US Air Force Academy official, Brig. Gen. Susan Desjardins, told lawmakers last week that the academy has “come a long way in addressing sexual assault and violence since the events of 2003 and before.” Desjardins, who is the new commandant of cadets, testified that the school first had “to understand sexual assault as a continuum of inappropriate behaviors,” and sought outside experts in the field to help the school identify the nature of the crimes and methods to use to prevent them. (Read the Air Force news release here.) The latest DOD survey of service academies showed that sexual assault and harassment has declined at USAFA.
The Senate passed Republicans’ sweeping tax-and-spending package July 1 in a 51-50 vote, the culmination of a 27-hour marathon legislative session. The package—often called the reconciliation bill—includes a $150 billion package of defense funds that accounts for a significant portion of the money the Air Force and Space Force want…