A military court has found Lieutenant Colonel Herman West guilty of sexually harassing a subordinate, marking one of the first convictions since the 2021 overhaul of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) that criminalized sexual harassment in the military, The New York Times’ Kate Selig reported.
Colonel West, formerly a battalion commander at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State, was accused of making inappropriate comments, engaging in unwanted touching, and creating a hostile environment for female officers under his command. A court-martial judge convicted him of sexual harassment, conduct unbecoming of an officer, and maltreatment. He received a written reprimand and was fined over $92,000.
During sentencing, Colonel West addressed the victim directly, apologizing: “My actions were despicable. You’ve done nothing wrong.” The officer’s name has not been released publicly.
This case represents a milestone for survivors of military harassment. Prior to the 2021 reforms, sexual harassment was not a standalone criminal offense under military law, and commanders had the authority to decide whether to pursue charges. These reforms shifted such decisions to independent prosecutors, addressing decades-long calls from survivors’ advocacy groups and lawmakers to tackle the widespread issue of harassment and abuse in the armed forces.
A recent Department of Defense report highlights the scope of the problem: roughly 7% of active-duty women reported unwanted sexual contact, while nearly 25% experienced harassment in the past year.
The movement gained momentum after the killing of Vanessa Guillén, a 20-year-old Army specialist at Fort Cavazos, Texas, who was murdered while attempting to report sexual harassment by a fellow soldier.
Elisa Cardnell, president of the Service Women’s Action Network, emphasized the importance of this case in fostering cultural change within the military: “The mind-set that no one is above the law, and that these cases should be prosecuted, will hopefully prevent some of these cases from happening in the future.”
While Colonel West’s attorney criticized the severity of the punishment and suggested racial bias may have influenced the outcome, advocates maintain that the conviction sends a strong message about accountability and justice in the military.