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A Pentagon panel is recommending that the determination to pursue sexual assault cases be given to independent authorities. Complaints, that the chain of command does not always pursue these claims “satisfactorily”, helped motivate this recommendation. If implemented, this recommendation would reverse decades of practice that allowed for commanders to influence how these cases were addressed.<\/p>\n
From the Military Times:<\/span><\/p>\n Removing legal decisions from the chain of command, however, won’t eliminate the role of a commander in addressing sexual misconduct, the officials said. Unit leaders will still be responsible to setting a proper command climate and still must play a role in preventing and addressing sexual assault, harassment and other problems with their service members.<\/p>\n Reports of sexual assaults have steadily gone up since 2006, according to department reports, including a 13% jump in 2018 and a 3% increase in 2019. The 2020 data is not yet available.<\/p>\n There have been a number of changes in the Military Code of Justice over the last decade to add more civilian oversight to the military’s prosecution of sexual assault cases and to beef up assistance for victims. But, lawmakers, such as Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, have long demanded a more concrete shift, arguing that commanding officers should be stripped of the authority to decide whether serious crimes go to trial.<\/p>\n Those commanders, Gillibrand and other argue, are often reluctant to pursue charges against their troops, and overrule recommendations for courts martial or reduce the charges. And they say that victims consistently say they are reluctant to file complaints because they don’t believe they’ll get support from their chain of command since often their attacker is a senior military member.<\/p>\n Military leaders have persistently fought such a change, saying it would erode the chain of command. Taking that authority away, senior military officials have said, will hurt unit cohesion.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The military Times has the rest of the article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"