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Lackland Investigation Continues: Article 32 Hearing In Case Involving Two Trainees

Headquarters to the 37th Training Wing
Ryan Loyd
/
Texas Public Radio
The headquarters to the 37th Training Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The courts-martial are being held inside this building, where the base's legal offices and courtroom are housed.

Air Force officials are processing evidence from an Article 32 hearing against another Military Training Instructor at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

The government is seeking to charge Staff Sgt. Donald Davis with aggravated sexual contact with a trainee, and with having a sexual relationship with a second.

Davis also faces possible charges of cruelty and maltreatment against the first trainee. She testified Thursday and Friday that as her instructor, Davis was initially supportive and offered to help with her physical training. She said she became uncomfortable when he taped her measurements and that after she told him so, he began treating her differently – calling her names, using abusive language, and telling her she was going to fail.

The trainee testified that she suffered retaliation by being transferred out of her flight.

The second trainee testified that she went with Davis to a motel near Lackland to have sex with him. It is a violation of Air Force regulations for instructors to develop any personal relationships with trainees.

Davis is the latest instructor to face charges in the broad Air Force investigation. A total of 25 male instructors are suspected of committing crimes against 48 victims, all female.

The Command Direct Investigation findings released Wednesday said command failures along with weaknesses & gaps in institutional safeguards allowed a culture of abuse and secrecy to grow among the basic training units at Lackland. 

Eileen Pace is a veteran radio and print journalist with a long history of investigative and feature reporting in San Antonio and Houston, earning more than 50 awards for investigative reporting, documentaries, long-form series, features, sports stories, outstanding anchoring and best use of sound.