Sex For Work: V.I. National Guard Recruiters Passed Female Recruits Around ‘Like A Piece Of Property’ Before They Could Join V.I.N.G., Mapp Says

ST. THOMAS — After reading the findings of a yearlong investigation conducted by the National Guard Bureau on the behavior of some at the Virgin Islands National Guard, Governor Kenneth Mapp, during a Tuesday press conference at Government House here, eviscerated the perpetrators who the report found had preyed on young women, referring to them as “predators.”

The report found that sexual assault, harassment, assault, sexual intercourse for employment (quid pro quo) and fraud were commonplace at V.I.N.G. for years. Our full story is here. Below, find some of the governor’s quotes during today’s press event.

Mapp on recruiters who preyed on young female National Guard recruits

“I just find it abhorrent that a young person could graduate from high school, be a member of the Junior ROTC programs, seek to enter the National Guard and actually be passed around like a piece of property before they can advance in their career.

“And more have been deterred and decided that they want no part of the organization, because their beliefs and their expectations growing up as a young teenager in high school, and as an adult coming out from high school wanting to join an organization, meeting this kind of abhorrent response at the welcome gate that somehow they had to give up some of their personal self to enter an organization, and then try to survive in an organization with that kind of pressure and assault on their person, and then running into those people day-in and day-out as they try to survive in the organization, is totally unacceptable and it is abhorrent.”

Mapp on restructuring at V.I.N.G. because of the findings

“Some persons have lost their jobs. Others have faced and more will face criminal sanctions. Senior officers and other command structures will be transferred into the Virgin Islands National Guard from abroad to assist Brigadier General [Deborah] Howell in correcting these issues. Some members of the local Guard will be transferred to the Department of Defense in Virginia for retraining, and others have been asked to retire and are making their way out of the Virgin Islands National Guard.”

Mapp expresses optimism about V.I.N.G.

“Despite the information provided today, let there be no doubt that the Virgin Islands National Guard is prepared to respond if called upon for an emergency. As governor of these Virgin Islands, I will do what’s necessary to ensure that members of the community who want to serve can do so in an environment where they can flourish, and maybe even someday become the adjutant general, state command sergeant major, or function on the national level.”