Tailhook 91 Part 2 For sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents, Mail Stop: SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-9328 ISBN 0-16-041663-9 INSPECTOR GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 400 ARMY NAVY DRIVE ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA 22202-2884 April 12, 1993 MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SUBJECT: Report of Investigation: Tailhook 91 - Part 2, Events of the 35th Annual Tailhook Symposium We have completed the second of two reports regarding Tailhook 91. The enclosed report, "Tailhook 91 - Part 2, Events at the 35th Annual Tailhook Symposium," describes what transpired at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel between September 8 and 12, 1991. The report, which was completed in mid-February, provides infor- mation on the status of our investigation as of January 31, 1993. Misconduct at the 1991 Tailhook Symposium was more widespread than previously reported by the Navy. We identified 90 victims of indecent assault. In addition, we documented a significant number of incidents of indecent exposure, and other types of sexual misconduct, as well as other improprieties by Navy and Marine Corps officers. We established that more than 50 officers made false statements to us during the investigation. Investigative files on at least 140 officers are being referred to the Acting Secretary of the Navy for consideration of appropriate action. All individual files and records developed during the investigation will be made available to the convening authorities for review. Administrative or disciplinary action may be warranted against other officers whose actions and conduct are described in these records. In addition, investigative files regarding the 30 Navy flag officers, 2 Marine Corps general officers and 3 Navy Reserve flag officers who attended Tailhook 91 will be forwarded to the Acting Secretary of the Navy after you have had an opportunity to review them. I believe the files pertaining to the flag officers should be evaluated outside of the convening authorities to determine whether action is warranted with respect to the responsibility of each flag officer for the overall leadership failure that culminated in the events of Tailhook 91. I would appreciate being advised of the actions taken by you or the Navy with respect to the report. I will, of course, make myself and the OIG staff available to discuss the matter further with the new Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the convening authorities and their legal staffs. Derek J. Vander Schaaf Deputy Inspector General Enclosure February 1993 Foreword In this report,we have attempted to describe the events that occurred at the 35th Annual Symposium of the Tailhook Association (Tailhook 91) in as possible. We determined that at least 90 indecent assaults took place and a considerable amount of improper and indecent conduct occurred. Although our purpose is not to shock or offend readers or to sensationalize the accounts of the various incidents, there are sections of the report that contain graphic language. After considerable reflection regarding how best to present our findings, we determined that general descriptions and euphemisms failed to convey a full impression of the prevailing atmosphere in which the assaults took place. We have used a few pictures from the more than 800 obtained during the investigation where we believe a picture would significantly enhance the readers' understanding of the general situation or particular event. Some of the pictures are offensive and not in good taste, but they add to any description of what took place. We chose not to use many of the pictures, particularly those depicting indecent exposure, because they did not convey any better understanding than the descriptions used in the report. It is important to understand that the events at Tailhook 91 did not occur in a historical vacuum. Similar behavior had occurred at previous conventions. The emerging pattern of some of the activities, such as the gauntlet, began to assume the aura of "tradition. " There is even some evidence to suggest that Tailhook 91 was "tame" in comparison to earlier conventions. Although there were some attempts made in past years to curb improper