Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said through his spokesman late last night that he is “disgusted” over the arrest of the chief of the Air Force’s sexual assault prevention and response branch this past weekend on sexual battery charges.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski, 41, of Arlington, Va., is accused of grabbing a woman’s breasts and buttocks in a parking lot. His mugshot provided by the Arlington County Police Department shows a cut under one eye and abrasions around his mouth.
Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Hagel “spoke to Air Force Secretary Donley about allegations of misconduct involving an Air Force officer who had been responsible for the service’s sexual assault and prevention efforts and was removed today from his position pending the outcome of an investigation.”
“Secretary Hagel expressed outrage and disgust over the troubling allegations and emphasized that this matter will be dealt with swiftly and decisively,” he said.
The arrest is especially embarrassing for the Defense Department as the Pentagon has been criticized in Congress for not doing enough to combat sexual assault in the military.
“Secretary Hagel has been directing the department’s leaders to elevate their focus on sexual assault prevention and response, and he will soon announce next steps in our ongoing efforts to combat this vile crime,” Little said.
“Sexual assault has no place in the United States military. The American people, including our service members, should expect a culture of absolutely no tolerance for this deplorable behavior that violates not only the law, but basic principles of respect, honor, and dignity in our society and its military,” he continued. “Secretary Hagel is firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of behavior in America’s armed forces and will take action to see this through.”
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