Nearly 100 cadets at the Air Force Academy in Colorado are being investigated after widespread cheating was discovered on a weekly knowledge test, which is a violation of the school's honor code.
Dozens of cadets "have admitted to either cheating or tolerating cheating" on the test and were punished, a news release from the school said. Those who admitted to the honor code violations "have received punitive sanctions and rehabilitation actions."
Honor code violations are overseen by the cadets themselves, Jeff Troth, an Air Force Academy spokesman, told Military.com, and punishments are issued by the students.
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"We will not lie, steal or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does. Furthermore, I resolve to do my duty and to live honorably, (so help me God)," the Air Force Honor Code states.
Troth told Military.com that the knowledge tests are for freshmen and are given online each week to test the cadets on general information about the Air Force. He was not aware of anyone being expelled for the cheating violations, he said.
"The honor code is foundational to the U.S. Air Force Academy and the character necessary of warrior leaders," Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, the academy superintendent, said in a news release. "Everyone at our academy must live and enforce the honor code."
Air Force Academy officials said they're still investigating whether other cadets cheated or assisted in cheating.
"We will use the information discovered during the investigation to make changes that strengthen enforcement and commitment to the honor code," academy said in the news release.
The news of the widespread honor code violation is only a few years removed from another major cheating scandal at the academy in Colorado Springs.
In 2020, the Air Force Academy placed 210 students on probation, while nearly two dozen others were either expelled or chose to resign from the school, Military.com previously reported.
An investigation into the widespread cheating showed it happened with cadets' papers, tests and homework in the months when the school transitioned to remote learning during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 210 cadets put on six-month probation at that time were not permitted to represent the academy at sporting events or competitions and could not participate in any school clubs. They also faced additional honor code training and instruction.
At least 22 others were either expelled or voluntarily decided to leave the service academy during ongoing investigations.
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