A decade after the Pentagon began confronting rape in the ranks, the U.S. military frequently fails to provide justice to the children of service members when they are sexually assaulted by other kids on base.
An Associated Press investigation finds that sex assault cases occurring where military kids live and learn often die on the desks of prosecutors. Criminal investigators shelved an unknown number of reports.
Instead of punishment or rehabilitation, offenders may be shuffled into the civilian world.
The Pentagon doesn't know the extent of the problem. In Arizona, records the military acknowledges are incomplete show at least nine sex assault reports among children since 2007. Fort Huachuca accounted for eight, including two rapes. The other was at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma.
Pentagon officials promised "appropriate actions."
