News Blog

Remarks from Protect Our Defenders President Don Christensen at House Armed Services Hearing on Racial Disparities in the Military Justice System

Jun 16 2020

Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday June 16th, the United States House Committee on Armed Services (HASC) will conduct a Military Personnel Hearing titled...

STATEMENT AIR FORCE ANNOUNCES INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF RACIAL DISPARITIES AFTER PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS REPORT HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE

Jun 10 2020

Washington, DC – Today, the Department of the Air Force Inspector General announced it will independently review the Air Force’s record on racial disparities....

Air Force Leadership Holds Town Hall on Racial Disparities

Jun 04 2020

Washington, DC – On Wednesday, June 3, 2020 Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein and Chief Master Sergeant...

Norton Says Report from Protect Our Defenders Finding Racial Disparities in Courts-Martial, Nonjudicial Punishments Breaks New Ground

May 28 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a past chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, today said that...

Survivor Spotlight: Aviation Commander Darchelle Mitchell

May 28 2020

Darchelle D. Mitchell was born September 11, 1973 in Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated from Warner Robins High School in Warner...

Rep Speier’s Statement on Report Revealing Serious Racial Disparities in Military Justice Cases

May 27 2020

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Chair of the House Armed Services Personnel Committee, issued the following statement in response to...

PRESS RELEASE AIR FORCE CAUGHT IN COVER UP, REPEATEDLY CONCEALED RECORDS OF RACIAL DISPARITIES

May 27 2020

Washington, DC — Today, Protect Our Defenders (POD) released a new report revealing the Air Force has attempted to cover up its data...

* STATEMENT * VP BIDEN SUPPORTS EMPOWERING INDEPENDENT PROSECUTORS AS MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT REPORTS SURGE

Apr 30 2020

Washington, DC – Today, the Pentagon released its Annual Report on Sexual Assault and Prevention (SAPR) in the Military a day after former...

POD Sends Letter to Senator Hill in Support of Bill to Eliminate Immunity for Sexual Violence Perpetrators of CA Guard Victims

Mar 20 2020

March 20, 2020 The Honorable Jerry Hill California State Senate State Capital Sacramento, CA 95814 Subject: Letter in Support of...

STATEMENT NEW PENTAGON REPORT FINDS 32% INCREASE IN SEXUAL ASSAULTS AT MILITARY ACADEMIES AMONG CADETS AND MIDSHIPMEN

Jan 30 2020

Washington, DC – Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) released its Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service...

PRESS RELEASE Protect Our Defenders & Military Sexual Assault Survivors Announce Launch of 2020 Presidential Candidate Pledge to Help End Crisis of Military Sexual Assault

Jan 28 2020

Washington, DC – Protect Our Defenders (POD), the only national organization solely dedicated to ending the epidemic of rape and sexual assault...

STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO GROUNDBREAKING PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS RACIAL DISPARITY REPORT, CONGRESS MANDATES PENTAGON TRACK RACE, ETHNICITY, AND GENDER OF COURTS-MARTIALS

Jan 23 2020

Washington, DC – On Tuesday, the Senate signed the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The final NDAA contains a number of...

STATEMENT PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS FILES AMICUS BRIEF BEFORE SUPREME COURT TO CLOSE LEGAL LOOPHOLE SETTING ACCUSED MILITARY RAPISTS FREE

Jan 13 2020

Washington, DC – Today, Protect Our Defenders (POD) joined rape survivor and Air Force veteran Harmony Allen in filing an amicus curia brief...

POD President Don Christensen Testimony at Defense Advisory Committee on Investigations, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces

Nov 19 2019

Chairwoman Martha Bashford ATTN: DAC-IPAD One Liberty Center 875 N. Randolph Street, Suite 150 Arlington, VA 22203 15 November 2019...

STATEMENT SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW LEGAL LOOPHOLE SETTING ACCUSED MILITARY RAPISTS FREE

Nov 18 2019

Washington, DC – The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Friday that it would hear an appeal from the Justice Department to review a military...

STATEMENT Col Don Christensen’s testimony before DAC IPAD’s 15th meeting, November 15, 2019

Nov 15 2019

Chairwoman Martha Brashford ATTN: DAC-IPAD One Liberty Center 875 N. Randolph Street, Suite 150 Arlington, VA 22203 Madam Chair, Thank...

STATEMENT NEW PENTAGON REPORT FINDS SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY MORE LIKELY TO RESULT IN POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER THAN COMBAT

Nov 06 2019

Washington DC – On Monday, the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report that determined sexual...

Jenny Holzer’s “Thing Indescribable” Exhibit Sheds Light on Sexual Assault with Protect Our Defenders

Oct 23 2019

By Sibylle Whittam Recently, I toured the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. I loved the museum, but was blown away...

ABA Journal: ABE Grant Expands Services for Victims of Rape and Sexual Assault in the Military

Aug 29 2019

ABE Grant Expands Services for Victims of Rape and Sexual Assault in the Military By Amanda Robert September 1, 2019, 12:30...

STATEMENT AIR FORCE ENGAGES IN SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST GEN. HYTEN’S ALLEGED VICTIM LED BY FORMER USAF SEC. WILSON & SEN. MCSALLY

Jul 31 2019

During yesterday’s Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing, Gen. Hyten’s defenders call into question the validity of Col. Spletstoser’s statement based...