Army dating policy under review

Sergeant sentenced to 4 years for consensual sex

May 9, 1997
Web posted at: 2:06 p.m. EDT (1806 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon is reviewing Army policy that allows dating between officers and enlisted personnel, CNN learned Friday. Such fraternization is banned by the other U.S. military services.

A Pentagon review team will decide whether to recommend a single set of rules that apply to all branches of the armed services. It will also investigate whether the Army's current fraternization policy creates a problem at times when many of the services work together.

The review panel, which began its work last month, will make its recommendations to Frederick Pang, assistant secretary of defense for management policy. It was not immediately clear when the final report would be issued.

The Army's current policy allows officers to date and marry enlisted personnel as long as they are not in the same "chain-of-command."

The other branches of the U.S. armed services have essentially banned any "unduly familiar" relationships between officers and enlisted personnel.

The military's definition of fraternization also can apply to business or social relationships that do not involve romance, if such relationships might cause the perception of favoritism.

Two soldiers punished

The Pentagon acknowledged the Army's fraternization policy was under review one day after two soldiers learned of their punishment for sexual misconduct.

Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Ayers, a cooking instructor, was sentenced to four years in prison for having sex with two female trainees at Fort Lee, Virginia.

Ayers, 28, hung his head and softly cried when the military jury's verdict was read.

He was convicted of adultery, attempted adultery, indecent assault and improper relationships involving two soldiers, ages 18 and 19.

The 10-year Army veteran from Decatur, Alabama, also must forfeit pay and allowances, be demoted to private and be dishonorably discharged after serving his sentence.

The women, who were food-service trainees at Fort Lee, testified that the sexual encounters with Ayers were consensual.

The military bars personal relationships with subordinates.

Also on Thursday, an Army drill instructor at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, was given a bad-conduct discharge for sexual misconduct with trainees.

Staff Sgt. Steve Holloway, 32, was found guilty Wednesday of having consensual sex with a trainee and forcing a kiss on another.

He was cleared of 14 charges including sodomy.

CNN Military Affairs Correspondent Jamie McIntyre and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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