Child pornography: The worst way to end your Air Force career Published June 24, 2008 By 52nd Fighter Wing Legal Office SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The internet has facilitated a tremendous information-sharing capability on a global scale, but as internet connectivity has expanded, so has the proliferation of child pornography. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys will be sexually victimized before adulthood. As of Dec. 16, 2007, NCMEC's Child Victim Identification Program has information on over 1,233 child victims from around the world seen in sexually abusive images. Through the end of November 2007, CVIP analysts reviewed seized child pornography collections from more than 11,650 investigations across the country, through the Child Recognition and Identification System. Sadly, Spangdahlem Airmen have contributed to the CVIP collection. In January 2007, Senior Airman Shawn E. Messick, 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, was found guilty of possessing child pornography and was sentenced to 2 years confinement, reduction to E-1, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and a bad conduct discharge. The following year, in January 2008, Senior Airman Robert E. Gorman, 726th Air Mobility Squadron, was found guilty of possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 3 years confinement, reduction to E-1 and a dishonorable discharge. And just recently, in June 2008, Senior Airman Robert S. Gruss, 52nd Equipment Maintenance Squadron, was found guilty of possession of child pornography. Airman Gruss had been viewing and downloading child pornography from March through December 2006. Airman Gruss was sentenced to 30 months confinement, reduction to E-1 and a dishonorable discharge. Any military member who is caught viewing, possessing, distributing or producing child pornography, may be court-martialed under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Depending on the facts and circumstances, the maximum sentence that could be imposed for this offense is confinement of 10 years, total forfeiture of pay, a fine, reduction to E-1 and a dishonorable discharge. Civilian employees could similarly face prosecution in U.S. Federal District Court under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act. For military and civilians, sex offender registration is mandatory. The child pornographer takes a child's innocence, self-esteem and dignity. Once on the internet, the images remain in cyberspace, potentially, forever. No Airman should contribute to this cycle of humiliation by engaging in this criminal behavior. Anyone who has knowledge of someone producing, distributing, viewing or possessing child pornography, can help stop the cycle. It needs to be reported to law enforcement authorities.