DEOMI News Highlights
DEOMI News Highlights is a weekly compilation of published items and commentary with a focus on
equal opportunity, equal employment opportunity, diversity, culture, and human relations issues. DEOMI
News Highlights is also a management tool intended to serve the informational needs of equity
professionals and senior DOD officials in the continuing assessment of defense policies, programs, and
actions. Further reproduction or redistribution for private use or gain is subject to original copyright
restrictions.
2 female officers’ applications approved for Special Forces assessment [Kyle Jahner, Army Times,
25 July 2016]
 In another first for women seeking combat jobs, the Army has approved applications from two
female officers to attend Special Forces Assessment and Selection class (SFAS), an early step
toward becoming a Green Beret.
 Before approval for SFAS, soldiers must pass Special Forces Readiness Assessment, a base-level
test of a soldier’s physical fitness, whose benchmarks considerably outstrip Army Physical
Fitness Test requirements. There is no requirement difference based on gender or age, and all who
apply to SFAS must pass.
 Nine women applied for Special Forces among a total of 460 applicants; those rejected may
potentially be offered slots in other two Special Operations branches: civil affairs and PSYOPS.
2 female officers’ applications approved for Special Forces assessment
Clinton Makes History as Democratic Presidential Nominee [Eyder Peralta, NPR, 26 July 2016]
 The Democratic National Convention made history Tuesday evening by nominating Hillary
Clinton for president of the United States.
 It is a historic moment 150 years in the making, starting when suffragettes demanded the right to
vote and Victoria Claflin Woodhull became the first woman to run for president in the United
States in 1872. Clinton is the first female presidential candidate of a major American party.
 “I can’t believe we just put the biggest crack in that glass ceiling yet,” Clinton said at the end of
the night.
Clinton Makes History as Democratic Presidential Nominee
New DOD investigative unit to focus on sexual assault-related reprisals [Dianna Cahn, Stars and
Stripes, 28 July 2016]
 A new unit in the Defense Department’s Office of Inspector General will focus solely on
complaints of retaliation against military members who report sexual assault, highlighting a
commitment to end the double victimization of victims.
 In addition, this newly created team of seven investigators and a supervisor will directly handle
sexual assault reprisal cases from across the services, rather than overseeing investigations at the
branch level, said Nilgun Tolek, director of whistleblower reprisal investigations at the DOD
OIG.
 The steps followed recommendations made in February by a panel that reviewed military judicial
proceedings and found a severe lack of hard data on the frequency of retaliation for reporting
sexual assault and inconsistent policies on how those cases are reported and monitored. In April, a
DOD IG investigation substantiated its first case of whistleblower reprisal for reporting sexual
assault.
New DOD investigative unit to focus on sexual assault-related reprisals
29 July 2016
Page 1
DEOMI News Highlights
Culture
Jordan gives $2M; looks to build trust between Blacks, cops
Why the gap between old and new Black civil rights activists is widening
Discrimination
Official who oversees whistleblower complaints files one of his own
Diversity
2 female officers’ applications approved for Special Forces assessment
Brevard’s Borinqueneers honored for battle bravery
Clinton Makes History as Democratic Presidential Nominee
Column: Commanders have a lot to learn on transgender issue [OPINION]
Does honorable service earn noncitizen vets a 2nd chance to call US home?
Memorial to 1st black Marines dedicated at Camp Lejeune
Navy oiler to be named after gay rights activist Harvey Milk
U.S. Senate approves bill honoring Filipino veterans
Women veterans take key roles at the party conventions
Human Relations
Americans think more than half of vets have mental problems, survey says
Do recent veterans have more psychological problems than those of past wars? [OPINION]
First ever memorial for veterans lost to PTSD coming to Channahon
Miscellaneous
Army secretary touts importance of mental health
Decision Coming Soon on Navy Job Title Review, Mabus Says
Female Air Force pilot amputee returns to the skies
Prosecutors drop all remaining charges in Freddie Gray case
Report: Shooting deaths of law enforcement spike in 2016
Misconduct
Extramarital affair, misuse of resources cost Army general his post
Ex-Navy CO should be busted and booted in sex for advancement scandal: Panel
Submarine’s top enlisted fired for poor leadership
Racism
How sympathetic Whites are helping to fuel racial change
Religion
Chaplains prepare for the worst in major SOUTHCOM exercise
French Army Asks Citizens to Enlist—But No Muslim Headscarves, Please
Punished for praying while in uniform, Klingenschmitt feels he helped to change Navy policy
Sexism
What Gender Pay-Gap Statistics Aren’t Capturing
Sexual Assault/Harassment
DOD substantiates its first-ever sexual assault reprisal case, but victim still waiting for relief
New DOD investigative unit to focus on sexual assault-related reprisals
New Grand Canyon park chief on sexual misconduct: “Some of our colleagues have suffered
immeasurable harm”
Soldiers urged to participate in gender relations survey
29 July 2016
Page 2
Culture
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/71808a1cd2da4b29b06b77b4e24f3eb9/jordan-gives-2-million-looks-buildbacks-police-trust
Jordan gives $2M; looks to build trust between blacks, cops
By Steve Reed
The Associated Press, July 25, 2016
In this Aug. 21, 2015, file photo, former NBA star and current
owner of the Charlotte Hornets, Michael Jordan, smiles at
reporters in Chicago. Jordan announced Monday, July 25, 2016,
he’s giving $1 million to the Institute for Community-Police
Relations and $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to help
build trust between blacks and law enforcement following several
disturbing clashes around the country. (AP Photo/Charles Rex
Arbogast, File)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Jordan finally spoke out on
Monday about racial tensions in America in hopes of easing
conflicts between blacks and law enforcement.
The NBA great and Charlotte Hornets owner announced he is giving $1 million to the Institute for
Community-Police Relations and another $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The aim is to help
build trust following several shootings around the country.
"As a proud American, a father who lost his own dad in a senseless act of violence, and a black man, I have
been deeply troubled by the deaths of African-Americans at the hands of law enforcement and angered by
the cowardly and hateful targeting and killing of police officers," Jordan said in a statement. "I grieve with
the families who have lost loved ones, as I know their pain all too well."
