Undersecretary of the Army: Fort Hood serves as the line of demarcation. Image: Katherine Welles/Shutterstock.com
Since receiving and reviewing an independent commission’s recommendations, the armed services have made ‘significant’ changes in the way sexual-assault cases are handled, the Pentagon’s top civilian personnel official told a panel of lawmakers.
“Since day one on the job, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made addressing sexual assault and sexual harassment a top priority. The secretary’s actions, including his direction to implement all IRC [independent review commission] recommendations whenever possible, reflect the department’s deep commitment to combatting sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other harmful behaviors,” Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr. told the House Armed Services military personnel subcommittee during a recent hearing.
The process entails education and training of the ranks, Cisneros said, as well as development of a full-time professional workforce that can address such incidents outside the chain of command. At the same time, he added, DoD wants to move cautiously to implement changes and ensure the process of mitigating the problem remains a fair one.
Undersecretary of the Army Gabe Camarillo told the panel that since the 2020 murder of Spec. Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood, Texas, the service has “fundamentally changed” the way it approaches sex-related crimes.
“Fort Hood serves as the line of demarcation for the Army,” Camarillo said. “Our efforts have shifted from a narrow focus on response to these crimes and compliance with related policies, to a more balanced approach rooted in prevention, building positive command climate, and detecting and acting on warning signs before damaging acts can occur.”
The Air Force and Space Force are focusing on accountability, prevention, climate and culture, and victim care and support to address the issue, Under Secretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones stated.
“We are leaning forward to shrink the gap between reporting and prevalence,” Ortiz Jones said. “We must remember what is at stake – the safety and well-being of our airmen, guardians, and their families, as well as the trust of the American people.”
Units that demonstrate the ability to show support and respect for one another have been proven to report much lower numbers of sexual assault and harassment cases, Under Secretary of the Navy Erik Raven told the subcommittee.
“To that end we are working hard to ensure healthy practices in military workplaces by promoting inclusive environments across units and offices, and targeting risk factors and negative cultures that lead to sexual assault, harassment and other readiness-impacting behaviors,” Raven said.
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