U.S. Army pulls 588 soldiers from 'positions of trust'
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The Army removed 588 soldiers from their roles as sexual assault counselors, recruiters, and drill sergeants, collectively known as "positions of trust," after they were found guilty of fractions such as sexual assault and drunken driving, USA Today reports. The troop review came after a Pentagon study found increased incidents of unwanted sexual contact in the military.
The Army suspended just 55 soldiers after an initial review last summer, but the 588 troops total disqualified came after renewed records reviews. The Navy dropped just five soldiers total from such positions, and neither the Air Force nor Marine Corps reported any disqualifications. The Army's higher number of disqualified individuals may be in part due to loosened recruiting standards at the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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