A few years back, we were at a holiday party when the host grabbed my butt. I turned in horror and he observed to his friend that what he did was “probably not good.” I scooped up my spouse, explained that I wouldn’t be in the same room with that man again, and I’m happy to report to you all my life has been blissfully unwanted buttgrab free.

The most ideal situation is not having entitled men grab women when they feel they’ll get away with it. The second best outcome was mine: a partner who believed me and respected my desire not to be around someone I’ve deemed unsafe. But I do wonder if I should have made a bigger deal out of it, or sought to learn if this was his common course of conduct. I wondered how many other women deemed him unsafe. I’ve thought about that a lot as I dug into this case.

Lieutenant Colonel Hilton seemed to have a familiarity with women that was both unearned and unwanted. Perhaps to him it was no big deal - he trained as a urologist, someone who saw sensitive areas all day. Perhaps to him a body was a body. But it sure mattered to the women whose bodily autonomy he ignored or overbore over the course of his tenure overseas.

I relied heavily on the AFCCA opinion and an article on the matter from Stripes.

This episode involved discussion of sexual assault. There are a number of resources available for survivors and victim of sexual assault, including the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). They offer a free, confidential national sexual assault hotline at 800-656-HOPE as well as an online chat option.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share, rate and review it wherever you hit play today. I'm happy to receive constructive feedback or case suggestions at conductunbecomingpod@gmail.com. Join me over on Instagram @conductunbecoming!

Disclaimer: Conduct Unbecoming is a podcast where I get to talk about interesting crimes and cases that involve US military service members. I research, write, and produce the podcast myself… the opinions expressed are my own and, perhaps it’s obvious, Conduct Unbecoming is not approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Department of Defense. I am not a military JAG and have never been a military JAG. While I'm a practicing attorney, I don't do direct criminal defense. This podcast is a passion project, not legal advice or expert opinion.

It’s been my experience that women and girls receive a lot of messaging around domestic violence. We’re coached to recognize warning signs and to get out. In hushed conferences, we advise each other to set aside a little money, just in case. We tentatively poke at the edges of relationships to try and discern whether our friends are safe. I don’t offer this to suggest that men cannot or do not suffer from domestic violence, but to highlight that we tend to focus on teaching women what to do if they find themselves embroiled in a violent dynamic. But, in the cases of Air Force Technical Sergeants Jenkins and Edwards, messaging towards men about blending families, managing anger, and having difficult conversations would have been far more helpful to safeguarding the women in their lives.

For more information on intimate partner violence, I urge you to explore Alliance For Hope and their Family Justice Center Alliance. If you need help finding shelter in your area, please visit DomesticShelters.org. Last, but not least, many law schools and courthouses offer free legal assistance for people seeking protective restraining orders.

I relied exclusively on the AFCCA opinions (Jenkins/Edwards) for this episode, and checked the CAAF Daily Journal for updates about further appeals.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share, rate and review it wherever you hit play today. I'm happy to receive constructive feedback or case suggestions at conductunbecomingpod@gmail.com. Join me over on Instagram @conductunbecoming!

Disclaimer: Conduct Unbecoming is a podcast where I get to talk about interesting crimes and cases that involve US military service members. I research, write, and produce the podcast myself… the opinions expressed are my own and, perhaps it’s obvious, Conduct Unbecoming is not approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Department of Defense. I am not a military JAG and have never been a military JAG. While I'm a practicing attorney, I don't do direct criminal defense. This podcast is a passion project, not legal advice or expert opinion.

There are parts of the drive up to the national park atop Haleakala that start to feel a little otherworldly. You’re angled up and climbing quickly, and you can lose sight of the horizon before you crest a hill and reacquaint yourself accordingly. The effects of altitude can be potent, and they can come on quickly. Best practice is, of course, to stop and park to avoid driving unsafely.

For Lieutenant Alkonis, pulling over simply wasn't an option and resulted in his minivan careening into parked cars and pedestrians, killing two people.

I accessed the Congressional record and articles from the Japan Times, American Military News, KUTV, Military.com, CBS, CNN, BBC, Salt Lake Tribune, and Task and Purpose.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share, rate and review it wherever you hit play today. I'm happy to receive constructive feedback or case suggestions at conductunbecomingpod@gmail.com. Join me over on Instagram @conductunbecoming!

Disclaimer: Conduct Unbecoming is a podcast where I get to talk about interesting crimes and cases that involve US military service members. I research, write, and produce the podcast myself… the opinions expressed are my own and, perhaps it’s obvious, Conduct Unbecoming is not approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Department of Defense. I am not a military JAG and have never been a military JAG. While I'm a practicing attorney, I don't do direct criminal defense. This podcast is a passion project, not legal advice or expert opinion.