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The following statement was sent to the USMMA Alumni Association and Foundation (AAF) from Superintendent Vice Admiral Jack Buono '78 yesterday.
We know you are getting a lot of inquiries from alumni about the recent anonymous post concerning a cadet who related an account of rape during Sea Year.
We want you to know that we are deeply concerned and we are absolutely committed to ensuring the safety of our students. Violence at sea and ashore are completely unacceptable under any circumstance, and we are working closely with MARAD headquarters, the Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Coast Guard to determine the appropriate way ahead, given the details we have. We want to make sure this Midshipman gets our full support and any protection she desires, and we want all Midshipmen to know that we are here to listen and to help them, and we encourage them to come forward to get assistance in all cases and report any incident if they choose to do so. We understand that prevention starts with listening to our young leaders. We have been engaging with them already, and will continue to do so.
Be assured that we are engaged and working on potential solutions. We will keep you informed as we are able to, and we want to thank you and our alumni, in advance, for your patience and support.
Acta Non Verba,
VADM Jack Buono '78