A military judge on Friday ordered an Army lieutenant colonel to receive an official reprimand and pay a nearly $100,000 fine after the officer was found guilty of harassing three junior female officers.
Prosecutors alleged that Lt. Col. Benjamin West, 43, carried out a “step-by-step” escalation of sexual harassment of a female assistant and two other female officers in the I Corps at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, the Stars news outlet reported. and Stripes reported.
West initially faced seven charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including two charges of sexual harassment, one charge of conduct unbecoming an officer, one charge of dereliction of duty and three charges of cruelty and abuse of a subordinate, reported Stars and Stripes.
West faced a prison sentence of fifteen years on these charges.
One in five soldiers experiences sexual harassment, but virtually no one reports it
Instead, the military judge, Lt. Col. Robert Murdough, found West guilty of two of the counts of sexual harassment and one count of cruelty and abuse of a subordinate, and ordered that an official letter of reprimand be added to his personnel file.
He also fined West $92,900.
Murdough provided no explanation for his sentencing decision in court Friday, Stars and Stripes reported.
West waived his right to a jury trial and accepted the judge’s decision on both his conviction and sentencing in what is known as a bench trial.
Civil attorney Ryan Guilds represented one of three female officers harassed by West. After Friday’s hearing, Guilds told Stars and Stripes that the verdict was “bittersweet” because although the military punished West, the incidents caused his client to leave the military.
West took command of the 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Regiment and 17th Field Artillery Brigade in June 2023.
Four months later, in October 2023, he was fired based on these allegations.
Before his sentencing, the 20-year-old army officer addressed his victims in court and asked them to overcome the “shadow” he had cast over their lives through his “despicable behavior,” Stars & Stripes reported.
“I saw the joy you had for the military,” he said. ‘I apologize for taking that from you. I apologize to your family who had to hold you up, pick you up, after what I did.”
West also said that if he is not discharged from the military, he will soon resign from the military.
Lawyers said in court that the decision would likely mean a reduction in rank to major.
West’s behavior had a direct impact on the three female officers who reported his behavior.
One officer said West’s actions put her on “high alert” and contributed to her decision to leave the military early rather than make it a career as she had originally planned.
Another officer said West made her feel “like a complete failure.” She had begun the process of leaving the military, but changed course after moving to another unit that supported her and her fellow troops.
