A West Point Military Academy staff member was charged Wednesday, after allegedly taking naked photos of some female cadets without their knowing.
The Army announced on Wednesday that Sgt. First Class Michael McClendon was charged on grounds of dereliction of duty, cruelty and maltreatment, as well as bad conduct. He supposedly took "inappropriate images" of cadets with no consent.
Army spokesperson George Wright said that McClendon has been moved to Fort Drum in New York while officials conduct an investigation.
Wright also said the Army initiated a no contact order with McClendon and the cadets, prohibiting the soldier from coming near any cadet area.
"The Army will ensure the military justice system works through to its proper conclusion," he said.
McClendon came to West Point in 2009, after serving two tours in Iraq.
The Army has contacted about 12 women to let them know of their potential privacy violation, reported the New York Times.
West Point is the United States' most famed and prestigious military academy. It is known for its forward-thinking faculty, and stands on pillars of discipline and respect.
The news of McClendon's transgression shocked vice chief of staff John Campbell, who said that the Army will pull out all stops to make sure the cadets remain safe.
"Once notified of the violation, a full investigation was launched, followed by swift action to correct the problem," he told USA Today. "Our cadets must be confident that issues such as these are handled quickly and decisively, and that our system will hold those responsible accountable."
According to USA Today, this is just one of the handfuls of sex scandals the military has scrambled to temper in the past month, including a list of financials publicized by Veterans Affairs last week that shed light on the many sexual assault issues in the military.