Jordan's father was killed in 1993 in a botched carjacking in North Carolina. Daniel Green and his friend
Larry Demery were convicted of killing 56-year-old James Jordan along U.S. 74 and dumping his body in
South Carolina. Both were sentenced to life in prison.
The high-profile Jordan has been notoriously silent over the years when it comes to his opinions on politics
or social justice issues, which has drawn some criticism.
But he said Monday he "can no longer stay silent" on the issue.
"I was raised by parents who taught me to love and respect people regardless of their race or background,
so I am saddened and frustrated by the divisive rhetoric and racial tensions that seem to be getting worse as
of late," Jordan said in the statement. "I know this country is better than that. ... We need to find solutions
that ensure people of color receive fair and equal treatment AND that police officers — who put their lives
on the line every day to protect us all — are respected and supported."
Spike Lee tweeted: "DO NOT SLEEEP ON MJ." NBA player Jared Dudley tweeted: "There u go MJ."
Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and became one of the most popular and
respected basketball players in the world.
After retiring, he became the majority owner of the Hornets in 2010.
"Over the past three decades I have seen up close the dedication of the law enforcement officers who
protect me and my family," Jordan said. "I have the greatest respect for their sacrifice and service. I also
recognize that for many people of color their experiences with law enforcement have been different than
mine. I have decided to speak out in the hope that we can come together as Americans, and through
peaceful dialogue and education, achieve constructive change."
Jordan said he chose the Institute for Community-Police Relations because its policy and oversight work is
focused on building trust and promoting best practices in community policing. He gave to the NAACP
Legal Defense Fund, the nation's oldest civil rights law organization, to support its work in support of
reforms aimed at building trust and respect between communities and law enforcement.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/71808a1cd2da4b29b06b77b4e24f3eb9/jordan-gives-2-million-looks-buildbacks-police-trust
While Jordan said the contributions alone won't be enough to solve the problem, he added: "I hope the
resources will help both organizations make a positive difference. We are privileged to live in the world's
greatest country — a country that has provided my family and me the greatest of opportunities.
"The problems we face didn't happen overnight and they won't be solved tomorrow, but if we all work
together, we can foster greater understanding, positive change and create a more peaceful world for
ourselves, our children, our families and our communities."
SEE ALSO:
Michael Jordan: “I Can No Longer Stay Silent” [The Undefeated.com, 2016-07-25]
Richard Sherman: As Human Beings, All Lives Matter [The Undefeated.com, 2016-07-26]
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-civil-rights-generation-gap-20160713-snap-story.html
Why the gap between old and new black civil rights activists
is widening
By Jenny Jarvie
The Los Angeles Times, July 28, 2016
Protesters in Atlanta, where younger activists feel a disconnect with
the old champions of social justice. (Associated Press)
As waves of protesters gathered in Atlanta night after night to
condemn the fatal police shootings of African American men, civil
rights veteran Andrew Young stepped in to provide some
encouragement – not to activists, but to police officers.
“Those are some unlovable little brats out there,” the 84-year-old
former Atlanta mayor and U.S. ambassador said of protesters at a recent pep talk at a police precinct.
“They’re showing off. And not even with a clear message.”
Though he later apologized, Young’s remarks underscored the widening generational divide in the social
justice fight.
Here, in the hometown of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., a younger corps of activists is running up
against stalwarts of the civil rights era. Elders have chided millennials for their attitudes, tactics and lack of
concrete demands.
Andrew Young, left, arms crossed, with the Rev. Martin Luther
King Jr. and other 1960s civil rights activists in Selma, Ala. Young
would go on to be mayor of Atlanta and a U.S. ambassador.
(Associated Press)
Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who was beaten by Alabama state
troopers on the 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery,
drew heat when he tweeted: “I was beaten bloody by police
officers. But I never hated them. I said, 'Thank you for your service.'”
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed also lectured protesters, invoking King as he urged the activists not to block the
highway. “Dr. King would never take a freeway,” Reed told reporters.
Younger activists have reacted with defiance, saying they no longer look to the old guard for leadership or
inspiration.
“What does Andrew Young do for black people in Atlanta?” said 18-year-old Aurelia Williams with a
shrug, a spokesman for Atlanta Black Lives Matter, standing outside a transit station as protesters gathered
for another rally. “A lot of people look to Andrew Young for guidance – or they did. Now he’s just another
person we’re fighting in the trenches.”
While the protests spurred by fatal shootings of black men in Minnesota and Louisiana follow some
traditions of the 1950s and ‘60s, there are distinct differences. Both share a goal of racial justice and
equality, yet the newer generation is more raw and spontaneous, focusing on personal emotions and
therapeutic ideas of healing more than political debate and policy proposals.
“Stop telling us to have a plan, goals and a solution for black folks,” Avery Jackson, an Atlanta student
organizer, tweeted. “Realize that it is dismissive and disrespectful to ask black people why they are taking
the streets, affirming their lives and healing.”
For some traditional activists and long-term observers of the civil rights movement, the lack of an agreedupon game plan can be baffling.
“The fundamental, ongoing problem here is apparently that the vast majority of protesters don’t have any
specific agenda that they’re arguing for,” said David J. Garrow, professor of history and law at the
University of Pittsburgh and author of a Pulitzer Prize-winning book on the civil rights era.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-civil-rights-generation-gap-20160713-snap-story.html
Nor, he added, do they seem to know much about civil rights history.
For millennials, the police shootings hit hard, said Andra Gillespie, associate professor of political science
at Emory University.
Protesters march in downtown Atlanta in response to fatal police
shootings of African American men in Minnesota and Louisiana.
(Mike Stewart / Associated Press)
“A lot of those folks were tweens and teenagers when Barack
Obama was elected president and everyone proclaimed a post-racial
America. And now they’re older and realizing that whole postracial dream – that race doesn’t matter – was not true. They’re
having their reckoning.”
At times, there’s a sense the old guard gave up the fight long ago, said Nekima Levy-Pounds, 40, president
of the Minneapolis chapter of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People and a past
spokeswoman for Black Lives Matter.
“After King was assassinated in 1968, the baton was basically dropped on the street,” she said. “For the
younger generation, there’s not much we can point to since King’s assassination that’s been accomplished,
so those folks are not necessarily in a position to tell young activists what to do.”
