Ohio State Army ROTC Lt. Col. Michael Kelvington, as pictured on the university’s Army ROTC website. Credit: Courtesy of The Ohio State University
More than 17 months have passed since Lt. Col. Michael Kelvington faced accusations of sexual misconduct throughout his time as an ROTC leader at Ohio State’s campus.
Though the former military science and leadership professor is still awaiting a trial in a military court, the university concluded its own investigation a year ago.
In documents obtained by The Lantern, the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) found “sufficient evidence” on Aug. 13, 2024, that Kelvington violated Ohio State’s Non-Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy. The violations included stalking, a prohibited relationship with an ROTC cadet and continuous sexual misconduct, according to Ohio State’s official investigative report.
“Ohio State has no tolerance for sexual misconduct or harassment of any kind. When misconduct is alleged, we respond quickly to offer support services where needed and investigate the allegations and hold individuals responsible when warranted,” Chris Booker, university spokesperson, said in an email. “The university worked within ROTC to create a safe and healthy environment and support any cadets in need of services.”
Booker said in an email that Kelvington submitted an appeal of the findings, but it was found that there was no basis for re-examination.
Kelvington did not respond to The Lantern’s requests for comment in time for publication.
His wife, Meg Kelvington, published an online article alleging the investigation was based on a “baseless complaint” in “a coordinated effort to cancel him.” The article attached a petition to dismiss all charges, fully restore his medical retirement with honor, hold accountability for Army leadership, “reform to ensure DEI initiatives and judicial tools are never again weaponized” and have a formal congressional inquiry into the conduct of the cadet command and the Army legal services.
The U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel is holding a separate investigation. Michelle McCaskill, the communications director, said in an email that the counsel “referred six charges and 10 specifications” against Kelvington. The nature of the charges includes “abuse of a training leadership position, sexual harassment” and “willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer.”
“LTC Kelvington pleaded not guilty to all charges and specifications and selected a trial before a military panel,” McCaskill said.
The judge has yet to schedule dates for pre-trial motions and the trial, McCaskill said.
Kelvington violated a “stay away order” — a mandate requiring him to not interact with ROTC cadets and “perform administrative duties only” — in February and March 2024, per prior Lantern reporting.
The Lantern could not confirm details regarding what Kelvington specifically did to violate the order.
Kelvington was relieved of his university position on June 7, 2024, due to the Title IX investigation, per prior Lantern reporting. Additionally, he was reassigned from Ohio State within the Army Cadet Command pending the outcome of the allegations, McCaskill said.
Key information
Within the investigative report, a summary of the key information details the alleged events.
On Dec. 6, 2023, and Jan. 7, 2024, OIE received anonymous reports and began collecting intake reports and interviews. On Feb. 22, 2024, the OIE filed a formal complaint requesting an investigation into Kelvington’s actions.
As Kelvington was a university professor, a leader of ROTC and a lieutenant colonel, the complainant, a cadet, stated in the report she viewed him as an aspiration for her career goals. She said she “frequently asked him questions about the military, ranger school, and ‘problems in ROTC.’”
The summary states that Kelvington engaged in “unwelcome conduct based on sex or gender.” This included touching the cadet’s thigh multiple times, kissing her hand and making sexual comments towards her.
Records show Kelvington refuted the inappropriate actions and said he tapped the legs and squeezed the knees of those next to him, one being the cadet, when there was a funny moment at a social function, “nothing sexual in nature.” He said he “did not observe any negative reaction” from the cadet.
In the investigative report, a cadet said that Kelvington touched her buttocks while intoxicated at a bar and contacted her multiple times to discourage reporting the incident. The Lantern cannot confirm if this was a different cadet than the complainant.
Kelvington said, “any contact that occurred at [redacted] was ‘incidental’ due to ‘tight quarters’ of the space.”
In the report, Kelvington repeatedly contacted the official complainant to “meet and engage in a sexual relationship with him” despite the cadet asking him to stop contacting her. In one instance on Jan. 6, 2024, Kelvington allegedly served the cadet bourbon and engaged in “non-consensual sexual penetration” while intoxicated.
In another instance the cadet stated in another report that Kelvington wanted to have sex in an on-campus parking lot in her new vehicle. The cadet said that despite her being nervous because she didn’t want to get in trouble, Kelvington convinced her to do so.
There were multiple alleged instances of Kelvington and the cadet engaging in sex. Kelvington denies all of these interactions.
Kelvington and the cadet would communicate through Signal, an encrypted app that deletes messages after one hour, according to the report. The cadet claimed that “‘he would be texting her from the moment he woke up… until he would go to sleep.’” If she didn’t respond within the hour, she said she would have 20 missed messages.
It was reported that Kelvington used his place of authority to “‘pressure’” the cadet into having sex multiple times. The cadet reported telling Kelvington she was uncomfortable with the situation, but he kept encouraging the cadet to continue their relationship.
“He’s the head of our battalion… a mentor that I’ve looked up to for years, and I felt like really uncomfortable, but I also felt like I couldn’t say anything to like, kind of get out of that,” the cadet stated in the report.
In another report obtained by The Lantern, Kelvington and the cadet tried to break contact up to seven times.
One witness observed and submitted pictures and video of Kelvington with the cadet in her car at an on-campus parking lot. Kelvington claims that the cadet asked to meet with him because she “‘seemed pretty distressed about what was going on (with) the investigation.” Kelvington said he did not try to “‘dissuade her from sharing information or making any individual decisions regarding the investigation.’”
Despite Kelvington’s stay-away order, he continued to contact the cadet, according to the report.
“At the risk of further causing damage to my already violated no contact order, I can’t withhold my silence anymore. I need to know you’re ok. I am going crazy without hearing from you. And I’m sorry for bothering you,” Kelvington said in a message to the cadet, according to the report.
The report stated that Kelvington “acknowledged that [redacted] asked him to stop communication with [the cadet].”
Affirmed by Kelvington, he gave the cadet several presents, including a signed Ranger school book, a Ranger Regiment recruiting coin, a lieutenant pin and an angel pin. Kelvington claimed “it is not unusual for him to gift items to cadets.”
The cadet reported that she was a strong student, but during the spring 2024 semester, she didn’t turn in half of her assignments and repeatedly skipped classes. She said “her interactions with Michael Kelvington have made it difficult to focus on work and impacted friendships and her mental health.”
The office spoke with 17 witnesses, most of whom were Ohio State students and ROTC cadets. Of the named witnesses, including Kevin Cullen, the assistant vice provost of military and veteran services, and Doug Huber, president of the ROTC Alumni Society, there were four Ohio State instructors and ROTC cadres and a university staff member. Thirteen additional witnesses were asked to be interviewed, and they either explicitly declined to participate or did not respond.
The Lantern can confirm the following incidents had a primary complainant in addition to alleged reports from other people. The identity of who reported which event cannot be confirmed, as identifying names and dates were removed from the investigative report.
