USFK Major Facing Court Martial for Rape
This is another one of those only in USFK stories:
Did U.S. Army Maj. Jeffrey L. Brown rape a private first class and then have consensual sex with her friend ?another 19-year-old soldier ?on the same night in September 2003? And did he maintain a six-month sexual relationship with the friend?
At a general court-martial that began Monday, Army prosecutor Capt. Trevor Barna argued that Brown is guilty of rape, sodomy and fraternization for a Sept. 30, 2003, incident that began with the three soldiers drinking for several hours in off-base establishments. Brown is also charged with violating a lawful general order for breaking curfew earlier this year.
Brown pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
This is what MAJ Brown said his intentions were:
He said his client did nothing more than help the women: from offering them a place to sleep when they were too drunk to return to their camp one night to baby sitting one’s dog and ?later ?helping her seek to abort a baby fathered by another man.
Even if his side of the story is true, he is still guilty of stupidity, unprofessional conduct, and fraternizing. Officers especially field grade officers do not have young female soldiers sleep over at their home even if he only has good intentions. It creates a perception of fraternization with enlisted troops that is contrary to good order and discipline. Also if these soldiers were so drunk they couldn’t get back to camp he should of contacted the soldiers’ commander or first sergeant to come pick them up, instead of letting them sleep over at his place. Then to volunteer for dogsitting duty and helping with an abortion later on is even more ridiculous and unprofessional.
Sexual assault cases similar to this usually involving NCO’s and soldiers seem to happen here regularly. This one is a little bit different since it involves a field grade officer, never the less it is still a black eye that USFK has not been able to shed here in Korea. Hopefully justice will be served in this case, but rest assured there are going to be plenty more of them.
