
I'm not sure what's more disturbing, this story or that it has happened at least twice. Guard duty for the women,s locker room might be an idea.

Hope this guy get's a longer stay in Leavenworth.
 
. . . .Guard duty for the women,s locker room might be an idea.

If we couldn't do a good enough job to select right soldiers for positions at West Point, what makes you think we can screen guards to ensure they won't do bad things?

Now, I am thinking there might some truth to a discussion that the military might have a cultural issue. I like to think that there are always bad people doing bad things, but what's happening is might be a result of a culture that tolerate "bad" behaviors.
 
For what it's worth...

Seems likely that we will be hearing about more of these cases, not fewer, in the coming months. That is if the leadeship is really serious about finally stamping out this kind of crap.
 
For what it's worth...

Seems likely that we will be hearing about more of these cases, not fewer, in the coming months. That is if the leadeship is really serious about finally stamping out this kind of crap.

Agree that if the leadership is serious about it that we will be hearing about more of these cases.

Easier for commanders to pursue administrative separation/resignation/retirement than pursue court martials.
 
If we couldn't do a good enough job to select right soldiers for positions at West Point, what makes you think we can screen guards to ensure they won't do bad things?

True, but that's even more disappointing.
 
This is the case of my classmate. It turns out that his sentence was quite light...18 months. It'll be interesting to see where this new case goes.

http://www.armfor.uscourts.gov/newcaaf/opinions/2008SepTerm/08-0158.pdf

Isn't he the baseball player that got kicked out and is now a medical doctor (due to family connections). :rolleyes: (I may have it confused with another)

The kick-out of the academy is good but the civilian world not taking it seriously is ridiculous. Medical school and board certificate should be fined.
 
Isn't he the baseball player that got kicked out and is now a medical doctor (due to family connections). :rolleyes: (I may have it confused with another)

The kick-out of the academy is good but the civilian world not taking it seriously is ridiculous. Medical school and board certificate should be fined.

No, that's a different individual. He actually went to med school with my wife. While in med school, he was accused of rape again. He managed to skate out from under that one, too. Very despicable character.
 
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