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. At Fort Meade, records the Army acknowledges are incomplete document at least nine sex assault cases among children or teens since 2007. Five were rape investigations. There was one report at Naval Support Activity Annapolis.
Pentagon officials promised to take "appropriate actions."
