After requesting an official inquiry into sexual abuse within the Alaska National Guard, on Thursday a spokesperson for Gov. Sean Parnell says defense officials are following through.
A spokeswoman for Gov. Sean Parnell says Pentagon officials will conduct a federal investigation of allegations of sexual abuse by several Alaska National Guard members. Parnell's office this week released a Feb. 28 letter to National Guard Bureau chief Gen. Frank Grass that asks for an investigator to be appointed to examine open and closed investigations of alleged sexual assault. Parnell spokeswoman Sharon Leighow says Grass quickly responded, and Parnell met last week with officials, including Col. Christian Rofrano, the chief counsel of the National Guard Bureau. Leighow says the scope of an investigation was discussed. Alaska National Guard officials have said 29 cases of sexual assault have been reported since 2009. Of those, 21 were closed or suspended after law enforcement got involved.