Some older civil rights groups such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which came into
existence in an era when black people were excluded from public office, have struggled to maintain
relevance as a wave of African Americans became mayors, police chiefs, city council members, senators
and congressmen. As movement leaders took on mainstream political positions, some activists say they
became part of the establishment they once fought.
For younger protesters, the tactics and ideology of traditional groups fall short. Some are more influenced
by the tenets of black pride popularized by Malcolm X and the more militant 1960s and ‘70s groups, such
as the Black Panthers. Others draw on more modern ideas of social justice and identity politics, from
“intersectionality” to “safe spaces.”
Almost all see Black Lives Matter as correcting the blind spots of those who came before, providing an
umbrella for all black people, including the most marginalized – women, the homeless, the LGBT
community, sex workers, those with criminal records.
Yet division is not strictly along generational lines. During the recent volley of protests, some traditional
civil rights groups, from the NAACP to Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, have swiftly organized
their own demonstrations and meetings and several older figureheads have been quick to defend younger
protesters. After Young’s admonishment, NAACP President Francys Johnson suggested that the veteran
civil rights warrior should "go quickly and quietly into a well-deserved retirement."
Still, younger Atlanta activists feel a disconnect with the old champions of social justice.
Why is the Black Lives Matter movement happening now?
After Michael Brown was fatally shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014, student Aurielle Marie,
21, said she and fellow activists called all the civil rights groups they could think of, including the
SCLC, the NAACP and the National Action Network.
“We called all the people who we were taught were the leaders,” she said. “Why would we want to reinvent
the wheel when people are alive who know how this goes? But we couldn’t get meetings. Word came down
to us that right now is not the right time. We needed to wait on the investigation.”
And so they forged ahead on their own. The groups that coalesce around Black Lives Matter favor a looser
structure, working on the principle that no one person or group of individuals should speak for all.
Organizers say their demands are not that complicated: “Stop killing black people,” Williams said. “We’re
going to keep marching until you stop killing us.”
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-civil-rights-generation-gap-20160713-snap-story.html
Williams, who met with Atlanta’s mayor and police chief recently during a sit-in outside the governor’s
mansion, declined to list protesters’ demands, saying they were still working on goals before a formal
meeting.
“It’s, like, a very fluid thing,” she said. “At the end of our day, at our core, we are a group of people who
came together who were upset by things we saw. We don’t want to sit here and tie it down... Why isn’t it
enough to just stand for black people?”
Marie, meanwhile, pushed back against the idea that the movement lacks clear goals, rattling off several
demands protesters made to the police chief and mayor – including releasing the name of a local police
officer involved in a fatal shooting of a black man and ending Operation Whiplash, an Atlanta police
initiative that aims to combat gun violence by assigning more patrol officers in high-crime areas.
Ultimately, many of the young protesters have little patience for those who question or try to debate their
tactics.
“You can either be for civil rights and social justice, or be against it,” said Marie. “In the movement, we do
not believe there’s a fence.”
Jarvie is a special correspondent
Discrimination
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/national-security/article91949562.html
Official who oversees whistleblower complaints files one of
his own
By Marisa Taylor
McClatchyDC, July 26, 2016
An investigation into how makers of the film “Zero Dark Thirty”
learned classified details about the hunt for Osama bin Laden is
behind a claim from the Pentagon’s former top official overseeing
whistleblower complaints that he was the victim of retaliation. A
draft report initially singled out then-Defense Secretary Leon
Panetta for the leak, but the final report did not include that
allegation. (Carolyn Kaster, AP)
The Obama administration’s top official overseeing how
intelligence agencies handle whistleblower retaliation claims has lodged his own complaint, alleging he
was punished for disclosing “public corruption.”
Daniel Meyer, who previously oversaw the Defense Department’s decisions on whistleblowing cases, also
says he was targeted for being gay, according to records obtained by McClatchy.
Meyer made the allegations in a complaint before the Merit Systems Protection Board, an administrative
panel that handles employment grievances from federal employees, after another agency rejected his
claims.
Meyer’s claims add to a barrage of allegations that the federal government’s handling of defense and
intelligence whistleblower cases is flawed.
In the complaint, Meyer, who once worked for the Pentagon’s inspector general’s office, accused his
former Defense Department bosses of “manipulation of a final report to curry favor” with then-Defense
Secretary Leon Panetta.
The inspector general’s report concluded that Panetta had leaked classified information to the makers of the
film “Zero Dark Thirty,” Meyer said. That conclusion was later removed after then-acting Inspector
General Lynne Halbrooks met privately with Panetta, he said. Meyer does not accuse Panetta or Halbrooks
of making the change.
Halbrooks, who is now practicing law at a private firm, said she’s certain Meyer’s complaint will be
rejected. “During my time in the Office of Inspector General, I strongly supported the rights of
whistleblowers throughout the Department of Defense,” she said in an email. “I am confident that any
government agency’s review of Mr. Meyer’s allegations will find them to be without any merit.”
In April, the Office of Special Counsel, an agency that handles complaints of retaliation by whistleblowers
rejected Meyer’s claims, citing a lack of evidence.
In support of his retaliation claims, Meyer filed a sworn affidavit by his former boss, John Crane, a onetime
assistant Defense Department inspector general. Crane was fired in 2013 and now alleges he, too, was
retaliated against because of his involvement in the “Zero Dark Thirty” case and other controversial
whistleblower claims, including one filed by former high-ranking National Security Agency official
Thomas Drake.
“We could neither corroborate Mr. Crane’s statements with any documentary evidence nor conclude that
his statements are more reliable than statements from others in your chain of command and with the
evidentiary record as a whole,” Aaron Lloyd, a lawyer with the counsel’s office, wrote Meyer.
The counsel’s spokesman, Nick Schwellenbach, did not respond to questions. Meyer, who currently works
for the intelligence community inspector general, said through a spokeswoman that he was “happy to be
part of the intelligence community and looks forward to the (Merit Systems Protection Board) closing out
any remaining issues” from his work at the Defense Department.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/national-security/article91949562.html
Panetta, who retired as defense secretary in 2013 after previously serving as CIA director, did not respond
to requests for comment. Jeremy Bash, a spokesman for Panetta, told a reporter, “You (or your source)
have some basic facts wrong,” but he declined to elaborate. Bash then referred questions to the Pentagon
inspector general’s office.
