A pioneering US Army commander has been accused of “forcibly kissing” at least two male subordinates just weeks after her boss was suspended over allegations of soldier abuse.
Colonel Meghann Sullivan, 44, of the Army’s 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade is under investigation, reports Military. com.
She allegedly kissed one man, grabbed another below the belt without his consent and harassed others.
This is reported by two sources close to the investigation Military. com that alcohol was involved in some incidents.
It is unclear if Sullivan is suspended. Military spokesman Sergeant 1st Class Adrian Patoka said the military has “no information on that matter that we can share at this time.”
The revelation comes just weeks after her boss, Colonel Jonathan Chung, was suspended over allegations of abuse and counterproductive leadership. He was accused of putting down his subordinates for petty infractions and of micromanaging his team.
Colonel Meghann Sullivan, 44, of the Army’s 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade, (left) has been accused of forcibly kissing a man and grabbing another below the belt without consent, as well as a pattern of sexual harassment
Sullivan has been in the military for over 20 years. Two sources close to the investigation told Military.com that some incidents involved alcohol abuse
According to her Facebook page, Colonel Sullivan was born in North Carolina and graduated from George Washington University
According to 2021 data from the Department of Defense, male victims of sexual assault make up only 10 percent of all claims in the U.S. military, averaging about 14,000 cases per year.
Sullivan became the first woman to lead the SFAB battalion, according to the Army, taking over in June 2021. The units were established in 2017 and can be recognized by their brown beret with ‘advisor’ tab.
Those in the SFAB help with training and work with partner nations, according to Military.com.
At the time of her promotion, she was called a “phenomenal engineer” and her achievement was listed by the Army as “another example of the great talent residing in our formation.”
“As a senior female advisor, she will also be a great example of the power of inclusion as she engages with militaries across the Indo-Pacific region,” Major General Scott Jackson said at the time.
Sullivan, who has been in the military for more than 20 years, said she was “excited” to take on the role and that “young women would see that you can look and act different and be successful ‘.
The revelation comes just weeks after her boss, Colonel Jonathan Chung (pictured), was suspended over allegations of abuse and counterproductive leadership
Recently, the military has come under fire after it was revealed that a soldier was found dead at Fort Bragg.
Seven North Carolina soldiers who camped with a Fort Bragg paratrooper whose partial remains were found along the coast in 2020 are being court-martialed for conspiracy.
Specialist Enrique Roman-Martinez Eight was last seen by the other seven soldiers assigned to the 37th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division during their foray into North Carolina’s Cape Lookout National Seashore over Memorial Day weekend on May 22, 2020 .
Roman-Martinez’s severed head washed ashore six days later, but his body was never recovered. The manner of his death is listed as murder, but no one has been charged with his death.
Court records show that seven soldiers who last saw Roman-Martinez alive are all charged with conspiracy and disobeying a direct order or rule regarding travel during a travel ban, The Fayetteville Observer reported.
Recently, the military has come under fire after it was revealed that a soldier, Enrique Roman-Martinez Eight, was found dead at Fort Bragg
Citing court documents, the soldiers identified by the newspaper are: Specials Juan Avila, Alex R. Becerra, Joshua L. Curry and Benjamin E. Sibley, as well as Privates Annamarie L. Cochell, Private First Classes Samad A. Landrum and Sergeant Samuel O Moore.
Becerra, Cochell and Landrum all told investigators that they left the island at 3 a.m. on May 22, 2020, to board a ferry in Davis, North Carolina, but omitted the presence of a fourth soldier, according to the indictment forms .
It is not clear whether the fourth soldier was Roman-Martinez.
In addition, Becerra, Landrum and Cochell face other charges such as taking LSD, disobeying a superior or making false statements. Officials have said those allegations are unrelated to Roman-Martinez’s death.
All seven have all been charged and their trials are scheduled for May to September.