A U.S. drill instructor faces the possibility of an army court martial due to an alleged sexual assault of a dozen women with threats of kicking them out of the service if they denied his advances. Bronze Star recipient Sgt. Angel M. Sanchez is accused of inappropriately touching eight female soldiers and raping another four over his past three years of service as a drill sergeant. The incidents took place in units in Afghanistan until 2012 and then later at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. According to the Washington Post, he was relieved of his duties earlier this month after the charges were filed.

The military charge sheet indicates in graphic detail the alleged offenses he had committed. The acts included preying on women, groping them and forcing them to perform oral sex on him. These incidents happened in the barracks, latrines, a closet, stairwell, guard tower, as well as in the women's bathroom and in his office. Other victims complained of being spied on while showering and being watched while naked. He also was said to be verbally obscene. His victims did not immediately file reports for fear of being removed from the Army in case they did not comply.

His defense lawyer, Ernesto Gapasin, plans on challenging the credibility of the witnesses and the government's case in general as it has already been scrutinized for the way sexual harassment cases in the military are being handled. Apparently this is nothing new as the Pentagon received thousands of sexual assault reports last year alone. Senior officers had previously been accused of rape and those who handle assault cases were allegedly assaulters themselves, while females have been labeled as being sexually provocative.

Although thousands of reports have been filed, this singular case is currently the focal point because of the multiplicity of his actions with regards to abuse of his position.