Kathie R. Scarrah, a spokeswoman for that office, said she was “precluded from commenting on anyone’s
potential (Merit Systems Protection Board) matter.” The current acting inspector general, Glenn Fine, took
over after Meyer alleges he was retaliated against.
While at the Pentagon, Meyer was known for aggressively investigating whistleblowers’ allegations of
retaliation. His current office reviews and investigates not only whistleblower retaliation claims but
also high-profile security matters within the intelligence community. His office, for instance, notified the
FBI that classified emails had been found on Hillary Clinton’s private email server. The referral led to an
FBI investigation.
Meyer was not involved in the Clinton matter. However, he is supposed to have a key role in President
Barack Obama’s initiative to improve the intelligence community’s response to whistleblower complaints.
That initiative was announced after the leak by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
Snowden, who leaked details on the agency’s then-classified mass collection of Americans’ email and
phone records, has said he was prompted to disclose classified information to the media because his efforts
to report what he felt was wrongdoing in the government’s eavesdropping program had failed.
The inspector general investigation singled out by Meyer examined allegations that classified and sensitive
information was leaked to Kathryn Bigelow, the director of “Zero Dark Thirty,” and the film’s
screenwriter, Mark Boal.
An initial version of the findings concluded that while serving as CIA director – the post he’d held before
moving to the Pentagon – Panetta had disclosed classified information to Boal, the only person without topsecret clearance who’d attended a June 24, 2011, ceremony at CIA headquarters honoring the SEAL team
that killed bin Laden.
In his speech to the gathering, Panetta cited classified NSA intelligence and top-secret military information,
including the protected identity of the SEAL ground commander, according to the draft report, which was
completed in late 2012 and leaked to the Project on Government Oversight, a nonprofit government
watchdog organization, in June 2013.
When the controversy first erupted, Panetta spokesman Bash said Panetta had thought everyone in the
audience had security clearances and was permitted to hear classified information.
In July 2013, Meyer became the executive director of whistleblowing for the intelligence community
inspector general.
After he left the Pentagon, Meyer and other Pentagon inspector general employees were grilled
about whether they’d leaked the draft of the “Zero Dark Thirty” report. The draft report was not classified,
and Meyer denied being the leaker.
When the final report on the matter came out eight months after being leaked, the findings on Panetta had
been removed.
Although the Pentagon inspector general’s office did not determine who’d leaked the draft report, Meyer
volunteered to investigators that he’d sent the draft report to staffers on the Senate Intelligence Committee
and the Senate Armed Services Committee as part of his duties to inform the panels that have oversight on
such matters.
Meyer was found to have made an “unauthorized disclosure” to Congress, according to documents obtained
by McClatchy.
Separately, Meyer was accused of making false statements, according to documents obtained by
McClatchy, but those documents don’t specify the nature of the statements.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/national-security/article91949562.html
In the complaint to the Merit Systems Protection Board, Meyer also accused his former bosses of
inappropriately interfering in an investigation of the Afghan National Military Hospital.
Army Col. Mark Fassl, then the inspector general for the training command, had alleged to the Pentagon
inspector general’s office that his supervisors had tried to interfere during an investigation of corruption at
the hospital. He presented evidence of the medical neglect of Afghan soldiers, including the starvation of
one. The inspector general later substantiated his allegations, but Fassl was not treated as a whistleblower.
He later told McClatchy he regarded himself as one.
Meyer said he and Crane complained to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, in 2012 about their office’s inaction
on the case, including not telling investigators in Afghanistan about the starving soldier.
As a result of his involvement in such cases, Meyer was passed over for promotions and raises and his
career suffered other unfair setbacks, he says.
He charges that the alleged retaliation was compounded by discrimination due to his sexual orientation.
Meyer accused Henry Shelley, the general counsel of the inspector general’s office, of obstructing his
investigations of whistleblower cases because of his “personal animus . . . that Mr. Meyer was openly
homosexual” and therefore “had a bias that would support allegations of whistleblowers.” Meyer also cited
Crane as a witness to the alleged discrimination.
Earlier this year, the counsel’s office asked the Justice Department’s inspector general to investigate
Crane’s allegations that the Pentagon inspector general’s office may have improperly destroyed evidence
during the high-profile leak prosecution of Drake. The former NSA official is also alleging that the
Pentagon inspector general mishandled his whistleblower case.
Marisa Taylor: 202-383-6164, @marisaataylor
___________________
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Diversity
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/careers/army/officer/2016/07/22/female-officers-sfas/87457530/
2 female officers' applications approved for Special Forces
assessment
By Kyle Jahner
Army Times, July 25, 2016
Two female officers' applications were approved for SFAS of the
340 applications accepted. Here, Spc. Mekel Bergschneider, with
702nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat
Team, 2nd Infantry Division, is graded on her pushups during the
2013 Bayonet Soldier and NCO of the Year competition. (Photo:
Spc. Glen Shackley/Army)
In another first for women seeking combat jobs, the Army has
approved applications from two female officers to attend Special
Forces Assessment and Selection class, an early step toward
becoming a Green Beret.
In all, 340 applications to SFAS were accepted, according to Maj. Melody Faulkenberry, a spokeswoman
for the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center. Nine total women applied for Special Forces among a
total of 460 applicants; those rejected may potentially be offered slots in other two Special Operations
branches: civil affairs and PSYOPS. In all, 860 officers applied to the three fields.
Army enlists first female infantry recruit
The accepted applicants have not yet received orders, but they could attend SFAS as soon as the fall when
the first of 10 SFAS courses per year begin at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. With a long process ahead, it
will be 2018 before anyone in this crop of candidates could earn tabs.
Little information is available about the two women: one went to officer candidate school and the other
attended a four-year ROTC program. Faulkenberry cited security concerns for potential Special Forces
soldiers. By definition, as officers invited to SFAS the women are either 1st lieutenants or captains, and this
cohort of officers was generally commissioned around 2013.
Meet the Army's first female infantry officer
These officers are entering one of three routes to Special Forces. Enlisted soldiers and recruits who directly
enter the Army with an 18x MOS to try out for Special Forces apply in a different process. But all have to
attend SFAS and a similar subsequent battery of courses, with some variances depending on role.
