McCaskill Puts Hold On Air Force Officer’s Promotion Over Overturned Conviction

[Purveyor]

Associated Press, Updated: Thursday, April 25, 2:53 PM

WASHINGTON — Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill has put a hold on the nomination of Air Force Lt. Gen. Susan Helms, who is tapped to serve as vice commander of the U.S. Space Command.

McCaskill said in a statement Thursday she wants more information about Helms’ decision last year to overturn a jury conviction in a sexual assault case.

In February 2012, Helms rejected the recommendation of legal counsel and overturned the conviction. An Air Force captain had been found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a female lieutenant.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/mccaskill-puts-hold-on-air-force-officers-promotion-over-overturned-conviction/2013/04/25/5f0b9602-add9-11e2-b240-9ef3a72c67cc_story.html

[Laurian]

1. Good for Claire..n/t

[freshwest]

2. +1. This and Hagel's position will make a difference.

[ZRT2209]

3. GOOD.

[DeSwiss]

4. K&R

While I am hard-pressed to undercut the findings of a jury, yet without further information on the particulars in this case (they don't even name the guy); and the other one referenced in the AP article, it's difficult to know who to trust here. Which in itself is another kind of sad.

- The Senators (for once), seem to be going after a legitimate area of concern. But then Gen. Helm's career has been exemplary. And yet I realize that quid pro quo is SOP in the military. But something just doesn't smell right here.....

The Helms' situation echoes another Air Force case that has outraged members of Congress. Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin, commander of the 3rd Air Force at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, overturned the conviction against Lt. Col. James Wilkerson, a former inspector general at Aviano Air Base in Italy.

Wilkerson had been found guilty last Nov. 2 of charges of abusive sexual contact, aggravated sexual assault and three instances of conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman. The incident had involved a civilian employee. Wilkerson was sentenced to a year in prison and dismissal from the service, but after a review of the case Franklin overturned the conviction.

Lawmakers demanded a fresh look at the military justice system. Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel recommended that military commanders be largely stripped of their ability to reverse criminal convictions of service members. McCaskill, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has introduced legislation that would limit the authority of military commanders to overturn convictions.

And don't forget Lackland AFB

And then.....

Susan J. Helms

Susan Jane Helms (born February 26, 1958) is a Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force and a former NASA astronaut. She is currently the Commander, 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic); and Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Helms was a crew member on five Space Shuttle missions and was a resident of the International Space Station (ISS) for over five months in 2001. While participating in ISS Expedition 2, she and Jim Voss conducted an 8 hour and 56 minute spacewalk, the longest to date.

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