behavior, such attempts were ineffective. In fact, many of the younger of officers who attended Tailhook 91 felt the excesses that occurred there were condoned by the Navy. This belief is understandable given that the Navy continued to support the Tailhook Association and the annual convention notwithstanding the knowledge on the part of many senior Navy leaders of significant misconduct that had taken place at prior conventions. More disturbingly, the evidence indicates that at least one former high-ranking civilian Navy official engaged in lewd behavior at a prior Tailhook convention in front of junior officers. There is no excuse for the misconduct and unbecoming behavior that occurred at Tailhook 91. However, to be fair to those engaged in nonassaultive activities, such as indecent exposure and drunkenness, the reader must keep in mind that an atmosphere was permitted to develop over a period of years which encouraged officers to act in inappropriate ways. Finally, we recognize that the effects of Tailhook 91 have had a negative impact on the morale of many members of the Navy. We believe that neither the entire Navy nor the aviation community generally should be judged on the basis of the misconduct of some of officers at Tailhook, and we commend the many loyal and dedicated Navy and Marine Corps aviators who continually perform their duties in an exemplary fashion. TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword i Table of Contents iii Section Page I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I-1 II. SCOPE AND INVESTIGATIVE METHODOLOGY II-1 A. Scope II-1 B. Methodology II-2 III. THE TAILHOOK ASSOCIATION III-1 A. Background III-1 B. Professional Aspects of Tailhook 91 III-1 C. Relationship Between the Navy and the Tailhook Association III-2 IV. WITNESS AND NAVY COOPERATION IV-1 V. SQUADRON HOSPITALITY SUITES V-1 A. Background V-1 B. Tailhook 91 V-3 VI. INDECENT ASSAULTS VI-1 A. Gauntlet VI-1 B. Victims VI-13 C. Other Assaults and Injuries VI-16 VII. INDECENT EXPOSURE VII-1 A. Streaking VII-1 B. Mooning VII-2 C. "Ballwalking" VII-2 VIII. OTHER IMPROPER ACTIVITY VIII-1 A. Leg Shaving VIII-1 B. "Belly/Navel Shots" VIII-3 C. Pornography VIII-3 D. Chicken Fights VIII-4 E. "Butt Biting" VIII-4 F. "Zapping" VIII-5 G. Public and Paid Sex VIII-8 IX. SECURlTY IX-1 A. Las Vegas Hilton Hotel IX-1 B. Tailhook Association IX-3 X. OFFICER ATTITUDES AND LEADERSHIP ISSUES X-1 A. Officer Attitudes X-1 B. The Failure of Leadership X-4 Field Grade Officers X-7 Flag Officers X-8 Xl. CONCLUSIONS XI-1 Appendix A. Tailhook 91 Agenda A-1 B. Tailhook Association Submittal B-1 C. Navy Submittal C-1 D. Glossary of Squadron Designators D-1 E. Individual Squadron Suite Summaries E-1 F. Individual Victim/Assault Summaries F-1 G. List of Flag Officers G-1 Figure 1 All Interviewees by Affiliation II- 4 2 Navy and Marine Corps Officer Interviewees by Rank II- 5 3 The Las Vegas Hilton Hotel V-4 4 View of Crowded Pool Patio Area Taken During Daylight Hours V-5 5 Rhino Mural and Stand V-7 6 Tailhook Invitation V-8 7 Gauntlet Area VI-5 8 Third Floor Hallway, Las Vegas Hilton Hotel VI-5 9 T-Shirt Worn by Some Tailhook 91 Attendees VI-14 10 Victims VI-15 11 Closeup View of "Free Leg Shaves" Sign VIII-2 12 Visible "Free Leg Shaves" Sign VIII-3 13 Squadron "Zappers" Displayed on Clothing VIII-6 14 Stripper's Display of "Zapper" VIII-7 15 Aviator Igniting Alcohol on Pool Patio IX-2 16 "Women Are Property" T-Shirt X-4 17 A-6 Intruder Refueling Probe E-1 18 Rhino Suite Attendees, Some Wearing Rhino Headgear E-20 19 Aviator Wearing Rhino Headgear E-21 Fold-in (All Fold-ins Follow Page V-6) 1 Overview of the Third Floor and Pool Deck/Patio Area of the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel 2 Overview of the Third Floor Showing the Hallway and Adjoining Squadron Hospitality Suites 3 Overview of the Third Floor Hallway and Adjoining Hospitality Suites Indicating Those Reported Incidents of Indecent Assault on Thursday, September 5, 1991 4 Overview of the Third Floor Hallway and Adjoining Hospitality Suites Indicating Those Reported Incidents of Indecent Assault on Friday, September 6, 1991 5 Overview of the Third Floor Hallway and Adjoining Hospitality Suites Indicating Those Reported Incidents of Indecent Assault on Saturday, September 7, 1991