By Ashton Becker

The United States military academies and Senior Miltary Colleges, SMC, are academic institutions designed to train and shape the next generation of military leaders. Thousands of students across the nation aspire to attend these renowned institutions, willing to accept the high degree of discipline it will require and hold hope for the future career it can grant them. However, the select few who do attend are often disappointed. These schools have proved to be toxic environments which foster a culture of hazing, racism, sexism and sexual assault. 

The recent ongoing investigation of hazing allegations at Norwich University (NU), the nation’s oldest SMC, brings this matter to light. On March 20, local law enforcement was called to the university as a student was being held at knifepoint. It was revealed shortly after that the individual had also been branded with pliers and a lighter and was waterboarded. Of course, actions such as this are not unique to NU. Virginia Military Institute, VMI,  has been notorious for similar hazing incidents. They have also been the topic of much controversy due to their state ordered investigation of prevalent racism and sexism.

The investigation was conducted at the request of the governor following an exposing article posted by the Washington Post. The investigation found that racial slurs and jokes are commonplace and that 41% of the students expelled from the university as a result of the Honor Court were black, even though black cadets only make up about six percent of the student body. Other reports detail the accounts of black cadets who experienced lynching threats at VMI. Interviews in the investigation also detailed that many female cadets had either experienced sexual assault or felt the looming threat of it in their daily lives. They also relayed that administrators had discouraged them from reporting the assault and to consider the effects it could have on the assaulters career. 

It is apparent that female cadets are hesitant in reporting sexual assault for a variety of reasons. Aside from being discouraged by administration and faculty members, many fear retaliation from their assaulters and other male cadets, who are often higher ranking due to the misogynistic undertones, and many simply face feelings of shame and embarrassment. Others refrain from making reports because they believe it will simply be dismissed. 

This was unfortunately the case with the 2003 United States Air Force Academy sexual assualt scandal. Academy leadership denied and ignored the issue when it was brought to their attention. One may think the academy would have made efforts to combat the crisis, but the 2020 Department of Defense’s, DoD, annual report on the sexual assault and violence at the academy concluded the rates were higher than they’ve been in over 16 years. A 2019 DoD report estimated that 87% of sexual assaults that occur at USAFA go unreported. It is very plausible that this applies to hazing, racism and sexism incidents as well. So many of the horrific acts that occur at these institutions go unseen, unheard and unreported. 

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