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The Utah National Guard and the Utah Department of Public Safety on Friday both were investigating how and why their personnel appeared in a video with British bikini models.
The video and photographs were taken in June and show the barely-clothed models for the 2015 Hot Shots Calendar driving with soldiers in an all-terrain vehicle and a tank and firing guns. The video was posted on YouTube on Thursday.
Utah National Guard Lt. Col. Steven Fairbourn on Friday said an investigation has thus far revealed a non-commissioned officer with Headquarters Company of the 19th Special Forces Group gave the models and their crew access to Camp Williams.
The non-commissioned officer — "NCO" in military parlance and typically a corporal or one of the sergeant ranks — did not have authorization to allow the models onto Camp Williams, Fairbourn said.
"He should have moved it up the chain of command," Fairbourn said.
Fairbourn said investigators have determined the models did not fire any National Guard weapons or ammunition.
Another portion of the video, apparently filmed at The Big Shot Ranch, a private shooting range in Grantsville, includes brief images of two members of the Department of Public Safety SWAT team. The officers are in uniform and appearing to instruct the models how to shoot.
Capt. Doug McCleve, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety, said the department is investigating what involvement the pair had, if they were off duty and if any state resources were used. McCleve said the two officers remain on duty.
McCleve said the two are good police officers who exercised poor judgment.
"The bottom line is if you're wearing the uniform, you're representing the department," McCleve said.
The Big Shot Ranch issued a statement Friday saying it cooperated with the models, in part, because the production company said a portion of the proceeds from the calendar would benefit wounded veterans.
"To our knowledge, we are not aware of any improprieties for the equipment used in the calendar that is not owned by Big Shot Ranch," the statement said. "We were assured that everything would be professional and appropriate."
Fairbourn said the National Guard is determining how many other soldiers participated in the video and photo shoot. He said any soldiers found to have broken policy or protocol could be subject to discipline.
The Utah National Guard issued a statement Friday apologizing for its part in the video and photo shoot.
"The Utah National Guard apologizes for any embarrassment that this incident may have caused for its members, their families, and the community and is continuing its ongoing investigation of this matter," the statement said.
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