Reckoning with Betrayal: Can Lawsuits Transform the Coast Guard Academy?
When Reporting Isn't Enough
Since September 2024, 22 former cadets have filed lawsuits against the Coast Guard Academy under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), calling for accountability in response to decades of systemic failures. For these plaintiffs, legal action represents more than just recourse; it’s a mechanism for demanding deep change and exposing longstanding institutional failures.
In recent years, the Coast Guard Academy (CGA) has faced intense scrutiny following revelations from Operation Fouled Anchor—a widespread investigation that exposed decades of unaddressed sexual misconduct and institutional cover-ups. These findings have left many wondering how such a culture could develop and thrive within a revered institution, and, more importantly, how it might be dismantled. One potential avenue for cultural transformation at CGA is through accountability lawsuits, which can demand transparency, uphold victims’ rights, and set standards that safeguard future cadets.
As a recent Senate report on Operation Fouled Anchor put it, the Academy’s “culture of ostracization, shaming, and disbelief deterred victims of abuse from reporting” and discouraged transparency at every level . Through the courts, these plaintiffs are challenging these toxic norms, compelling CGA to take accountability for a culture that has allowed pervasive sexual misconduct to persist unchecked.
The Power of FTCA Lawsuits to Demand Accountability and Transparency
A significant problem identified in the Senate report is CGA’s lack of transparency and accountability when addressing sexual misconduct. Senator Richard Blumenthal highlighted that, despite CGA’s claims of a commitment to transparency, the Academy often resisted providing critical information to the subcommittee investigating these issues. As the report underscores, “Until the Coast Guard is willing to fully reckon with its failures, it will remain tethered to them” . By demanding accountability through the FTCA, these lawsuits challenge CGA’s resistance to full disclosure and force a confrontation with the institution’s failures.
The FTCA also offers an avenue to address the Academy’s past failures to prosecute sexual misconduct as criminal matters, often treating cases as administrative issues instead. According to the Senate report, CGA historically mishandled sexual misconduct cases, often prioritizing cadet perpetrators’ careers over victims’ well-being. Victims reported cases being adjudicated through non-judicial punishments rather than criminal trials, a process that one whistleblower described as a “slap in the face to all of his victims” . Such lawsuits can demand justice not only for individual cases but also for policy reforms to prevent similar failures in the future.
Reclaiming Voice and Power for Victims
By filing accountability lawsuits under the FTCA, these 22 former cadets are reclaiming their voices and pushing for institutional recognition of the harm caused. The Senate report highlights testimonies from cadets and whistleblowers who faced ostracization and disbelief when they reported sexual assaults, often leading to career-ending consequences for victims rather than their perpetrators. Legal action allows victims to hold CGA accountable for this culture of betrayal, demanding reforms that affirm the rights and dignity of future cadets.
Toward a Safer and Transparent Academy
Beyond individual justice, these FTCA lawsuits have the potential to drive systemic changes within CGA. They set a precedent that challenges the stigma surrounding reporting, strengthens protections for future cadets, and compels CGA to become a place where honor, respect, and duty are truly upheld. For those pursuing these lawsuits, the ultimate goal is not only accountability but also a safer and more transparent Academy, where every cadet’s well-being is prioritized.