An inspection of the Air Force Academy's athletic department by the school's inspector general has found nothing requiring a follow-up legal investigation, the academy said Tuesday.
The inspection gave the athletic department an overall grade of effective — the equivalent of a "C" on a five-category scale — and found some areas need to improve, according to an academy release. The IG report found that sequestration and other budget cuts have hurt morale, and that members of the athletic department "had lost a sense of common belonging." The report also recommended ways to improve management of administrative and personnel actions, the academy said.
The academy did not release the report. The academy announced the inspection in August, after the Colorado Springs Gazette published an investigation into drug use, sexual assault and other misconduct in the athletic department in 2010 and 2011, but said the inspection was already in the works.
"This inspection validates some of the areas where we know we can improve," said Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson in the release. "However, it also highlights there have been significant gains over the past year and that there are program strengths and a number of areas in the department that are effectively meeting their mission."
Col. David Kuenzli, the academy's inspector general, said in the release that his office conducted a standard unit inspection, not an investigation.
"The purpose of an inspection is to give leaders an independent assessment of the overall effectiveness, readiness, discipline and resources of a unit so that leaders can take those results and make improvements," Kuenzli said. "Investigations are based on specific allegations that an agency violated a [Defense Department] or Air Force regulation, or any laws that govern the DoD. It's important to note that while this was an inspection, it did not uncover any allegations that would initiate an investigation."
The report also found that coaches at the academy keep cadets' time requirements in mind when balancing the need to train athletically with the need to study, train militarily and develop leadership skills.
"The inspection highlighted that all cadets are afforded a competitive experience in a physically demanding environment and department employees exceptionally plan, orchestrate and successfully execute hundreds of events annually," the academy said.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
