The Air Force will soon decide whether to convene a public hearing, possibly at Wright-Patterson, to hear evidence against Gurney. If that takes place, the Air Force would use the hearing’s record to determine whether to refer Gurney for a court-martial proceeding, pursue administrative punishment including possible loss of rank and forfeiture of pay, or drop the charges.
The 375th Air Mobility Wing at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., will make these decisions. Hoffman requested that the case be transferred to another command because he had directly supervised Gurney as command chief.
Conviction at a court-martial could result in prison, dishonorable discharge, or both. If a court-martial is ordered, it would likely convene at Scott Air Force Base.
The offenses allegedly occurred between June 1, 2007, and Nov. 13, 2009. Gurney, a 27-year Air Force veteran who graduated from high school in 1982, was assigned to the AFMC headquarters in February 2008.
According to the Air Force charges, Gurney’s victims included 10 women who held Air Force ranks lower than his: three technical sergeants, three master sergeants, two staff sergeants and two senior airmen. A potential 11th witness against him was present while he was having sex with another woman, according to the Air Force.
A complaint by one of the airmen that Gurney had sexually harassed her prompted the investigation that resulted in the charges.
The AFMC has declined to make Gurney, who remains on active duty, available for comment. His Air Force lawyer, Capt. Kristin McCall, has declined to comment on the allegations.
As in the civilian justice system, an accused military member is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Among the accusations:
- Gurney, who is married, had sex with two of the technical sergeants, also married, and two of the master sergeants, also married. Adultery violates the Uniform Code of Military Justice, placed in a category of conduct that could be detrimental to the order and discipline of the armed forces, could damage morale or respect for authority, and could bring discredit to the armed forces.
- Gurney had sex in the presence of a master sergeant, and repeatedly and deliberately made sexual remarks to the victims.
- He repeatedly sent one woman text messages "of a personal and sexual nature," sent her semi-nude images of himself and asked her "to participate in a sexual threesome."
- He attempted to influence Air Force personnel to assign airmen to the area where he worked so that he could pursue sexual relationships.
- That at least one of his extramarital affairs with an airman, occurring on or about Nov. 10, 2009, happened at or near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
- He used his Defense Department computer, government-issued cellular telephone and government e-mail account "for other than official use." The Air Force declined to publicly elaborate on this charge.
Once the charges against Gurney are resolved, the Air Force could consider whether there is a basis for pursuing charges against any or all of the airmen involved in extramarital relationships with him, said Karen Petitt, a spokeswoman at Scott Air Force Base.
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