Last month brought some surprising and welcome news for those striving to clean up issues of sexual assault in the military. In a big step, and for the first time in its 75-year history, the Air Force convicted a general officer after a court-martial trial.
Found guilty of sexual misconduct and assault for an incident that occurred in 2018, Maj. Gen. William T. Cooley (age 56) was sentenced in late-April 2022—and docked just five-month’s pay. Although seemingly light, the reprimand is better than nothing at all.
Let’s look at what happened and why this case is so important and noteworthy to the shifting military legislation landscape.
Cooley’s crime: An August-evening assault
On a warm Saturday night in August 2018, Cooley was attending a backyard barbeque in New Mexico. Several people, both military and civilian, attended the weekend gathering. Later in the evening, Cooley asked his sister-in-law, who was also in attendance at the party, for a ride home.
The woman reports Cooley shared with her his fantasy of having sex with her during the car ride. Without her consent, Cooley, “pressed her up against the driver’s side window, forcibly kissed and groped her through her clothes,” according to an official statement, accusing Cooley of three counts of abusive sexual contact.
After the incident, the woman and her husband reported the assault to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (in December 2019). Early the following year, Cooley was removed from his role at the Air Force Research Laboratory, where he managed a large group of people. Gen. Arnold W. Bunch Jr., who removed Cooley from his position, reassigned Cooley as his own special assistant.
Called to court
The accusations and impending hearing brought this misconduct into the public eye. Cooley was allowed to select if he wanted a trial by jury or judge and he opted for the latter—likely to try and quiet the proceedings in the media. After the week-long hearing, Cooley was ultimately charged by Col. Christina M. Jimenez, a senior military judge at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
Avoiding early dismissal, up to seven years in prison, and a reduction in his military rank, Cooley was found guilty of just one of the three charges and ordered to pay $54,550 over a span of five months (translating to roughly $11,000 monthly, or two-thirds of his salary).
Accountability for all—no matter their rank
Traditionally, victims of sexual misconduct at the hands of military personnel have been demonized by the Armed Forces. Coverups, intimidation, and more have made it difficult for victims of physical, verbal, and psychological abuse to come forward.
The most recent defense spending bill, signed several months ago by President Biden, includes changes to how the military will handle sexual assault and related prosecution. Looking ahead, within the next two years this new law will ensure commanders no longer have the power to oversee court-martial service members accused of murder, sexual assault, child pornography, domestic violence, and other serious crimes. The important shift puts the decision-making power into the hands of independent military prosecutors.
Despite some inroads being made over the past decade to establish better training for military leadership, we must continue to build more advocacy and support for sexual assault survivors.
Greater understanding and sympathy may be growing, and new procedures are being put into place, but there is obviously still much to do. The small win here is that any wrongdoing was recognized. As you’d imagine—if I had my way, the Colonel would have been indicted for the full three counts leveled against him.
But, as Lt. Col. Matthew Neil, who served as lead prosecutor, said, “[If this] result influenced just one survivor to know that his or her attacker’s rank or status would not prevent them from being held accountable, that is a win for the United States and the military justice system.”
Additionally, the survivor’s attorney Ryan Guilds, said in a statement following the verdict, “[This] marks the first time an Air Force general officer has been held responsible for his heinous actions. … Hopefully, this will not be as difficult for the next survivor.”
If you’re a survivor of sexual assault, please know you’re not alone. Reach out for help: You can find confidential support available through the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network’s 24/7 toll-free support line (800-656-4673) or through its online hotline. I also invite you to connect with me personally: Jakia@jmlindley.com.