UPDATE:
Perhaps the military finally means business:
Army Suspends Commander in Japan
American Forces Press Service:
WASHINGTON, June 7, 2013 – Maj. Gen. Michael T. Harrison Sr. was suspended today of his duties as the commanding general of U.S. Army Japan and I Corps (Forward), according to a Defense Department news release.
Harrison was suspended following actions taken today by Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno due to allegations that Harrison failed in his duties as a commander to report or properly investigate an allegation of sexual assault, the release said.
Maj. Gen. James C. Boozer, the former deputy commanding general of United States Army Europe, will serve as the interim commander until the investigation is complete and the issue resolved, according to the release.
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Original Post:
With broad support from Republicans and Democrats, the House Armed Services Committee yesterday passed legislation to combat sexual assault in the military.
The full House is expected to vote on the bill next week.
The bill would strip commanders of their power to overturn or change guilty court-martial verdicts in cases of rape and sexual assault.
It also would require that “anyone found guilty of a sex-related crime receive a punishment that includes, at a minimum, a dismissal from military service or a dishonorable discharge,” according to Yahoo.com, which adds:
The legislation is part of a sweeping defense policy bill that the Republican-led Armed Services Committee pulled together during a daylong session. The $638 billion measure for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 included $86 billion for the war in Afghanistan as well as contentious provisions on the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and nuclear weapons.
And:
The legislation eliminates the five-year statute of limitations on trial by court-martial for sexual assault and sexual assault of a child. It also establishes the authority for military legal counsel to provide legal assistance to victims of sex-related offenses and requires enhanced training for all military and civilian attorneys involved in sex-related cases.
As mentioned here, several legislators — including Senators — want to make significant changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), changes that would take the military commander out of the process.
Also, Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., while applauding the committee’s action, said that she would continue to push for even broader changes to better protect victims, according to Yahoo.com:
Speier has introduced separate legislation that would take the reporting and investigation of sexual assaults out of the military’s normal chain of command. The bill would create an autonomous Sexual Assault Oversight and Response Office comprised of civilian and military experts. Speier said she will offer her bill as an amendment on the House floor.
“Unless we increase the number of prosecutions and the number of convictions, they we have not achieved the goal,” she said.
“We have not sanitized the military of sexual predators.”
What do military leaders say?
During Senate Armed Forces Committee hearings Tuesday, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told the Senate Armed Services Committee that military leaders look forward to working with Congress to get the tools needed to combat the scourge of sexual assault in the ranks, that sexual assault is a crime but asked the senators to be very careful before changing the responsibilities of commanders under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, that commanders have a key role to play in preventing and punishing sexual assault, and that such shouldn’t be weakened, according to the American Forces Press Service.
Read more about military leaders “urging caution in changing commanders’ UCMJ responsibilities” here
Lead Image: Military leaders, including Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, sixth from left, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testify on sexual assault in the military before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C., June 4, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.