Protect Our Defenders Monthly News – MJIA Edition

A message from Protect Our Defenders President Col Don Christensen (ret.):

Here is a recap of top stories about stopping sexual violence against service members and civilians.

Story on male survivors wins LA Press Club award 

Journalist Steve Freiss received an LA Press Club award for his article, “The Military Has a Rape Problem—and It’s Not Just Women Who Suffer.” The report profiled Brian Lewis, a remarkable advocate and member of our Advisory Board, who testified in front of Congress about his assault and the retaliation he faced. We worked with Freiss extensively last year on the piece. [TakePart]

Senate Votes on Military Justice Improvement Act (MJIA)

Last month, 50 Senators voted for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s bill that would have put prosecution decisions into the hands of legal experts — instead of commanders. This commensense approach to a fair justice system was unfortunately blocked by a filibuster threat, but we gained important ground. Two Senators who previously voted against the bill voted yes this time, and three new Senators voted yes — proving there’s reason for optimism. [USA Today]

Following the vote, I wrote an editorial that addressed inaccurate claims about MJIA and explained how we can best protect victims. [Task and Purpose]

A must-read article summed up the consequences of the Pentagon’s opposition to reform: “Some insist that removing commanders from this process will eventually get approved. We wonder how many victims the military system will fail in the interim.” [San Antonio Express News Editorial]

Pentagon to investigate retaliatory separations

Thanks to Congresswoman Jackie Speier, the Defense Department’s Office of Inspector General will finally look into how the military forces victims out of service by labeling them with a non-disability medical condition, such as a personality or adjustment disorder. We advocated for a review of these discharges and applaud the decision. [Air Force Times]

Congresswoman Speier described these discharges as a life-altering form of retaliation. Many survivors struggle to fight these labels on their own, suffer damage to their careers, and are denied access to health and education funding benefits. Veterans and servicemembers looking for assistance in fighting retaliatory discharges or removing a wrongful diagnosis from their records can apply for help through our Pro Bono Network. 

Take Action

Finally, I am proud of this community. Since the MJIA vote, over 2,000 of you have thanked the Senators who voted for justice. The signatures and comments help ensure Senators feel invested in this movement and solidifies support for reform. It’s one of the most important actions you can take, right now.

Thanks for your support. I will keep you updated in the coming months.

Sincerely,

Col Don Christensen (ret.), President, Protect Our Defenders

Former US Air Force Chief Prosecutor