[h=3]By JULIAN E. BARNES[/h]An Air Force officer in charge of the service's sexual assault prevention efforts was removed from his position following a weekend arrest on a sexual battery charge, the Pentagon announced Monday.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski, 41, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with sexual battery Sunday morning, Arlington police said.
Lt. Col. Krusinski didn't respond immediately to email requests for comment, and a working phone couldn't be found Monday. Court records didn't list an attorney.
The alleged incident comes amid increasing controversy over the military's, and in particular, the Air Force's handling of a rising number of sexual assaults. The Air Force has had to overhaul its basic training oversight in the face of a series of sexual-assault convictions by instructors at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. And Congress has scrutinized the service closely after a three-star general overturned the sexual-assault conviction of a lieutenant colonel.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel discussed the incident Monday night with Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a statement.
"Secretary Hagel expressed outrage and disgust over the troubling allegations and emphasized that this matter will be dealt with swiftly and decisively," Mr. Little said.
Mr. Little said that Mr. Hagel has directed military leaders to "elevate their focus" on sexual-assault prevention and will announce further steps "soon."
Members of Congress have been pushing for various reforms, including removing military commander's power to decide whether to prosecute allegations of sexual assault within the armed forces.
The latest incident occurred shortly after midnight, in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to Arlington police.
According to the police report, Lt. Col. Krusinski allegedly was drunk and approached the female victim and grabbed her breasts and buttocks. The victim fought off the attacker and called police, the police said.
Lt. Col. Krusinski was charged with misdemeanor sexual battery and released on $5,000 bail, police said. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.
Write to Julian Barnes at [email protected]
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski, 41, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with sexual battery Sunday morning, Arlington police said.
Lt. Col. Krusinski didn't respond immediately to email requests for comment, and a working phone couldn't be found Monday. Court records didn't list an attorney.
The alleged incident comes amid increasing controversy over the military's, and in particular, the Air Force's handling of a rising number of sexual assaults. The Air Force has had to overhaul its basic training oversight in the face of a series of sexual-assault convictions by instructors at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. And Congress has scrutinized the service closely after a three-star general overturned the sexual-assault conviction of a lieutenant colonel.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel discussed the incident Monday night with Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a statement.
"Secretary Hagel expressed outrage and disgust over the troubling allegations and emphasized that this matter will be dealt with swiftly and decisively," Mr. Little said.
Mr. Little said that Mr. Hagel has directed military leaders to "elevate their focus" on sexual-assault prevention and will announce further steps "soon."
Members of Congress have been pushing for various reforms, including removing military commander's power to decide whether to prosecute allegations of sexual assault within the armed forces.
The latest incident occurred shortly after midnight, in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to Arlington police.
According to the police report, Lt. Col. Krusinski allegedly was drunk and approached the female victim and grabbed her breasts and buttocks. The victim fought off the attacker and called police, the police said.
Lt. Col. Krusinski was charged with misdemeanor sexual battery and released on $5,000 bail, police said. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.
Write to Julian Barnes at [email protected]