The probe by the air force's general counsel was ordered after a burst of complaints that female cadets had been ignored, and sometimes punished, after reporting sexual assaults by upperclassmen at the elite service school.

There have been an average of 14 allegations of sexual assault a year over the past decade, but on average only six a year have been investigated, the report said.

The investigation reviewed only the academy's processes for dealing with sexual misconduct -- not the specific complaints made by more than two dozen cadets, which were brought to light by Colorado Senator Wayne Allard. Those are being investigated by the Air Force's inspector general.

The general counsel's probe found "no systemic acceptance of sexual assault at the academy, institutional avoidance of responsibility, or systemic maltreatment of cadeys who report sexual assault."

However, it said "the focus on sexual assault issues had varied over time and lessened in recent years, and a number of culture and process matters are problematic."

"Collectively, they produced a less than optimal environment to deter and respond to sexual assault or bring assailants to justice," it said.

The report faulted a system of reporting allegations of abuse that shielded the confidentiality of victims from commanders at the school and largely left to the victim the decision whether to prosecute.

"Consequently, there may be very little information to act upon to deal with assailants, and delays in cadet decisions to provide information can significantly impair the ability to obtain the evidence necessary to a successful prosecution," it said.

"This has the result of impairing the academy leadership's ability to assure justice and to prevent commission of cadets who are not fit for military services," it said.

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