Today there were congressional hearings concerning some troubling revelations about sexual assault complaints in the military.  Here is a CNN article by Eliott McLaughlin discussing the hearings.

I do not have any comments on the substance of the hearings or the proposals raised at the hearings.  I hope that Congress and the military can find a solution that helps solve this problem.  I don’t know what that solution is or will be.

One feeling I come away with is general disappointment.  As I grew up I developed a special reverence for the military.  It is hard to read about great generals like George Washington, General MacArthur, and General Patton without developing an appreciation for their bravery and sacrifice.  There are too many individual stories to even begin to name those men and women who have acted with immense character, resolve, and bravery in service of their country.  Scandals like this do damage to all of those individuals and the military as a whole.  When I was young I was told that the military was where you could go as a boy and leave a gentleman.  This behavior falls short of those brave men and women who came before and will come after.  The country needs this to stop.  Period.