Staff Sgt. Joshua Hite provides Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force Dr.Jamie Morin an orientation of the Air Force Basic Military Training campus July 30, 2012, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. During a visit to San Antonio, Morin met with BMT officials, toured trainee living quarters, and talked with current trainees. Hite is a military
training instructor who has earned "Blue Rope" status, an honor bestowed on the top 10 percent of military training instructors at BMT. (U.S. Air Force photo/Alan W. Boedeker)
8/1/2012 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO -- LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS) -- Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Jamie Morin visited with Air Force basic military training officials and trainees here July 30.
During a trip to San Antonio, Morin met with the 37th Training Wing leadership and toured the BMT campus.
In June, Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., Air Education and Training Command commander, appointed Maj. Gen. Margaret H. Woodward to lead a command-directed investigation into BMT and technical training throughout the command following reports of misconduct by some military training instructors at BMT.
"Sexual assault is a serious crime and is deeply corrosive to military readiness," Morin said. "It is all the more so at Basic Military Training, which is foundational to everything our Air Force does. The men and women entrusted with molding civilians into Airmen must maintain the highest standards of professionalism in discharging their duties--both in how they treat trainees and how they handle reports of mistreatment.
"While the vast majority serve with honor, those who have betrayed the sacred trust we place in them will be held to the most stringent levels of accountability," he continued. "I know that Gen. Ed Rice and Maj. Gen. Margaret Woodward will continue aggressively investigating these crimes and will work with senior Air Force leadership to take all necessary steps."
Comments
9/6/2012 5:16:35 PM ET The Staff Sergant in the picture above is my MTI when I went through basic two years ago.
Ryan Winburn, Hurlburt Field FL
9/6/2012 10:30:00 AM ET DC...the man is in his late 30's...I venture to say that is older than all of the BMT trainees. He received his BS at 21 MS at 23 and a Ph.D at 27. Started working as a consultant the year he graduated with his BS and worked in progressively tasking jobs while gaining two more degrees. KUDOS to Dr. Morin...so his picture makes him look younger...he probably does get asked for his ID occasionally...so what It's his hard work experience work ethic and knowledge that got him his position. You want decades of experience...he's got it
SAFB, IL
8/16/2012 12:24:23 PM ET This sort of behavior has been going on at Lackland since 1989. I wish that my friend had the courage to come forward at that time. I applaud these women for coming foward now and admire their courage.
Former Trainee, Georgia
8/3/2012 11:00:53 AM ET Dr. Morin was one of the key cheerleaders with regards to the failed USAF ECSS project. In the beginning he was all for it thought it was better than sliced bread. Then when the ERP went south he goes to Congress to tell them the 1 Billion spent was a complete waste and it is the Contractors fault. Never mentioned all the politics the AF side played in the failure. But I guess it is Washington so why not have another politically motivated person in this position. I am sure he will jump on every positive band wagon that come along in his new position as well.
Fly on the Wall, WPAFB
8/3/2012 10:42:20 AM ET The Air Force does know it's purpose. There are many fine people who take offense to such a comment. We are the greatest Air Force in the world and we have proven it time after time.
Dane, Colorado
8/3/2012 8:26:44 AM ET I worked with Dr. Jamie Morin during my time as a WGCC and I can attest that he is EXACTLY the right person to help bring stability and order into an organization that no longer seems to know it's purpose. He is extremely capable and I am only sorry that he is the Acting Secretary and not the permanent appointee.
JW, DC
8/2/2012 4:26:53 PM ET Respectfully DC I would say your view is as biased as those civilian employers who do not hire people over 40 because they want someone with more 'energy' by which they mean youth. We have teenagers maintaining multimillion dollar jets guarding nuclear weapons and going to war. A youthful undersecretary does not seem that problematic. The point of the article happens to be the lapse of leadership that seemingly occured to allow systematic abuse of basic trainees. We need to get to the bottom of that problem not quibble about the chronological age of senior leaders.
Jim Harrold ret Colonle, Omaha
8/2/2012 10:58:17 AM ET While I won't discredit Dr Morin's credentials I find it odd that someone in such a senior position appears to be as young as most of the trainees at BMT. I would personally prefer someone with decades of experience at that level.
