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U.S. Air Force Academy officials were not guilty of "systematic acceptance" of sexual attacks against female cadets and maltreatment of those who reported assaults, an Air Force study said Thursday.

The report by a working group headed by Air Force general counsel Mary Walker found an outdated "gender climate," tough student hierarchy and confusing rules about sexual assaults at the elite Colorado Springs, Colorado, school.

Officials have said at least 56 cases of sexual assault or harassment have been reported at the academy over the past decade and many women involved charged that their complaints were not taken seriously or investigated properly.

The scandal, which broke earlier this year, has resulted in replacement of the 4,000-student Colorado school's top officials and investigations ordered by Congress and the Air Force.

The study found "no systemic acceptance of sexual assault at the academy, no institutional avoidance of responsibility or systemic maltreatment of cadets who report sexual assault," the Air Force said.

But it singled out "a gender climate in which instances of negative comments and some other forms of sexual harassment have existed despite programs to eliminate them."

"A lack of emphasis on good character as a key aspect of sexual assault deterrence training" was also cited.

The report said confusing rules -- including a unique definition of sexual assault and unique procedures in use at the academy -- and a rigid cadet authority structure that often makes subordinates vulnerable to seniors were in part to blame for "a less than optimal environment to deter and respond to sexual assaults and to bring assailants to justice."

The group said all but one of the 43 cases of alleged assaults by cadets against cadets investigated between early 1993 and the end of last year were handled with reasonable discretion by school leaders.

Brig. Gen. John Weida, acting superintendent of the academy, said it was addressing the issues. Starting this year, a "first responder" team, including a legal advisor and a victim advocate, would deal with reports of sexual attacks.

"We're looking at how we're training all classes of cadets," he told reporters at the academy.

"The last two months, we've been looking at every aspect of our culture here. We want everything we do here to promote a climate of trust," Weida, one of the new leaders brought in to change the climate at the academy, said.

The report was sent to Air Force Secretary James Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper for review to determine whether further command action is needed.

Congress last month also ordered an independent review panel, since named by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, to study who is responsible for the school's problems. That report is due later this year.

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