Before approval for SFAS, soldiers must pass Special Forces Readiness Assessment, a base-level test of a
soldier’s physical fitness. The push-up, sit-up, pull-up and running benchmarks considerably outstrip Army
Physical Fitness Test requirements to filter out anyone who might be physically overwhelmed by training
requirements. There is no requirement difference based on gender or age, and all who even apply to SFAS
must pass, Faulkenberry said.
Senate confirms first female combatant commander
The bulk of the path to earning a Special Forces tab remains in front of them after their application is
accepted: the 3-week SFAS itself, Airborne School if not qualified, either Maneuver Captain’s Career
Course or Special Operations Captain’s Career Course (12-16 weeks), and finally the 64-week Special
Forces Qualification Course.
SEE ALSO:
2 female officers get a shot at the Army’s Green Beret [Stars and Stripes, 2016-07-25]
Women will attempt Army Special Forces training soon — but they’re not the first [2016-07-25]
http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2016/07/28/local-borinqueneers-honoredceremony/87568044/
Brevard's Borinqueneers honored for battle bravery
By R. Norman Moody
FLORIDA TODAY, July 29, 2016
They fought proudly for the United States. Medal recipients
Juan Romero-Silva, and William Vila-Velez, both of Palm
Bay, and Chaplain James B. Allan, of Indialantic, with
Congressman Bill Posey and Rob Medina, with Posey's
staff, who both teamed up to get this award become a
reality. A crowd packed the Brevard County Government
Complex Commission room for the Congressional Gold
Medal Presentation Ceremony to honor three members of
the highly decorated Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment,
called the Borinqueneers, which fought in both World Wars,
and the Korean War. The award was introduced to
legislation by Congressman Posey, and the unit was
honored by the President. (Photo: TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY)
VIERA — A full crowd in the Brevard County Commission chamber stood and applauded,
with some waving small Puerto Rican flags, as three veterans of the U.S. Army's 65th Infantry Regiment
were honored Thursday with the nation's highest civilian award.
William Vila Velez, Juan Romero Silva and James Allan – who served with the heroic 65th Infantry
Regiment, an all Puerto Rican unit that proved its courage and intrepid abilities at war and became known
as the Borinqueneers – were presented with replicas of the Congressional Gold Medal in a ceremony at the
Brevard County Government Center in Viera.
"I take this medal in memory of our beloved platoon sergeant," Villa said as he received the medal from
U.S. Rep. Bill Posey. "He was the first casualty we had in the Korean War. He went down like a hero. He
made us men, we were 19 and 20 year-old kids. We were a family."
The three who were presented the Congressional Gold Medal on Thursday had been unable to attend the
U.S. Capitol ceremony in April.
"It's very emotional," Posey said after the ceremony Thursday. "Your heart, at least for a while, is full. I'm
honored and humbled that I had a part in making this happen."
Posey introduced the bill co-sponsored by Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, who represents Puerto
Rico in Congress, that led to the awarding of the medal. The 65th Infantry Regiment had been segregated
from other units, but proved their bravery, courage and dedication.
Posey cited Rob Medina, his director of community and military relations, with the idea nearly four years
ago.
Formed in 1899, the Borinqueneers faced harsh discrimination even as they were ordered to tackle some of
the Army’s most dangerous assignments in both world wars, Korea and the Vietnam War. They were told
they would have to shave their mustaches and not speak Spanish.
The 56th Infantry Regiment served in World War I, World War II and Korea. For their extraordinary
service in the Korean War, the men of the regiment earned a Medal of Honor, nine Distinguished Service
Crosses, about 250 Silver Stars, more than 600 Bronze Stars and more than 2,700 Purple Hearts. They were
the last segregated Army unit and the last unit to conduct a battalion size bayonet charge.
"It was the adversary that made us the men we were," said Vila Velez, 86, of Palm Bay.
Romero, 94, of Palm Bay, said he was in college when he joined the Army during World War II.
"I went as a volunteer," he said.
http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2016/07/28/local-borinqueneers-honoredceremony/87568044/
Romero said he was traveling in France with his unit when he fell from a moving train. After being taken to
a hospital he was reassigned to the 65th when superiors found out he was Puerto Rican.
"I did what I had to do," he said. "I was happy to be with the 65th."
Romero's thoughts turned to the casualties when he received the medal.
"It's good to get it, but it is no reward because there were so many lives lost," he said. "We were very
united."
When the unit needed a chaplain, they called on James Allan, who said that in spite of the combat
conditions and below freezing temperatures in Korea at the time, the men "were courageous and
great hearted.
"They selflessly served and put their lives at risk to defend our country," he wrote. "I am proud to have
served with them."
Allan, 100 of Indialantic, said he did not know about the unit before Korea.
"They were the outstanding infantry regiment in Korea," he said.
The ceremony included an Army color guard, participation of an Air Force chaplain and the national
anthem sung by retired Lt. Col. Cynthia Watkins. It concluded with the popular and long favorite of Puerto
Ricans, "En Mi Viejo San Juan," which was sung and played on the guitar by Angel Vasques.
Air Force Tech Sgt. Angel Ramos, who serves with the 45th Medical Group at Patrick Air Force Base, said
he was proud of the Borinqueneers.
"They opened the doors for us," he said, "not only Puerto Ricans but for all Latinos. I am grateful for
them."
Melbourne City Council member Teresa Lopez, who is of Puerto Rican heritage, said she was pleased
the men were finally recognized.
"This medal is long overdue," she said. "This was a fantastic ceremony."
Two other Borinqueneers who attended but who had already received their medals were Anibal Albertorio,
who spoke about the unit and thanked Posey and all involved for getting the medal approved by Congress,
and Edwin Aviles, 86 of Kissimmee.
"Fighting in the name of the nation and Puerto Rico was the biggest honor," he said.
Contact Moody at 321-242-3651 or [email protected] Follow him on Twitter @RNormanMoody
and on Facebook at facebook.com/norman.moody.79
http://www.npr.org/2016/07/26/487514643/clinton-makes-history-as-democratic-presidential-nominee
Clinton Makes History As Democratic Presidential Nominee
By Eyder Peralta
NPR, July 26, 2016
Delegates celebrate after formally nominating Democratic
presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The Democratic National Convention made history Tuesday
evening: Amid applause, shouts, cheers and in some cases tears, the
delegates on the floor of the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia
nominated Hillary Clinton for president of the United States.
