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Sex allegation will not hurt military's links to West Point

Army Command Headquarters said yesterday that an incident concerning a West Point exchange student will not hurt Taiwan's communications and cooperation with the US Military Academy at West Point.

"I assure you that we will do our best to figure out what happened and will make public the result of our investigation as soon as possible," Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Pang Yu-tung (龐豫銅) said in a telephone call with the Taipei Times.

"But, no matter what, this `incident' remains an `incident' and shall not change anything, including our relationship and friendship with the West Point," Pang said.

In a front-page story the Chinese-language United Daily News alleged on Wednesday that a West Point cadet had sex with an unidentified college student after meeting her at a bar. In the article, the woman did not claim she was raped, but said she felt "uncomfortable" after the hotel room tryst.

The report said the cadet had been taken to the bar by a student from the Republic of China Military Academy, surnamed Chuang (莊), who called for female company and introduced the 24-year-old college student to the visiting cadet.

The academy has put Chuang on probation for "damaging the academy's public image and reputation" by taking the cadet to "improper locations" where military personnel are advised not to go.

A number of senior officers have also been disciplined, the academy said in a statement.

The school's principal, Major General Chen Liang-pei (陳良沛), received a major citation while its dean, Major General Yang Nai-sheng (楊迺聲), and spokesman Colonel Lin Hsieh-hsiang (林協詳) received two minor citations.

Cadets Command Center Commander Colonel Hu Chung-shih (胡仲適) was given two citations and transferred to another office. Cadets Battalion Chief Lieutenant Colonel Hsiung Sheng-jung (熊勝榮) and his deputy, Major Cheng Kai (程凱), were both given two major citations.

Pang will chair an special task force to investigate the case, the academy said.
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