Complaint Against Fighter Pilot Culture Continues

TSgt Jennifer Smith made waves in 2012 when she filed public complaints summarizing large parts of the Air Force fighter pilot culture — complete with copies of songbooks and doofer books. Her complaint was investigated by both the Inspector General and her chain of command, and multiple officers — commanders — were punished as a result of the environment they had allowed.

According to the Air Force Times, Smith is now retired at 18 years of service and has appealed the results of those investigations: 

A complaint, filed Tuesday on behalf of retired Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Smith, says the Air Force investigation “makes excuses for offenders” and “minimizes the seriousness of the offenses.”

In her appeal to the Air Force, Smith is seeking a re-investigation of allegations of sexual harassment she made two years ago — this time an investigation by military officials outside her chain of command.

That summary is odd, because the Inspector General investigation — one of at least two that occurred — was outside of her chain of command.

TSgt Smith’s complaint was also mentioned in an article belittling a comment by Air Force IG LtGen Stephen Mueller, who lamented the retirement of Lt Gen Craig Franklin — who had overturned LtCol James Wilkerson’s sexual assault conviction. Gen Mueller was concerned Franklin’s ‘forced’ retirement over the sexual assault issue would make other commanders prosecute everything in an overabundance of caution — to the detriment of the “balance of justice.”

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