Clinton is now the first female presidential candidate of a major
American party.
It is a historic moment 150 years in the making, starting when suffragettes demanded the right to vote
and Victoria Claflin Woodhull became the first woman to run for president in the United States in 1872.
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake opened the vote by asking delegates: "Are you all ready to
make history?"
And then in a ritual that spans all 50 states and territories, each delegation cast its votes for Hillary Clinton
or Bernie Sanders.
Quiet echoes of the acrimony that marked the first day of the convention were still heard in the arena, with
some Sanders supporters booing when Clinton was mentioned. But on Tuesday, Clinton supporters were
vociferous, easily drowning out the jeers.
The history of the moment was referenced often by delegates.
Isabel Baker, an 88-year-old delegate from Oklahoma, was born in 1929, just nine years after women were
given the right to vote.
"I never thought I would live to see this day," she said, as she cast the state's vote.
When the chair of the convention called on the delegation from Vermont, Sanders took the microphone. He
asked the chair to suspend the rules and nominate Hillary Clinton for president by acclamation.
"Sen. Sanders has moved in the spirit of unity," Rep. Marcia Fudge said, before asking the conventiongoers if they were in favor of the motion.
The arena roared with "ayes" that propelled the moment into history books.
Some Sanders supporters objected, but the roar of the crowd quickly drowned them out. Some of them left
the floor and chanted "walk out" in the concourse of the arena.
The proceedings continued and the night ended with a dramatic nod to the history being made. The singersongwriter Alicia Keys played "Superwoman" as the photographs of all the previous 44 male presidents
were shown on screen.
After President Obama was shown on screen, Hillary Clinton appeared on the screens via a live feed from
New York.
Clinton's path to this moment was decades in the making. Her political career began as a social activist in
the late '60s. She became the first lady of Arkansas and the first lady of the United States. In 2001, she
became a senator from New York. She ran for president and lost the Democratic nomination to President
Obama in 2008. And beginning in 2009, she served four years as secretary of state during the Obama
administration.
"I can't believe we just put the biggest crack in that glass ceiling yet," Clinton said at the end of the night.
And then she turned her attention to any little girls who may have stayed up late to watch.
"I may become the first woman president but one of you is next," she said.
First Female Candidate for US President Ran in 1872 [Voice of America, 2016-07-27]
Why it Matters That Clinton Could Be First Woman US President [Voice of America, 2016-07-27]
12 Women Who Ran For President Before Hillary [The Huffington Post, 2016-07-25]
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/military/2016/07/24/commanders-lot-learn-fast-transgenderissue/87393842/
Column: Commanders have a lot to learn on transgender
issue
By Tom Philpott (Military Update.com)
Pensacola News Journal (Pensacola, Fla.), July 24, 2016
“Fulfilling our promise to take care of our veterans shouldn’t be a
partisan issue, which is why I’m so disappointed by continued halfmeasures like this. Simply put, this latest proposal falls far short of
covering the care a veteran and their spouse needs to fulfill their
dreams of starting a family."
(Photo: USA Today)
Many military commanders might have been surprised June 30
when Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that, effective
immediately, transgender service members could be open about
their preferred gender without fear of involuntary dismissal or denial of enlistment or continued service
“just for being transgender,” as Carter explained it.
He went farther than that, however, pleasing up to 11,000 transgender personnel estimated to be serving on
active duty or in reserve components, but alarming some line commanders still puzzled by medical issues
alone associated with service members desiring to switch genders.
Carter gave his department and service branches 90 days, until Sept. 1, to write and issue commander
guidebooks on handling of issues raised by the new transgender policy. Also by Sept. 1, the military
medical community is to be given guidance to begin providing transgender personnel with whatever
medical care they require, from counseling to hormone treatments and, for some members, gender
reassignment surgery.
By September, Carter wants transgender personnel who experience significant gender-related distress,
called gender dysphoria, to be able to begin the process of changing genders. In consultation with medical
providers, commanders are to begin approving needed treatments, accommodating periods of transition and
minimizing readiness impacts.
During transition, individuals will begin living socially consistent with their preferred gender. That means
dressing in the new gender and using preferred gender berthing, bathroom and shower facilities. Medical
providers will determine when transition is complete. At a time approved by the commander, in
consultation with the member, the member’s gender marker will be changed in the Defense Enrollment
Eligibility Reporting System and the member will be recognized in their preferred gender.
On open recruitment of transgender personnel, Carter said it should be allowed no later than July next year.
The military no longer classifies gender non-conformity as a mental illness. But transgender recruits who
otherwise qualify for service will need statements from their doctors certifying that they have been “stable”
in their new gender identity at least 18 months.
There is policy flexibility, however, for recruits who don’t declare or are unsure of their desire to change
genders as they enter service. Those who complete 180 days’ honorable service before deciding they want
to change genders still will be provided with whatever transition care they need.
Transgender experts and advocates expressed confidence that the U.S. military, like armed forces of 18
other nations, will adapt swiftly to open service of transgender members and shifting gender identities.
They predict little disruption to unit operations and no significant increase in overall medical costs given
that the transgender population is so small.But advocates and experts also acknowledged the steep learning
curve ahead for leaders at all levels to understand transgender members, the stages of transition ahead for
them, and the fact that level of medical treatment will vary significantly based on individual needs.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/military/2016/07/24/commanders-lot-learn-fast-transgenderissue/87393842/
“One person’s transition doesn’t look like the next person’s,” said Dr. Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, associate
professor of anesthesiology and surgery at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. That’s hard for
private sector employers to understand and will be more difficult for the military, he said.
“There’s an expected course when somebody has their gall bladder out. I can tell you as a physician what
their recovery time is expected to be, when we think they’ll be deployable again. I can’t necessarily tell you
that for a transgender person because transition is unique and specific to any one person … that’s one of the
harder reasons why it’s been challenging for people to wrap their minds around what the impact of all this
is.”
Ehrenfeld, a Navy Reserve commander, is credited with sparking Carter’s interest in the issue six days into
his stint as defense chief. With press in tow, Carter held a town hall visit with troops in Kandahar,
Afghanistan, where Ehrenfeld was deployed. He asked Carter his thoughts on transgender members serving
in austere environments like Afghanistan.
