Colonel faces two charges of sexual assault

‘SERIOUS ACTION’

at CFB Valcartier between 2009 and 2010, officials said, and the second was between September and December 2014, but otherwise would not provide more detail.

Duval has also been charged with three counts of prejudicing good order and discipline in relation to three alleged incidents involving different individuals at CFB Valcartier and CFB Gagetown between 2005 and 2014.

Defence officials said the investigation, which is now proceeding through the military justice system, was launched last year when information about the alleged incidents arose in a separate case.

Duval has spent the past five months in Kingston, Ont., where he has served in a senior position with the Canadian Defence Academy, which is responsible for overseeing all military training.

Following news of the charges, Rear Admiral Luc Cassivi, commander of the academy, said Duval was being relieved of his duties as director of professional development.

“He will be employed under my direct supervision with no leadership and supervisory duties until the case is disposed of in court,” Cassivi said in a statement.

Military commanders have promised to crack down on sexual misconduct in the ranks since retired Supreme Court justice Marie Deschamps reported in April 2015 that she had found an “underlying sexual culture” in the military.

Military police reported earlier this month they launched more than 200 investigations into alleged sex-related crimes last year, which represented a dramatic increase from the 119 initiated in 2014.