Lawmakers say they fear the Defense Department has found a new way to drum sexual assault victims out of the service: by diagnosing adjustment disorder and having them discharged from the military.
It’s the latest technique the department has used to retaliate against troops who report they were sexually assaulted, according to members of Congress who are determined to use this year’s defense policy debate to curtail the practice and get justice for the service members who they say were illegally discharged in the past.
“It’s like a ‘Whac-A-Mole,’” said Rep. Jackie Speier, California Democrat. “Every time we shut them down on something, they’ll find a way around it.”
When I got involved in the ‘movement’ to end violence in the military, it was after serving fourteen years in the military. I went from one mission to another, and much like the military the purpose was clearly defined but those in charge swayed greatly from what was in writing. No matter what the job is whether it be in the military or in a movement, you need those in charge to be loyal to those who they are fighting for. Much like Community Planning, you need your ‘customer’ to have buy-in. Who are we fighting for? Our active duty military ultimately so we could prevent them from becoming disabled veterans.
I could have just walked away from the military and moved on with a happy, healthy life living with PTSD and on a fixed income BUT that is not who I am which is exactly what my point is. I reported violent crimes to prevent what happened to me from happening to anyone else. I stepped forward and spoke out publicly to do the same. In the meantime, we had all kinds of competing issues knocking us down or drowning us out. For example, despite being committed to preventing rape in the military, others were committed to promoting themselves, becoming famous, or maybe even ensuring women have access to the most dangerous job in America: combat.
The Marine Corps Times shouldn’t be deleting history especially history that includes an individual was cleared of charges and is in fact considered an innocent man. Hastily reporting that an individual has been accused of misconduct has long lasting effects. The accusation will forever stay with Lt. Col. Thomas Jasper hence the reason for this post. Lt. Col. Jasper was cleared of the inappropriate touching charges and the Marine Corps Times didn’t do him any justice when they printed the accusation or deleted the fact that he was cleared of the charges.
Now, what I want to know is why aren’t the national or military media runing with this story? Why were they quick to villify him and report on a mere allegation as if it were gospel?
It’s because he was the Marine sex assault prosecutor. What better way to advance the narrative that sexual assault in the Military is out of control and an epidemic if the persons who are charged with prosecuting sexual assault are committing sexual assault???
And, if your question was not merely a rhetorical one, then how does it change your views when the issue of (1) accuser privacy in the press vs. the presumed innocent accused’s lack of privacy in the press or (2) using the term “victim” to describe a complaining witness before anyone is ever convicted, hits so close to home? I’m sure this is the way Brandon Wright feels right now, but he’s just an Airman first class, so it’s no big deal, right? The Military has a war to win against it’s number one enemy. Not Al Qaeda or the North Koreans, but the enemy called sexual assault.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 19 (UPI) — The acceptance of bullying in U.S. culture contributes to sexual assault in the armed forces, experts say.
Mary Ellen O’Toole, editor-in-chief of Violence and Gender and retired FBI profiler and criminal investigator analyst led a roundtable discussion with Christopher Kilmartin of the U.S. Air Force Academy and Col. Jeffery Peterson of Center for Naval Analyses in Alexandria, Va., discussed specific factors that likely contribute to the sexual assault problem.
“The evidence is that the population of people who come into the U.S. military have more experience with sexual assault than the general population, both as offenders and as survivors. Survivors are at statistically increased risk of being revictimized, and offenders are at an increased risk for reoffending,” Kilmartin said at the roundtable.
Jennifer Norris: Senate bill will still keep military sexual abuse cases within the chain of command of the military, leaving victims vulnerable to retaliation
The MJIA fell short of the votes it needed to pass in Congress. But it’s really nothing to get upset about because the bill falls short of substance.
The MJIA had good intentions. It gave the victim a different place to report other then an immediate supervisor or the Commander. It would have allowed victims to report to a military prosecutor instead. The bill also included all violent crimes, ie sexual assault, domestic violence, and murder.
But in reality, how is that going to work? There aren’t enough military prosecutors to report to. There was one, maybe two in the State of Maine JAG office and they were located hours if not days away from some of the places we trained and deployed.
