| Show National Standard-Examin- Sunday December 3 2000 15A Officers on notice in wake of Air Force case Tha Washington For those in uniform Post WASHINGTON - He was the commander of a squadron of fighter pilots She was his intelligence officer They were posted - to romantic Italy and their spouses weren't And thereby hangs a legal ruling that could affect the future of intimate relations between the 175000 male officers and the 30000 female officers on active duty in the US military The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces a civilian body that oversees the military judicial system this month used the case of United States vs Lt Col Shelley S Rogers to reaffirm that affairs between officers can be illeeven when they are gal consensual Whether the military should try to enforce standards of behavior that are different from those in civilian society has been an explosive issue in recent years But the most high-profiprevious court case involving Lt Kelly Flinn an Air Force bomber pilot accused of adultery in 1997 was somewhat muddy because she also was charged with insubordination and lying The Rogers case appears to be more clear-cWhile serving as commander of a squadron of le ut F-1- fighter-bombe- providing rs contem- plating affairs with subordinates “the lesson is proceed at your own risk - and the risks are very great” said Eugene Fidell a civilian expert in military law who is president of the National Institute of Military Justice Fidell added that the opinion supports a broad application of the “conduct unbecoming” charge tp uphold hazy areas of military culture for which there are few formal regulations The case also has a political echo In 1998 many members of the military expressed outrage at the revelation that President Clinton had engaged in sex play with a White House intern while talking on the telephone with Rep Sonny Callahan about the deployment of US troops to Bosnia But it turns out according to the court ruling that the commander of the US pilots flying over Bosnia was similarly enR-A- la his young intelligence officer began commuting and working out VE NEED HELP! County Humane Society invite you to make 8 a Chnstmas contribution to the T iffany Adoption Center at the Ogden Animal Shelter The Ogden-Webe- r and Standard-Examine- r tionship of inappropriate familwhich under the ciriarity cumstances was unbecoming an officer and a gentleman” Rogers eventually was also convicted on an unrelated charge of disorderly conduct having to do with walking on top of cars in Italy He was formally reprimanded and fined about $1 1000 together Matters came to a head at a party celebrating Rogers’s selection for promotion to colonel A group of officers again confronted their commander over his relationship with Clemm This time he reacted angrily and hinted at retaliation telling his Maj Michael Cloutier that he intended “to make a few changes in this squadron” On Dec 18 Cloutier informed higher commanders of the situation On Dec 19 Rogers was relieved of comand He was escorted back to Elmendorf Alaska -the 90th Squadron’s home base - and for devel- WE HEED: Puppykitten and dogcat food blankets and towels kitty litter Various sized dog and cat toys Non-crochet- Non-clumpi- Neither Clemm nor Rogers could be reached for comment Clemm’s mother Jean Clemm of Rochester NY said that she does not think the two had an improper relationship and that second-in-comma- area she believes the officers who testified against Rogers were lying She said Clemm has left the Air Force Rogers retired a year ago and flies for a civilian airline an Air Force spokesman said court-martial- oping “an unprofessional rela charitable aecnues Regent Assisted Living not charged ' h'dert'iJi’Ut Ch'Uu Dignity FT gaged in inappropriate behavior with a far junior subordinate As a result of Rogers’s infatu-atid- n with Clemm testified Capt Steve Hughes “there was a definite lack of focus on the part of most - I’d say all the air crew” in Rogers’s 90th Fighter Squadron which was operating from base at Aviano Italthe US-ru- n TW1' !) £ ‘J yV f -- Life Enrichment Programs 'Pets Welcome y Vi h iffe Elegant Dining Care Personalized Cam Model Special Pricing Package Private Apartment n a bv f0yerm Rates fcyiS I al adultery but of “conduct unbecoming an officer” Clemm was At!it nita tM w? VfrtJSlianl UjW tele It all began on Nov 21 1995 when the squadron held a party at a seaside hotel east of Venice Clemm had arrived just three days earlier to become the unit’s intelligence officer She wound was up sitting near a bonfire on the Rogers Originally charged with adultery But he beach with her commander’s arm around her waist and Clemm did not admit to havand although his ing sex Rogers’s behavior alarmed produced a lot of several officers especially beevidence strongly suggesting that cause there were at least 20 enthey had had a sexual relationlisted personnel present ship no one testified to catching them in the act So in the end Rogers was convicted not of 1-- Sli itVjttfWfi lsUiftjUitl!i air cover for US troops entering Bosnia in 1995 the appellate court ruled he developed an improper relationship with Lt Julie Clemm a junior officer under his command court-marti- OPEN HOUSE! 3 PM SATURDAY DEC 9 Red Cross will present Pet First Aid Pkiisc bring to the Ogden Am mil Shelter UMOPjrkBhd m Ogden 8 00 im to sou pm ueckdjNs or noon to on Saturday ’'Some items mas in turn be donated to REGENT Hughes who considered himself a friend of Rogers’s was chosen to deliver the warning After that night various officers testified the commander and Awhd liifin & (801) lNSS E 475-511- Iiu 1 line Dm e in South Ogden ¥ 7 AdYCU tC L CALLS r Introducing Cricket Comfortable Wireless' One low rate No surprise charges No contract Cricket Stores 2630-- West West 3500 South Valley City UT 975-676- 3 760 49 West 10600 South Sandy UT 975-676- St Suite Layton UT N Main 975-676- 6 2255 100 N 5 University Pkwy Provo UT 377 1451 For More Information www cricketcommunications com 1 866 CRICKET toll fr Also Available at Omniserve Cellular 0 Prestige Wireless 786-010- I f Alert Cellular Cellular Technologies 301-977- 2 4S4-666- OfflCC DEPOT 6 CO 268-006- 6 r |
