Associated Press
Saturday, March 31, 2007

NEW LONDON, Conn., March 30 -- The U.S. Coast Guard Academy has lost its way and is struggling with a climate of distrust and cynicism in which nearly a quarter of cadets say they would not report classmates who commit sexual assault, a task force reported Friday.

The task force, created last year after the first student court-martial in the academy's 130-year history, said the academy must restore its focus on leadership and character to develop the best officers to safeguard the nation's coasts.

Otherwise, the report warned, the academy is in danger of losing the distinct identity that separates it from other colleges.

The task force said that an emphasis on sports and academics has overshadowed leadership development and a focus on core values.

Rear Adm. J. Scott Burhoe, superintendent of the academy, predicted Friday that the report would lead to meaningful change.