Army officials announced Wednesday that they have removed 588 soldiers from active duty as part of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s attempt to quash military sexual assaults. Twenty thousand troops had their records investigated and 588 were discovered to have infractions including sexual assault, child abuse, and drunken driving. Of the 588 deposed, 79 are leaving the service and the rest “could face further actions from their commands.” The soldiers held “positions of trust” including recruiters, drill sergeants, training school instructors and staff of sexual assault prevention and response programs. We’re going to go ahead and assume that roughly 587 of those removed had hidden drunk-driving convictions, as the prospect of multiple sexual-assault prevention officers having committed sexual assault or child abuse is a prospect 588 times too bleak to contemplate.