Ehrenfeld said he was sitting beside a transgender airman who risked dismissal if his status were known. So
the doctor asked a question for him. Carter said he wanted to make service attractive to all “our best
people.”
Four months later, Carter barred the services from forcing out or denying reenlistment based on gender
identity unless personally approved by the under secretary of defense for personnel, who also would chair a
working group of senior defense and service staffs to study the issue. Carter told the group to presume
transgender personnel can serve openly without adverse impact to readiness, unless they could identify
impediments.
Ehrenfeld, who treats transgender patients and coauthored a book on LGBT clinical health, said Carter’s
June 30 decision favorable for transgender members is more important than his deadlines because “the real
work is just starting. There is so much education that needs to be done, about what this means, what
integration looks like … Although policies will be written, changes implemented, guidance given, I think
the hard work is on changing our conversation and understanding at the command level (to) foster an
environment across the services that’s inclusive and open to all.”
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, promised a hearing on
the new policy, focusing on the added cost for military medicine and the potential impact on readiness.
At the department’s request, think tank Rand Corp., has studied both questions and predicted no significant
impact. Health coverage of gender transition would cost between $2.4 million to $8.4 million annually, a
range “exceedingly small” against $6 billion spent annually on active duty care.
Rand also estimated that less than a tenth of one percent of the force would have transition-related care
disrupt their deployment.
Physician and retired Rear Adm. Alan Steinman served as the Coast Guard’s top medical officer and later
co-authored a 2014 study that found no medically sound reason to continue the ban on transgender
personnel. It recommended the military provide all the medical care they need.
“If there are psychiatric issues as a result of being transgender that prevent you from doing your job, then
that’s going to be disqualifying,” Steinman said. But “there is nothing inherently disqualifying about being
transgender.” The previous policy assumed all transgender people were psychiatrically impaired and clearly
“that’s not the case,” Steinman said.
Send comments to Military Update, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA, 20120, [email protected] or
twitter: Tom Philpott @Military_Update
http://www.stripes.com/news/does-honorable-service-earn-noncitizen-vets-a-2nd-chance-to-call-us-home1.420304
Does honorable service earn noncitizen vets a 2nd chance to
call US home?
By Dianna Cahn
Stars and Stripes, July 21, 2016
Hector Barajas, founder of the Deported Veterans Support House
in Tijuana, Mexico, walks through the gates at the Mexico-U.S.
border on June 2, 2016, where he was meeting U.S. immigration
officials for fingerprinting. Barajas, a deported veteran, is being
considered for citizenship.
DIANNA CAHN/STARS AND STRIPES
TIJUANA, Mexico — On a Thursday morning in early June in this
border town, 82nd Airborne veteran Hector Barajas-Varela donned
his maroon beret, tucked his pants into his Corcoran jump boots —
with an apology that they weren’t spit-shined — and steeled his nerves.
The 39-year-old grabbed his cane, locked the glass doors of the small
shelter he runs for deported veterans and headed to the border to meet with
a U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services official for fingerprinting.
This is a big deal for Barajas-Varela, who was deported permanently from
the United States in 2009.
Born in Mexico, he came to the U.S. when he was 7 and grew up in a
rough, racially tense southern California neighborhood. When he was old
enough, he joined the Army, which made him eligible for citizenship.
But Barajas-Varela, like many deported veterans, never followed through
on his naturalization paperwork, and after serving honorably, he got in
trouble with drinking and drugs. He was banished after he pleaded guilty to
a felony in 2002. Since then, he has built a life in Mexico, helping others
who went astray after serving. He runs a shelter and spends his time
advocating to reverse the deportations — including his own.
Barajas-Varela maintains an abiding wish to return to the country he sees as
his home.
That opportunity is in his sights.
“That’s the scary part,” he said as he approached the border for
fingerprinting, a crucial step in getting his case for citizenship reconsidered.
“I don’t know if I will get to go home, to help raise my daughter.”
For the past few years, Barajas-Varela garnered scattered attention as he
built up the Deported Veterans Support House, a shelter for former U.S.
military servicemembers known as “the Bunker.”
A report released this month by the American Civil Liberties Union
brought the issue back into the headlines, saying that the federal
government failed to ensure that immigrant servicemembers became
citizens and later deported “an untold number” without considering their service.
Barajas-Varela is featured on the cover of the report, called “Discharged, Then Discarded,” and is credited
by the ACLU with giving deported veterans “a collective voice whose cries are finally being heard.”
He has been encouraged by recent events.
http://www.stripes.com/news/does-honorable-service-earn-noncitizen-vets-a-2nd-chance-to-call-us-home1.420304
With help from the ACLU and legal experts, deported Marine veteran Daniel Torres became a U.S. citizen
in April.
The immigration service, USCIS, is considering Barajas-Varela’s application after his crime — discharging
a firearm — was reclassified and is no longer an aggravated felony. He says he’s been told that
immigration officials are looking at other deported veterans’ cases.
He has helped submit requests for 13 deportees — 12 veterans and a civilian who works with him and
advocates for deported mothers — to receive humanitarian parole and be allowed to return to the U.S.
based on a dire need for physical or mental health care.
Returning might be a long shot for veterans deported for serious crimes. But Barajas-Varela came away
from his own morning at the border with an optimism he said he hasn’t felt for more than a decade.
“They are working with us,” he said after an hour-long meeting inside what he called the Golden Gates,
between Tijuana and San Diego. “That’s very important. They are looking at possibilities. They said, ‘Keep
doing what you are doing. It’s got our attention.’ ”
A second chance
For the deported veterans at the Bunker, their predicament has created a surprising community of felons
and recovering addicts who share an emotional bond. They grappled with problems that hundreds of
thousands of veterans face as they transition out of the military, particularly after service in times of war.
They made bad decisions, abused alcohol or drugs; some joined criminal gangs. All of them acknowledge
that their prison time was merited. They paid for their crimes.
The question is whether their military service earned them a second chance.
Across the border, fellow veterans receive help from the government they served. But in Tijuana, these men
are mostly left to their own devices.
They are a band of tainted warriors who offer each other hope.
