Army Captain, Sergeant Accused Of Rape

In what could prove to be the Army’s Tailhook, a captain and two drill sergeants were charged Thursday with raping or sexually harassing more than a dozen women recruits.

The alleged incidents took place at the Army Ordnance Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. Up to 1,000 women who trained at the center are being interviewed by the Army to determine if there are any additional victims.

“America deserves better than this. Our soldiers deserve better than this and our Army is better than this,” Gen. William Hartzog said at the Fort Monroe, Va., headquarters of the Training and Doctrine Command.

The Army said Capt. Derrick Robertson was charged with rape, conduct unbecoming an officer, obstruction of justice, adultery and having an improper relationship with a recruit.

Staff Sgt. Delmar Simpson was charged with rape, forcible sodomy, adultery and obstruction of justice.

Staff Sgt. Nathanael Beach was charged with obstruction of justice, disobeying an officer and having an improper relationship with a female trainee. The disobedience charge relates to an order not have contact with recruits involved in the investigation.

All three face courts-martial. The rape charges are punishable by life in prison. All three men were married. The victims were 21 on average, and all were recruits in their second eight weeks of military training.

The Pentagon would not release any other details of the allegations.