Air Force Academy officials expect to discipline at least seven cadets after a months-long investigation into reports of illegal drug use at the academy.
No names of cadets punished for illegal drug use — nor specifics of the discipline they received — were released Wednesday, more than three months after academy officials began investigating cadets’ use of banned substances.
But the statistics offer the first glimpse into an inquiry that involved 31 cadets — some of whom are intercollegiate athletes — and that mirrored past investigations of a synthetic substance called Spice, which mimics the effects of marijuana.
Lt. Col. John Bryan, an academy spokesman, said that of the 19 completed investigations:
- Eight cadets were cleared of wrongdoing;
- Three cadets have been disciplined;
- Four cadets are in the process of being punished;
- Four cadets are awaiting word from the commandant on whether they’ll be punished.
The 12 remaining cases remain under investigation, Bryan said. He said he did not know whether any cadets have resigned or been expelled in connection with the inquiry.
None of the seven cases involving discipline have involved a court-martial, Bryan said.
Academy officials announced in mid-January that 15 cadets were suspected of using a banned substance other than alcohol, tobacco or drugs prescribed to cadets.
That number has since grown to 31 — two shy of the number implicated in a similar investigation in 2011.
During that investigation, 21 cadets resigned, five were kicked out of the academy, one case was sent to court-martial and six cases were dropped, Bryan said.
