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Pentagon prepares to disarm abusive soldiers
October 22, 1997
Web posted at: 10:18 p.m. EDT (0218 GMT)
Senator wonders what took so long
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A new law that prohibits spouse abusers from possessing handguns may force the Pentagon to discharge or reassign thousands of U.S. troops.
A law passed last year by Congress prohibits U.S. troops from carrying a gun if they have ever been convicted of domestic violence. That would include soldiers who are part of the peacekeeping force in Bosnia and pilots patrolling the no-fly zone in Iraq who carry a sidearm.
The Pentagon says it doesn't know how many of its 1.4 million troops the law will affect.
"We don't know what the number is," says Assistant Defense Secretary Frank Rush, "but we anticipate that the number is very low."
Statistics indicate that young men -- the military's primary population -- are responsible for most acts of spousal abuse.
Senator wonders what took so long
To meet the provisions of the new law, the Pentagon will require that everyone in uniform fill out a form asking if they have ever been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
A "yes" will result in an immediate order to turn in their weapons, reassignment to a new job and possible discharge in the future.
The Pentagon says that despite the potential loss of troops, it has no qualms about ridding its ranks of abusers.
"It's part of a broader effort we support to curb domestic violence," says Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon.
However, the law's sponsor, Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a New Jersey Democrat, is skeptical and wonders why it took a year for the Pentagon to comply.
"It's discouraging to see that the military, which is committed to protect all of our citizens, didn't jump at the chance to protect a spouse," he says. "We know groping is bad, the military has said that. But beating may not get the same level of attention."
What the decision-makers in the Pentagon wonder is how many troops it will lose, and how it will affect combat readiness and recruiting. If the losses are substantial, the Pentagon may go back to Congress and ask for a waiver.
Military Affairs Correspondent Jamie McIntyre contributed to this report.
Related sites:
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- The United States Senate
- Violence Against Women Office- information and resources from the U.S. Department of Justice for victims, their families, friends, and communities, and activists.
- Family Violence Awareness Page
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