WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- The Pentagon has fired 60 sex assault counselors, recruiters and drill instructors due to child abuse and sexual assault violations, military records indicate.
The disciplinary action follows a review of the records of recruiters and sexual assault counselors, ordered May 17 by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, USAA Today said Friday.
Hagel ordered the review in response to a Pentagon report that found an estimated 26,000 troops had been sexually assaulted in 2012 -- up 35 percent from 2010, the newspaper said.
Record review methods varied among the armed services. The Marines reviewed recruiters' records using the National Sex Offenders Public website and did not identify any personnel for disqualification, while the Army focused on criminal records in sexual assault, child abuse and alcohol-related cases.
Army spokesman George Wright said the branch was reviewing the records of recruiters, sexual-assault counselors and drill instructors. So far, 55 have been fired and that number could grow as the review proceeds toward an expected Oct. 1 completion date.
The Navy fired three recruiters out of the 5,125 it scrutinized, and two of 4,739 counselors.
The Air Force said it did not disqualify any airmen.
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