News
MST: Beyond the Headlines with Cheryl Jennings
Tuesday, March 29, 2016 | Category: Sexual Harassment/Assault/Trauma - National
Cheryl Jennings of ABC's "Beyond the Headlines" interviews two male military sexual assault (MST) survivors, the CEO and President of Protect Our Defenders, the Director of Gender Equity & LGBT Rights, and Senior Staff Attorney of the Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center.
Sexual assault continues to be epidemic in the military and is not gender-specific. More military men than military women are raped during their service. Continued reform of military law enforcement and justice systems is necessary to provide military members with an impartial and just process that they can access without fear of retaliation. Additionally, accessing MST survivors to physical and mental health care while in the military and as veterans is critical to their lifelong well being and self-sufficiency.
After 40 Years of Service, Army General Reflects on Women in Military
Monday, March 28, 2016 | Category: History/Heritage - National
Army Maj. Gen. Camille M. Nichols reflects on her four decades of service, recalling the service, sacrifices, and contributions women made for the nation..."a testament to their professionalism, not to their gender."
Pentagon Proposes First Changes to UCMJ in 30 Years
Monday, March 28, 2016 | Category: Military Justice - National
Two years ago, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel ordered the Department of Defense to review their Uniform Code of Military Justice when sexual assaults in the military gained much public attention and Congressional demands for reform. These are the first Pentagon-recommended changes in over 30 years with previous changes Congressionally mandated. More transparency is inherent in the revisions. Retired Air Force former top prosecutor Don Christensen, now president of Protect Our Defenders, the sexual-assault victim advocacy group, believes "that the proposal was an effort to abort even more sweeping changes, in particular stripping the chain of command from its prosecutorial and judicial role in the military justice system. The proposed legislation would leave military commanders to still determine which cases go to court-martial, what charges will be brought against a defendant, whether to cut a deal, and whether to grant clemency after conviction."
PTSD May Affect Blood Vessel Health in Veterans
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 | Category: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - National
The "Journal of the American Heart Association" released a study that indicated that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may adversely impact he ability of blood vessels to dilate and consequently, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke in veterans.
House Passes Bill to Allow Female Pilots’ Ashes at Arlington
Tuesday, March 22, 2016 | Category: History/Heritage - National
In a 385-0 vote, the House passed legislation proposed by Congresswoman Martha McSally to allow female World War II Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) to continue placing their ashes at Arlington National Cemetery. During the war, the women served as civilians, but since 1977 they were granted veteran status and in 2002, Army policy allowed their ashes to be placed at Arlington with military honors. In 2015, the Army ruled that the WASPs never should have been allowed to be inurned at Arlington National Cemetery and revoked their eligibility. This bill reverses the Army's decision. Congresswoman Martha McSally is a retired Air Force fighter pilot.
Inspiring Lives International Awards Announcement
Monday, March 21, 2016 | Category: Advocacy/Outreach - International
On March 12, 2016, "Inspiring Lives International" announced six winners for its first annual "Inspiring Lives International Awards" at the "Global Sisterhood's Global Gala." One of the six recipients was Army Captain Jaspen Boothe, the founder of "Final Salute, Inc.," which serves homeless women veterans and their children. "Final Salute, Inc." provides housing and other emergency assistance for women veterans at risk of homelessness.
Lori Robinson To Become First Woman To Lead US Combatant Command
Saturday, March 19, 2016 | Category: Combat - National
Four-star Air Force General Lori J. Robinson was nominated by President Barack Obama to be the first woman to serve as military combatant commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and US Northern Command (NORTHCOM), leading all military forces in North America.
About Face: U.S. Military Seeks Historic Overhaul of Justice System
Tuesday, March 15, 2016 | Category: Sexual Harassment/Assault/Trauma - National
The Defense Department quietly proposed the most far-reaching reforms to its justice system in decades in December 2015. Included in the reforms: the Pentagon would issue sentencing guidelines for military crimes, military judges would determine sentences previously rendered by juries of military personnel with little or no legal experience, and all convicted service members would have a right to appeal. Neither the legislation nor the 1,300-page review addressed the role of commanders, which continues to be a contentious issue in Congress after years of controversy over the military’s handling of sexual assault. More than three dozen changes to the Uniformed Code of Military Justice were imposed by Congress prior to the release of this report. Don Christensen, President of "Protect Our Defenders," noted the changes were far reaching, "but the central issue of the commander’s influence, he said, remained untouched."
VA Announces Community Care Call Center to Help Veterans with Choice Program Billing Issues
Monday, March 14, 2016 | Category: Department of Veterans Affairs - National
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) "Community Care Call Center" is now operational. Veterans can work directly with the VA "Community Care Call Center" to resolve debt collection issues resulting from inappropriate or delayed "Veterans Choice Program" billing. Call 1-877-881-7618 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time) for assistance.
The Pentagon is Finally Developing Combat Gear that Fits the Female Form
Monday, March 7, 2016 | Category: Combat - National
Women in the military have been wearing male-centric combat gear for decades, which left them unprotected. Servicewomen and men experience infertility and may need artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization as a result of injuries. The Pentagon is now engineering anatomically-appropriate equipment, but the new gear is not expected to be implemented before 2019. And while the creation of gender-specific protective gear is critical, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a helicopter pilot who lost both legs in combat in 2004, notes that sometimes change is slow and that "some of it could be cultural, but I think it’s mostly bureaucratic. It just takes a long time from when a requirement is first identified to when something can be fielded.”