The previous commander of 1st Brigade Fight Staff, 1st Cavalry Division, was charged with sexually assaulting one other officer’s spouse, based on courtroom paperwork reviewed by Navy.com.
Col. Jon Meredith, an armor officer, was arraigned Monday at Fort Cavazos, Texas, the bottom previously generally known as Fort Hood, and faces a court-martial. Meredith has been charged with abusive sexual contact and conduct unbecoming an officer.
Army paperwork say that Meredith touched the breasts, interior thigh and genitals of one other officer’s civilian spouse “with intent to arouse and gratify his and her needs” in July. Meredith, a married man, additionally kissed her repeatedly and advised her he needed to have intercourse along with her, the paperwork allege.
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The Army has tried to be extra aggressive lately ousting troopers who’re accused of sexual assault and harassment, significantly after the grotesque 2020 slaying of Spc. Vanessa Guillén at Fort Cavazos, which caught nationwide consideration and drew intense scrutiny from the media and Congress on how the service protects ladies.
Excessive-profile courts-martial towards colonels, significantly for sexual assault, are comparatively uncommon.
Final 12 months, an Air Power basic was convicted of intercourse abuse, making historical past as the primary basic within the service to be prosecuted by court-martial. Maj. Gen. William Cooley, the previous head of the Air Power Analysis Laboratory, was accused by his sister-in-law of pinning her, kissing her, placing his hand on her breast after which shifting his hand to between her legs after a short drive following a household barbecue in August 2018.
In Meredith’s case, the courtroom paperwork say he went uninvited to the home of the girl whereas her Army officer husband was taking part in a subject coaching train. Throughout that go to, he allegedly groped her and made sexual advances.
Meredith was fired from his job in command in October 2022 after being on the helm since Could 2021. His court-martial is ready for Oct. 18.
Meredith is married to Col. Ann Meredith, who was additionally ousted from her position commanding the 89th Navy Police Brigade, additionally at Fort Cavazos, in February. She initially took command of the brigade in July 2022.
In a social media publish reviewed by Navy.com, Ann Meredith alleges she was initially suspended from command after sending a textual content message that was perceived as doubtlessly influencing the investigation into her husband’s conduct. The small print of that textual content message couldn’t be independently verified.
— Steve Beynon may be reached at Steve.Beynon@navy.com. Observe him on Twitter @StevenBeynon.
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