By Franklin Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Friday, September 9, 2005



PYEONGTAEK, South Korea — A military jury at Kunsan Air Base on Wednesday found an airman guilty of raping a female airman in her dorm room and sentenced him to five years in prison and a dishonorable discharge, officials said.

Senior Airman Eric Barber, 23, of the 8th Logistics Readiness Squadron also was sentenced to forfeiture of all pay and allowances.

Earlier Wednesday, the six-member jury of U.S. Air Force officers found Barber guilty of rape and of making a false official statement, said 1st Lt. Brooke Brander, a spokeswoman for the 8th Fighter Wing. The panel found him not guilty of a burglary charge but guilty of a lesser charge of unlawful entry.

The rape occurred April 9 in a dorm at the base, which is home to the 8th Fighter Wing, also known as the Wolf Pack. Barber’s squadron is part of the wing.

Barber’s general court-martial began Tuesday before military judge Col. Steven A. Hatfield, chief military judge of the Pacific Circuit, out of Yokota Air Base, Japan.

Prosecutors said Barber and the victim lived in the same dorm and were drinking together at an on-base lounge a few hours before the incident, according to Wolf Pack chief spokesman Capt. Richard Komurek. That was just days after the Wolf Pack completed a rigorous biannual inspection known as an ORI, or operational readiness inspection.

Sometime between 9 and 10 that night, prosecutors told the court, Barber and another male airman escorted the woman to her room, made sure she got to bed, and left, Komurek said.

But sometime after midnight, prosecutors said, Barber returned to the room and raped her.

On Tuesday, defense lawyer Capt. Christina Jimenez told the court that Barber contended he and the woman had consensual sex, Komurek said.

Also Tuesday, the other male airman, Senior Airman David Comstock, testified he and Barber left the woman in a passed-out state.

The woman told a friend she’d been raped. The friend told their unit first sergeant and an investigation ensued.

Kunsan-based agents of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations questioned Barber on April 15. Prosecutors asserted he provided them with two conflicting written statements about the incident. That led to the eventual charge of making a false official statement.

The Air Force charged Barber in the case June 1.

Barber was to be transported Thursday morning to the Eighth U.S. Army Confinement Facility at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Brander said.

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I'm sure there are many people with opinions, but most refrain from voicing them, and that is probably best. "Opinions are like (say, noses) everyone has one".

No one wants to be raped, and no one wants to be accused of being a rapist. Sorry, it happens. Only those involved know what really happened, and, sadly, even they may not be sure, DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF TOO MUCH ALCOHOL! Alcohol is the real culprit here. Both young airmen are the victims! Now both victims will suffer, perhaps their lives ill be changed forever.
It isn't worth it. Don't let your friends get drunk! (And after you put someone to bed, then LOCK THE DOOR!)

Very few folks know about this incident...and some of the party that was with Barber that night are still at Kunsan...thanks to the extension they recieved in the court martial trial. Barber and the other two folks that were with him that night, used to be augmentees for base level exercises, and they were both members of my flight. i've never had a problem with Barber..but his other friends...gets under my skin from time to time...and shows no respect, with him just being a 2 striper.

You be very surprise how many folks know about this incident. I've read about it on Stars and strips...and seen the blotter entry on it..due to me being a cop. We have had numerious sex assualt briefings this year..and Kunsan is a haven for this type of action. Tons of folks at Kunsan just drinks to get slam piss drunk...and we have a few hot girls (well they are hot when they are drunk)...and this is when the assualt takes place.

We have had numerious sex assualt cases takes place that no one knows about except for AFOSI and of course cops. i'll just share a few that took place last year, that no ones knows about: We had a MSgt assualt a A1C, a Capt assualt an SrA, and A male SrA assault another male SrA(pretty sick isn't it). This stuff happens all the time...and it can happen to you too!!

Best preventive tool....Don't get drunk and be in a place that puts you alone with another female, or with folks younger in rank too you.....this is just my 2 won worth!