Military officials are strongly opposed to such a change in authority. "The consequences of such a decision would be ... extraordinarily damaging to the nation's security," Army Gen. Martin Dempsey wrote in a letter to the Armed Services Committee chairman, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. The change would "undermine good order and discipline" by sending a message that commanders "cannot be trusted," Dempsey said.
3. Make sure a sex crime conviction means losing your job
Sen. McCaskill has led a bipartisan effort to require that anyone convicted of "rape, sexual assault, forcible sodomy, or an attempt to commit any of those offenses" be dismissed or given a dishonorable discharge.
At the hearing, McCaskill argued that a soldier's job performance shouldn't be a factor in deciding whether to move forward with sexual assault cases. Currently, commanders may consider it when deciding whether to prosecute. "The facts of a felony are the facts of a felony," McCaskill said. "I don't care how good a pilot it is."
Lt. Gen. Richard C. Harding of the Air Force argued during the hearing that a defendant's character should be relevant in determining the case but should not have "overriding weight."
4. Scrutinize officers appointed to prevent sexual assault
In the past month, there have been not one but two instances of soldiers working in Sexual Assault Prevention and Response offices charged with sexual assault. The chief of the Air Force's prevention office was arrested last month for groping a woman. A week later, an Army sergeant working as a sexual assault program coordinator was arrested on multiple accusations of sexual abuse and for running a prostitution ring.
Hagel immediately demanded that all officers in the services' Sexual Assault Prevention and Response branches be retrained, rescreened, and recredentialed. Since then, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Deb Fischer, R-Neb., have introduced a bill that would elevate those jobs to a higher status, requiring stricter screening and more certification. In a letter to Secretary Hagel, Shaheen and McCaskill wrote that "In many cases, no interviews are required, and the commander plays a hands-off role in choosing who will perform those duties." The bill would require a commander to pick someone for the post.
5. Make it easier for sexual assault victims to access disability benefits
While the Senate was hearing testimonies by military officials, the House unanimously passed legislation to increase access to disability benefits for sexual assault victims in the military. Veterans battling military sexual trauma face a higher burden of proof than those with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. And because most sexual assaults go unreported, there is often little evidence available. Under the proposed law, veterans would only have to show they were diagnosed with a mental health condition that stems from military sexual assault.
Read ProPublica's Muckreads roundup of the most important reporting on sexual assault in the military.
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