Before we begin, let me first tell you about one of the very worst experiences of my 25-plus-year military career. I spent a number of years on the faculty of the Air Force Academy, teaching political science, the Constitution, American government, and such. I enjoyed the work, and having students who were virtually all near the top of their high school classes can make for some great discussions. Plus, it is helpful to outrank your students, as I did. My brother, a public-school teacher for over 35 years, once asked me how I handled discipline problems. I responded, “what’s a discipline problem?” 

One of the nice things about the Academy is the variety of activities that are available to the cadets. A large number of cadet clubs exist, covering a wide range of interests. And while teaching at the Academy, I became involved with the cadet Aikido club. Aikido is a martial art that appeals to me in many ways, not the least of which is that it can only be used to defend, not to attack. And Aikido is just about the only martial art that rates men and women on the same scale, which appealed to my egalitarian side. 

That is how I found myself, as the “officer in charge” of the Cadet Aikido Club in the late 1980s, talking with one of the young women in the club – a sophomore in civilian-speak – about what was going on in her life, and how, years later, I still feel great remorse at not doing a better job of helping her. 

She told me she was being regularly harassed by a male squadron member who would not leave her alone. His behaviors, she told me, were often disgusting and vile, though she refused to tell me who he was, what he did, and she absolutely insisted that she did not want me to take any action at all on her behalf. She would, she stated, handle it herself. 

At the time I was a youngish captain, and now as a retired Lieutenant Coronel with decades of uniformed service behind me, I wish I could go back to that time and rethink my approach. At the time, I honored her request, assured her that my door was always open, and that I stood ready to have her back if ever she wanted my help. 

At that was it. 

I did not talk to her squadron leadership. I did not talk to my own bosses. I simply kept my mouth shut. And I have regretted that indecision ever since. I confess even now, I am not completely sure what I should have done, if anything, but I find myself quietly wishing I had done something.

I think of that young lady often, and I was reminded of her, and my own inaction, when I read a recent Colorado Politics story about my old friend 6th Congressional District U.S. Rep. Jason Crow’s introduction of a bill that, if passed, would deny congressional pensions to any member convicted of sexual misconduct. This bill should be, I would hope, a no brainer. While there is politics connected to any congressional action, this proposal (which I cannot believe isn’t already in the law) should garner a unanimous vote in both houses and should be immediately signed into law by the president. 

Crow, a distinguished Army vet, said the idea came from the military, and the long-standing Pentagon policy wherein a military member convicted of sexual misconduct and who got a dishonorable discharge loses his or her retirement pay. Can we possibly hold our elected representatives to a lower standard than we hold the military? I would certainly hope not.

The Crow bill would treat sexual abuse in the same way other felony convictions are handled in terms of congressional pensions, and that seems like a very good idea to me. Crow is a stand-up kind of guy, and love him or hate him, he takes a clear stand on the issues, which I respect a great deal. And this new legislation, the Prohibiting Annuities for Sexual Abusers in Congress Act, is both highly warranted and way overdue.

I cannot help but wonder how I could have done better with that young cadet, thirty years ago when she first mentioned the harassment. I thought by honoring her wishes I was doing the right thing. Now, with three decades of afterthoughts, I confess I am still not sure. Had I gone to her direct commander I might have started a process that helped fix a major problem or I might have caused her significant awkwardness and distress. Even now, I do not know. 

But I do know that those who sexually harass and abuse have no place in our military or the halls of Congress. Bravo Congressman Crow: keep up the good work.