The Pentagon has asked its internal watchdog, the inspector general, to probe the military day care system's handling of abuse cases — a move that came late Wednesday, just hours after an investigative report by Military.com was published.
The Military.com investigation revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize protecting base day care centers over children who are victims of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of staff. Reporting further revealed how policies keep parents in the dark while officials formulate a public relations response and have minimal safeguards to guarantee accountability.
“It is paramount that we ensure children on DoD installations are provided a safe, healthy, and caring environment — and their families have confidence in the care provided,” Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon's chief spokesman, told Military.com in an email announcing the referral of the issue to the DoD inspector general.
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Ryder further promised the office will “work together with the military departments to ensure CDC [child development centers] facilities and staff meet the highest standards of care for our children and to promote appropriate accountability.”
The inspector general's office told Military.com in an email that it was reviewing the request “to determine the appropriate course of action” and had no further…
