These charges would be considered a felony in the civilian world. What are the consequences for the cadets being accused? Besides disenrollment, could they see jail time?
In the military, these are felonies.
Using the charges for Cadet Evenson. Should he be found guilty, these are the maximum punishments according by the Manual for Courts Martial (version that I could peruse):
***************************************************
Article 92 FAILURE TO OBEY ORDER OR REGULATION
(1) Violation or failure to obey lawful general order or regulation. Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 2 years.
(2) Violation of failure to obey other lawful order. Bad-conduct discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months.
Note: For (1) and (2), above, the punishment set forth does not apply in the following cases: if in the absence of the order or regulation which was violated or not obeyed the accused would on the same facts be subject to conviction for another specific offense for which a lesser punishment is prescribed; or if the violation or failure to obey is a breach of restraint imposed as a result of an order. In these instances, the maximum punishment is that specifically prescribed else wherefor that particular offense.
(3) Dereliction in the performance of duties.
(A) Through neglect or culpable inefficiency. Forfeiture of two-thirds pay per month for 3 months and confinement for 3 months.
(B) Willful. Bad-conduct discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 6 months.
Article 120 RAPE AND CARNAL KNOWLEDGE
(1) Rape. Death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct.
(2) Carnal knowledge with a child who, at the time of the offense, has attained the age of 12 years. Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 20 years.
(3) Carnal knowledge with a child under the age of 12 years at the time of the offense. Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for life without eligibility for parole.
Article 133 CONDUCT UNBECOMING AND OFFICER AND GENTLEMAN
Dismissal, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for a period not in excess of that authorized for the most analogous (similar) offense for which a punishment is prescribed in this Manual, or, if none is prescribed, for 1 year.
*******************************************************
I don't know when everything will be complete; probably a year from now, but if any/all of these cadets are found guilty, the "punishment" will be IMHO, far more than they would get in the civilian world as the military is rather harsh in their treatment of malefactors (and I'm okay with that). Also, when you see the term "dishonorable discharge" above...officers/cadets are not given "DD's" as they're called; they are "dismissed." The end result/impact legally is the same: a dismissal is a federal felony conviction carrying the same "nasty results" that a DD carries.
Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83