As word spread about a risqué web video — starring bikini-clad women and filmed on an Army base — the Special Forces unit involved scrambled to erase all reference to their participation, according to documents obtained by Army Times.
"What's done is done, however, we need to remove units and names," wrote an unidentified person in an e-mail released as part of a Freedom of Information Act request for the Utah National Guard's investigation into the incident. "I am sure they will understand the negative feedback we are getting from the 'Behind the Scenes' footage, none of which puts SF in a favorable light with wives, mothers, etc., if the [unit's inclusion in the video] credits are not dropped."
The heavily redacted documents also show there were some mixed opinions about whether the video, which was a behind-the-scenes piece to accompany the 2015 Hot Shots Calendar, was inappropriate.
"I didn't think it was that bad, not bad enough to hunt for blood," one of the e-mails read. "Showed it to my [redacted] last night, [redacted] thinks the uptight [redacted] need to get over themselves."
Another e-mail read: "What can I say. On a personal level … awesome! Professionally… Hmmm."
Those e-mail remarks indicate the mixed messages regarding sexist behavior and materials that objectify women within military culture, wrote the officer appointed to investigate whether two senior officers in 19th Special Forces Group were aware of their soldiers' participation in the photo shoot.
"I don't believe this simply [was] a matter of a bunch of 'uptight Mormons' being upset over a video as [redacted] suggests in his 15 October 2014 e-mail," an investigating officer wrote in the report. "I believe across all religions including the LDS faith and among those with no religious preference, we are divided on whether a calendar shoot with women in bikinis is simply 'not a big deal' or whether it goes contrary to our core values."
The two senior officers were cleared in the 15-6 of allegations of dereliction of duty, but a separate investigation into the photo shoot itself resulted in discipline for four Utah Guard soldiers.
The most serious punishment was handed down to a senior noncommissioned officer with 19th Group. He received a general officer letter of reprimand, was relieved from his leadership position and was forced to retire early, said Lt. Col. Steven Fairbourn, a spokesman for the Utah Guard.
That soldier is no longer in the Guard, Fairbourn said Wednesday.
Three other soldiers — one officer and two NCOs — were disciplined for their unauthorized involvement and for allowing the use of military property during the shoot. They faced either general officer or O-6 letters of reprimand for their different levels of involvement, Fairbourn said. One of the soldiers also had to repay $200 for fuel used by the military vehicles during the photo and video shoot.
Fairbourn previously has said the three soldiers took part in the video after getting permission from a senior official who shouldn't have given them the green light. This senior official is presumably the one relieved, though it's unclear from the heavily redacted documents.
The Hot Shots Calendar was created primarily to raise money for the United Kingdom-based Help for Heroes charity, according to the calendar's website.
Four soldiers were punished for their involvement with the production of Hot Shots Calendar 2015.
Photo Credit: Screen shot
The Smith Optics rep told the soldier that 50 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the calendar would be split between American and British wounded veteran organizations, according to the report.
The soldier told the rep that he would contact his chain of command because he wasn't in a position to approve soldier participation. Shortly after that, an agreement was made over lunch to provide vehicles, weapons and use of a training area. The name of the person who made the agreement was redacted in the copy of the report released to Army Times.
The calendar shoot took place May 27-31, and soldiers from 19th Group and the 640th Regional Training Institute "facilitated and participated" in the event, according to the report.
"The event resulted in the production of a calendar and behind-the-scenes video featuring scantily-clad women posing with Utah Army National Guard equipment while on National Guard property," the report states.
Guard equipment used during the shoot included a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle, a lightweight tactical all-terrain vehicle, a Humvee, a Ground Mobility Vehicle and a Zodiac. Also used were several M4 rifles, the M249 squad-automatic weapon, the M240 machine-gun, the Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle-Heavy, and one M109 Paladin.
During the shoot, the crew set up makeup and hair stations on the Special Forces company's drill floor, according to the report. The shoot lasted four days in the company area and at the Guard training area known as Tickville Training Area Compound. The fifth day of the shoot was at Big Shot Ranch, a private special weapons test center and corporate firearms country club west of Salt Lake City, Utah.
The officer who conducted the 15-6 investigation looked at eight allegations, including discrediting the Guard, dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming an officer, and the sale, waste or destruction of military property owned by the Utah Guard.
One soldier, whose name was redacted, was found to have allowed the "misuse of government resources to facilitate the for-profit calendar shoot and video that portrayed the Utah National Guard and the military in a salacious, unprofessional and demeaning manner."
That same soldier did not seek the proper approvals nor process the request for participation through the proper channels. The video "greatly eroded public trust," the report states.
The soldiers involved also were cited for "willfully directing or authorizing man hours" of Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) and Active Duty Operational Support (ADOS) soldiers, fuel for vehicles and "wear-and-tear on equipment" to support the shoot.
The officer who conducted the 15-6 investigation looked at eight allegations, including discrediting the Guard, dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming an officer, and the sale, waste or destruction of military property owned by the Utah Guard.
Photo Credit: Screen shot
An "unauthorized and untrained calendar model" also was allowed to drive the Paladin, the report states.
There was no evidence that any of the soldiers received nor were promised any compensation, the investigation found. There also was no evidence that any ammo or pyrotechnics belonging to the Guard were used during the shoot. The soldiers also did not drink, nor did they participate in any activity that would be considered inappropriate with the models or camera crew, the investigator found.
He also found that "most of the soldiers participating thought the shoot had been approved by their chain of command," according to the report.
"Although the video is extremely inappropriate and salacious, it is short clips spliced together from many hours of shooting," the report states. "The individuals I interviewed are professional soldiers, specifically the soldiers in the 19th Special Forces Group. They are a highly motivated group that believes they were supporting a command-approved event and worked to help their fellow soldier and B Company. With proper training, education and strong command emphasis, these types of incidents can be avoided in the future."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Michelle Tan is the editor of Army Times and Air Force Times. She has covered the military for Military Times since 2005, and has embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Haiti, Gabon and the Horn of Africa.