NOTE: INVOKING CLOTURE REQUIRES A 3/5 MAJORITY OF THE SENATE. IT IS NOT A VOTE ON THE PASSAGE OF THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION, BUT LIMITS FURTHER DEBATE TO 30 HOURS. CLOTURE IS TYPICALLY USED TO END A FILIBUSTER. A FAILED CLOTURE VOTE OFTEN PREVENTS THE LEGISLATION FROM EVER COMING TO A VOTE.
NOTE: THIS LEGISLATION NEEDED A THREE-FIFTHS MAJORITY VOTE TO PASS.
Date: March 6, 2014 Issues: Crime, Military Personnel, Women Bill:Military Justice Improvement Act of 2013 Roll Number: 59 Yea: 55 Nay: 45 Cloture Not Invoked (Senate)
Gillibrand brings victims’ voices to Senate floor in fight for military justice -U.S.Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (March 6, 2014)
Before Senate Vote, Hirono Urges Colleagues To Pass Military Justice Improvement Act -Mazie Hirono (March 6, 2014)
Sen. Paul joined Senate colleagues to urge passage of the Military Justice Improvement Act. This piece of bipartisan legislation will combat sexual assault and other violent crimes in the military by restructuring the way in which they are reported and prosecuted. -Senator Rand Paul (March 6, 2014)
Floor Statement on the Military Justice Improvement Act -Senator Chuck Grassley (March 6, 2014)
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) went to the Senate floor to reiterate her support for the Military Justice Improvement Act of which she is an original co-sponsor and call for its immediate passage. -Senator Jeanne Shaheen (March 6, 2014)
U.S. Senator Susan Collins spoke on the Senate floor today in strong support of legislation coming before the Senate that would address the crisis of sexual assault in the military. -Senator Susan Collins (March 6, 2014)
(Washington, D.C.) — Yesterday on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) spoke in support of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-NY) bipartisan Military Justice Improvement Act (S. 1752). -[Former] Senator Dean Heller (March 6, 2014)
The Senate came within five votes of passing a major change to the military’s command structure. An amendment by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., would have stripped commanders of authority over sexual assault cases and put everything in the hands of seasoned military trial lawyers. -CBS Evening News (March 6, 2014)
Senator Ted Cruz speaks out in support of a military sexual assault bill that was blocked in the Senate. -CNN (March 6, 2014)
PBS NewsHour: Hirono Fights For Military Justice Improvement Act -Mazie Hirono (March 7, 2014)
Senator Brian Schatz’s remarks on failure of Military Justice Improvement Act passage -Hawaii247.com (March 7, 2014)
Editors Note: The Senator’s name with a link is a Senator still serving in the U.S. Senate (as of June 24, 2019). You can click on the link and it will take you to their official Senate page. The Senators without a link have been voted out, left, retired, or died. If you click on the Vote link Yea or Nay, it will take you to the Senator’s twitter page. You can thank them for supporting the MJIA or remind those who voted Nay why the MJIA is so important.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins spoke on the Senate floor today in strong support of legislation coming before the Senate that would address the crisis of sexual assault in the military.
“Since 2004, I have been sounding the alarm over the military’s ineffective response to the growing crisis of sexual assault in the military, including the need to ensure appropriate punishment for the perpetrators, to provide adequate care for the survivors of such reprehensible crimes, and to change the culture across the military so that sexual assault is unthinkable,” said Senator Collins, who first raised this issue during an Armed Services Committee hearing ten years ago.
In her remarks on the Senate floor, she singled out for praise the courage of two Mainers who have come forward to tell their stories.
“I also want to acknowledge the courage and conviction of Jennifer Norris and Ruth Moore – two Mainers who were sexually assaulted while serving and have made it their mission to change the broken system that does not put victims first. Through their advocacy, they have helped to shine a light on this crisis and deserve our gratitude.”
The MJIA fell short of the votes it needed to pass in Congress. But it’s really nothing to get upset about because the bill falls short of substance.
MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL 