A female Army commander of the 5th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 5th SFAB has been accused of sexually assaulting her male subordinates, according to two unnamed sources familiar with the matter, Military.com reported.
Col. Meghann Sullivan is facing allegations that she assaulted at least two male subordinates and harassed several others in what sources claim is a “pattern of sexual harassment,” Military.com reported, citing two unnamed sources. Some of the alleged incidents involved alcohol and at least one of the assaults resulted in forceful kissing, according to the outlet. Another alleged assault involved Sullivan grabbing a subordinate below the belt without his consent, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Reports Of Sexual Assault At Military Academies Shot Up 18% During The Last School Year)
Female Commander Investigated over Alleged Sexual Assaults of Male Subordinates, Pattern of Harassment https://t.co/jAITqYOvCF
— Military.com (@Militarydotcom) April 25, 2023
Sullivan made history when she took command of the 5th Battalion, 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington in June 2021, as the first female commander of an SFAB battalion, the Army announced at the time.
Earlier in April, the commander of the Army’s 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade, Col. Jonathan Chung, was removed from his position over allegations of poor and “toxic” leadership, according to another report by Military.com.
“He was the worst leader I’ve ever had, toxic, selfish and egotistical,” one Army officer told the outlet. “I was getting screamed at multiple times for reasons I can’t understand.” Chung would reportedly dress down his subordinates routinely in public in what became commonly known as “The Chunger Games,” the outlet reported.
Another commander within the SFAB defended Chung at the time of his removal, telling the outlet he had an “unfair reputation,” and that his strict style of leadership simply rubbed some soldiers the wrong way.
“I am not facing allegations regarding any illegal, immoral or unethical matters,” Chung wrote in an email obtained by the Military.com. “I am facing allegations that are centered around perceived counterproductive and toxic leadership issues.”
A spokesperson for the Security Force Assistance Command could not disclose any information regarding the accusations leveled at Sullivan or her future as a commander within the SFAB.
“We have no information on that matter that we can share at this time,” Sgt. 1st Class Adrian Patoka told Military.com in a statement. “We take any and all allegations seriously and handle them appropriately as circumstances dictate.”
A request for comment from the Daily Caller was not immediately returned.
April is recognized in military and civilian communities as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM). During this time, the Department of Defense (DoD) focuses on “creating the appropriate culture to eliminate sexual assault and requiring a personal commitment from all Service members.”