Army Investigating Nude Shower Photos

The Army says it's investigating allegations that eight male soldiers took pictures and video of as many as 21 female soldiers in their unit showering at Fort Dix.

The photos were allegedly taken last fall, before the 266th Military Police Company of the Virginia Army National Guard shipped out to Iraq in December.

Lt. Col. Christopher Garver said Friday the Army is conducting a criminal investigation and that no charges have been filed.

Fort Dix spokeswoman Carolee Nisbet says the allegations are disappointing. She said most soldiers who train at the New Jersey installation before being deployed "live up to the Army values."

The 266th is now serving in Basra.

[rf35]

Have you seen most Army women? There are very few I would want to see with their clothes on, let alone naked! Now Air Force women...more of them are worth looking at!!

[Aldymac]

According to liberal values, it is perfectly all right for women to be placed in the same barracks as men. To share showers and everything else lines up with liberal values, so whats the problem, let me remind you that this scenerio came about during the highly "moral" Clinton regime. Women in the military before that highly "ethical, moral" regime had their own barracks and privacy. They weren't allowed in the front lines either, but liberal womens groups got their way and now the young women are placed where the chances of physical harm and death is at it's hieght. You want to place blame on someone, place it where it began, not where it is now. This is right on target for the womens lib groups.
Every step we take in the direction the liberals want us to go, is a step down from where we were, how far down do you want to keep going?

[tomanyt]

Boys will be boys.

[hamiltongrad]

just a bone head mistake.

[retmilspouse]

Posted by mjinba07

Wow. How did peeping toms or at the most voyeurism turn into sexual harrassment and then to the allowance of rape? That is taking it just a little too far. Let the investigation shake out then see what is left. It may be that some of these soldiers are involved with a violent or verbal unlawfull act. But until that is proven just let the chips fall where they may.

[j40405]

It was probably done as a prank. While it is not proper behavior it definetly dosen't deserve crimminal penalties. I served in the Air Force and childish things went on all the time. Not just with the young enlisted either. Put a letter of counseling in their file and move on.

[ronjjj157]

Folks this is NOT news. If it were to end up you-tube I am fairly certain that would be news and Heads would roll.

[janeyre-2009]

Anyone surprised? Let me see a show of hands... I didn't think so...

[mjinba07]

...I have the opportunity to work alongside many of the men and women in our Armed Forces, and I assure you the troops who allegedly perpetrated this ridiculous sophomoric stunt, are not indicative of the caliber of the troops I see daily. However, as in most large organizations there inevitably will be some unsavory characters. Keep in mind, invasion of privacy, sexual harassment, and sexual assault are certainly not issues which occur only in the military. Unfortunately this type of behavior occurs throughout the spectrum of work places regardless of socio-economic status or level of education... You are correct though; this type of behavior cannot be tolerated in any setting. As the article stated, there is an ongoing criminal investigation, but no charges have been filed yet. If the investigation reveals the soldiers are guilty, rest assured the Army will punish them.
Posted by TPS2 at 5:20 AM : May 30, 2009

A lot of good points here TPS2 and good to be reminded of the high caliber of most of our troops. But I suspect that sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military are grossly under reported, of both male and female serving, especially female.

Discipline can be taught until the cows come home but we also have to consider the nature of the military beast... A huge organization of predominantly young men (both immature and at peak testosterone levels), culturally and physically insulated from the rest of society, with deception legitimately required as both a strategy for combat and often as a way to reasonably navigate the military system, and with a culture necessarily of capitalizing on violence.

The problem of admitting all this is that we need confidence in our troops and in our military in general, and it's hard for a lot of the public to talk about things in terms that aren't black and white. It certainly seems awfully hard for the media.

It's good to see that the shower incident is being addressed, and I hope it does more for bringing awareness to the command structure - that there's increasing risk for public awareness of what ever bad behavior exists within the military. Maybe that will further discipline and reduce any tolerance of sexual harassment.

For those of you here who think it's funny or titillating, grow up. Permission to invade the privacy of women showering, and then haw-haw with each other over the pictures, is only half a step away from permission to rape.

[quapawsix]

One question, What were you thinking when you thought it would be a good Idea to put males and female together in the same barracks?