Moose

"I will not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those amongst us that do….unless my commander tells me to." The cadet's job at the academy is to learn to be a leader not a snitch. While its a noble cause to oust drug users, rapists and thieves from the cadet ranks, this is not an appropriate way to do so. I wonder how it goes down the road for an outed snitch? The Air Force to day saddens me with its lack of leadership and accountability these days. Our promotion system that promotes paper-pushers, butt-kissers and those that hide from risk has led us to this situation.

Air Force Academy Defends Use of Cadet Informants

Air Force Academy
Associated Press | Dec 04, 2013

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Air Force Academy defended its use of confidential informants after a cadet said he was expelled because of misconduct linked to providing information.
The academy said informants provide vital information about criminal activity, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported Tuesday.
They are instructed to deceive classmates, professors and commanders while helping the Air Force Office of Special Investigations gather information on drug use, sexual assault and other cadet misconduct, the newspaper said.
Cadet Eric Thomas, who was expelled from the academy this year, said he became an informant when he was pressured by OSI agents after he attended an off-campus party that was raided by police.
Thomas, 24, said OSI ordered him to infiltrate academy cliques by wearing recorders, setting up drug buys, tailing suspected rapists and feeding information to investigators. He said he was regularly directed by agents to break academy rules.

He said he helped get 15 convictions on drug charges and two in sexual assault cases.
Thomas said he was kicked out of the school for misconduct ordered by the OSI. He said the unit promised to vouch for him, but no one showed up for his disciplinary hearing.
In its response, the Air Force Academy questioned Thomas' reliability.
In a separate statement, OSI said the informant program is an important and time-proven investigative tool.
Thomas' lawyer, Skip Morgan, said in a letter to the academy superintendent that Thomas' treatment "goes beyond merely disappointing and borders on despicable." The superintendent has not replied.
The Air Force also has not replied to a letter sent by Republican U.S. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota in September asking officials to meet with Thomas, who is from that state.

crewdawg

Reason number 6,590,400,999 I'm glad I went to a normal school!

Ftrooppilot

It's easy to criticize the "snitch" in a military/academic environment. But if your wingman shows up "stoned" for a critical mission, are you going to send him/her home or report (snitch) them to operations ?

Moose

BS. If you are a cadet at the AFA and you know of someone who raped a girl, did cocaine or committed theft, then you have an obligation/duty to turn that person in. It is a whole different story to take a cadet, who is there to learn, and have them do OSI's job. OSI if fully capable of inserting young agents into the AFA to root out this kind of behavior and should not need to coerce cadets in distress into going "undercover." What happens to the "undercover" cadet who gets outed? What is his/her life going to be like for the rest of their time at the Academy and then onto active duty? If I were the parent of a cadet and found out OSI put wires on them and sent them into dangerous/harmful situations I would be incensed. They are supposed to be teaching cadets to be leaders and honorable. This is not the way.

Albief15

I was a double agent for AFROTC at Auburn in the 80s. My job was to infiltrate football games, fraternity parties, sorority events, band parties, and off campus road trips to understand the full depths of depravity and wildness that faced my fellow cadets. I was told to skip classes regularly, go kayak, rock climb, and fly general aviation every chance I could, and also to attempt to form many relationships with southern girls living away from mama the first time. Regular consumption of beer, wine, and liquor was encouraged to ensure credibility. To complete the ruse I had to be threatened by leadership to be kicked out of the AFROTC program several times during my tenure there. Apparently I was not alone in being recruited as there were a couple more familiar faces from ROTC events at some of these events. I think the program was a failure, however, as despite our exposure to such toxic environments we never found anyone to tell on besides ourselves at such events. The program was later cancelled when they realized most of the good cadets ended up flying desks, or washing out of UPT, or getting RIF'd in 1993-1994.

Funny thing is, those decadent events of my alma mater paled in comparison to later experiences in a fighter squadron. Maybe that's why I never saw anyone from my college class in one except for my fellow "party snitch"...

HuggyU2

Albie,

That's terrible. How do you deal with this?? Please contact the VA for some Gov't-funded assistance,... and possibly some additional disability pay.

Don't worry, the money should be there: I hear congress cut some money from a small group of American retirees, so they can use it for stuff like this, and for "undocumented worker" medical insurance, job counseling, and gym memberships.

p.s. Now that I think about it, I find myself in similar situations at most airshows that I go to. Hmmm....

E2CMaster

I wonder if that's why the Navy sent me back to flight school, to spy on the other students?

Nah. They sent me back to cause trouble and keep the club open.

Snarge

Looks like the Nuke Commander was still in party mode... maybe he needed a snitch......

http://rt.com/usa/usaf-general-drunk...en-moscow-529/

rickair7777

Yes.

Caveat on theft...actual stealing, not campus pranks involving temp. relocation of property to amusing locations.

Yes. If you want to be a cop, there are other schools for that. I would argue that in the academy environment undercover ops would be not in keeping with the faith of your fellow cadets (mids in my case). That's violating the spirit if not the letter.

jkhill0

I second Moose's post...let them be students and let OSI do their damn job.