COL. MEGHANN SULLIVAN FIRED FOR HARASSMENT - FIRST FEMALE COMD OF UNIT
Col. Meghann Sullivan made history as the first female Army Officer commanding a unit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Now, she’s making headlines for all of the wrong reasons. After multiple allegations of sexual assault against Army Col. Meghann Sullivan, she has been fired from the job. This action was executed in the Fall of 2023 but is now being brought into the public eye early in 2024. The move comes after a suspension and investigation. Suggested read: SEALs Launched From USS Lewis B Puller In Raid Pronounced Dead
Col. Meghann Sullivan Was Fired In October 2023 for Sexual Assault Allegations
Joint Base Lewis-McChord welcomed Col. Meghann Sullivan as the first female to hold the role of a Battalion Commander on June 30, 2021. However, she was suspended on May 9, 2023, before being relieved of command on October 13, 2023, due to sexual assault allegations. The lack of confidence in the former Commander of the 5th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade (5th SFAB), came to be after multiple subordinates came forward showcasing a pattern of such behavior allegedly at the hands of Col. Sullivan. Overall, the investigation stems from a larger one that looked into a range of leadership issues, negative morale, and lack of performance within the 5th SFAB. The investigation of Col. Meghann Sullivan in the U.S. Army would entail hundreds of texts, videos, emails, voice records, and a survey. In the end, former Brigade Commander, Col. Jonathan Chung was also fired and left the service altogether as a result. Sullivan is now serving as a part of I Corps, which also calls Joint Base Lewis-McChord home. There doesn’t appear to be a potential court-martial coming either, despite allegations of assaulting two males with many other harassment allegations as well. Groping below the waist and inappropriate behavior while drinking alcohol are some of the incidents alleged against Sullivan. It also includes an alleged incident of kissing a male subordinate with force.
A Troubling Trend
Depending on where you look, estimates will vary. The key as to why such figures are estimates is also disturbing. Nevertheless, 1.5% of men in all service branches experience unwanted sexual contact during service. One of the problems here is this figure doesn’t account for all forms of sexual harassment. Even worse, the figure is likely higher as sexual harassment and assault are underreported in the military. There are many reasons for this ranging from a culture of being tough, to pressures of career advancement, and more. But the trend continues to be an area in which the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) works to address. The DoD’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) is in charge of making sure that sexual harassment policies are in place. Furthermore, they are making sure that there are programs aiming to prevent and respond to such issues. Attention is often put on women facing this issue and rightfully so as female service members experience these unfortunate actions at a much higher rate. Yet, the alleged actions of U.S. Army Col. Meghann Sullivan are a stark reminder that such behavior isn’t acceptable regardless of the time, place, or gender involved. Related read: Army War College Childcare Investigated for Inappropriate Sexual Acts
Questions Remain About Col. Meghann Sullivan
The good news is that corrective action has taken place. There was an investigation and the Army has been working to improve the conditions for those serving in the 5th SFAB today and in the future. But some are questioning why it took months to fire Sullivan. To be fair, there was an investigation during this time. Still, the news didn’t break to the public until many months later even after action had taken place. While innocent until proven guilty, if the allegations were severe enough to draw an investigation then they must have found something out of order to invoke a change. However, there is no potential court-martial. So, how can Soldiers feel safe serving in such an environment? This story is unfolding and Col. Meghann Sullivan, for better or worse, remains an important part of history for women. But gender should not matter when it comes to justice. In short, transparency on such issues could help provide peace for those serving and their families. Read next: Ineligible White House Staff Received Free Care From Military Hospitals