Support comes from fellow veterans or volunteers like retired Master Sgt. Cesar Medrano, who arrived at
the Bunker one day from Los Angeles with a carload of donated groceries and supplies, and Miguel Gabriel
Vazquez, one of two Vietnam War veterans who offer counseling at the Bunker. Vazquez, a trained
counselor with a master’s degree in psychology, practices holistic healing, using a technique called EFT
that involves tapping points on the body to release emotional duress. He comes to the bunker once a week
to do individual counseling.
“They all have PTSD whether diagnosed or not,” said Vazquez, who has not been deported but lives in
Rosarita Beach, Mexico, where he moved to write a book on healing PTSD naturally. “These guys get all
that plus the trauma of being deported.”
The men at the Bunker bond over their shared trauma and a surprising loyalty to the country that has turned
them away.
Correction: A story that appeared June 22 in Stars and Stripes about noncitizen veterans being deported
misidentified the unit of former Marine Tony Romo during the Persian Gulf War. Romo served with the
13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which was Special Operations Capable.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/e40e692941d3424e93739a768e4cda1a/memorial-1st-black-marines-dedicatedcamp-lejeune
Memorial to 1st black Marines dedicated at Camp Lejeune
By Martha Waggoner
The Associated Press, July 29, 2016
In this Sept. 21, 2015 photo provided by the City of Jacksonville, the
monument for the Montford Point Marines, the nation's first black
Marines, is seen in Jacksonville, N.C. Forty-five Montford Point Marines
are scheduled to attend the dedication Friday, July 29, 2016, at Lejeune
Memorial Gardens. (Lisa Miller, City of Jacksonville via AP)
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — At the dedication of a memorial Friday
honoring the first black U.S. Marines, John Spencer imagines his
mind will recall what it was like to become a Montford Point Marine.
"I'll think about the trials and tribulations we went through to prove that we were good Americans and that
we loved our country and were willing to fight for it," said the 88-year-old Spencer, who served 20 years in
the Marines and 10 years in the reserves.
Spencer is one of 45 Montford Point Marines who plan to attend the dedication of the national Montford
Point Marine memorial at Lejeune Memorial Gardens at the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. The $1.1
million memorial includes an anti-aircraft gun and a bronze statue of a Montford Point Marine.
About 20,000 men trained at the segregated Montford Point camp from 1942 to 1949 following President
Franklin Roosevelt's executive order that led to the desegregation of the Marine Corps, the last branch of
the U.S. Armed Forces to admit blacks. In 1948, President Truman signed an executive order that officially
ended segregation in the military.
In 2012, Montford Point Marines received the Congressional Gold Medal for their role in desegregating the
military.
Spencer was just 15 years old when he left his home in Hyde County in 1943 and lied about his age to join
the Marines. He rose to the rank of staff sergeant as he served in World War II and the Korean War. The
Montford Point Marines weren't allowed on "mainside," or Camp Lejeune proper, and they slept in huts,
not barracks, Spencer said. Training was different, too, Spencer said in a phone interview from his home in
Jacksonville, North Carolina.
"We had training comparable to white Marines, and it went one step further," he said. "They were a little
bit harder on us because they didn't want us anyway."
The inclusion of black Marines was seen as an experiment, and "they didn't have any idea of keeping us in
the Marine Corps," Spencer said. "But before the war ended, they understood we were just as good or better
as the present Marines."
Norman Preston, 94, left Selma, Alabama, when he was 17 years old and moved to Ohio, where he worked
for the Pullman Car Co. He was a military police officer at Montford Point who ended up working at Pearl
Harbor.
Even as a military police officer, he was not allowed onto Camp Lejeune, Preston said. He didn't want to
talk more about the experience training at Montford Point.
"That's history in the past," said Preston, who lives in Wallace, North Carolina. "You forget it."
The gun and statue are the first phase of the memorial. Organizers need to raise about $334,000 for a
second phase that has an estimated cost of almost $500,000 and will include benches and brick pavers.
In 1974, Montford Point Camp was renamed Camp Johnson in honor of Sgt. Major Gilbert Johnson, a
Montford Point drill instructor. It's the only Marine Corps installation named in honor of an AfricanAmerican.
Martha Waggoner can be reached at http://twitter.com/mjwaggonernc . Her work can be found
athttp://bigstory.ap.org/content/martha-waggoner .
http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2016/07/28/navy-oiler-named-after-gay-rights-activist-harveymilk/87666452/
Navy oiler to be named after gay rights activist Harvey Milk
By Meghann Myers
Navy Times, July 28, 2016
The Navy plans to name a ship for gay rights activist Harvey Milk,
who was assassinated in 1978. Milk grew up in a Navy family,
served as a Navy diver.
(Photo: AP file photo)
Pioneering gay rights activist and former Navy diver Harvey Milk
is set to have a fleet oiler named after him, according to a leaked
congressional notification.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus sent a letter to Capitol Hill on July
14, according to a report by USNI News, to inform lawmakers that
he intends to name a Military Sealift Command ship after the politician, who became the first openly gay
person to hold public office in California in 1978.
Mabus' office declined to comment on the issue until an official ship-naming release is sent out, spokesman
Lt. Eric Durie told Navy Times.
LGBT leaders push for next ship to be named Harvey Milk
Milk, the son of two Navy veterans, served as a diving officer aboard the submarine rescue ship Kittiwake
during World War II, then served as a diving instructor at Naval Base San Diego before his honorable
discharge as a lieutenant junior grade in 1955.
A prominent member of San Francisco's LGBT community during the 1970s, Milk was elected to represent
the 5th district on the San Francisco board of supervisors, taking office in early 1978. In November that
year, he was shot and killed along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone by fellow supervisor Dan
White. His life and death were dramatized in the 2008 movie "Milk."
Next-generation Navy ship to be named after civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis
The campaign to get a ship named after him was spearheaded by a San Diego-area congressman, Rep. Bob
Filner, D-Calif., who sent a letter to Mabus and then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta urging them to name
a submarine, aircraft carrier or other vessel after Milk.
In January, Mabus announced the next-generation class of fleet replenishment oilers would be named for
civil rights leaders. The first ship in the class was named for John Lewis, a Georgia Democratic
congressman who was a civil rights organizer alongside Martin Luther King Jr. The Milk would be the
second ship in the class.
http://www.stripes.com/news/us/us-senate-approves-bill-honoring-filipino-veterans-1.420747
US Senate approves bill honoring Filipino veterans
By Gregg K. Kakesako (The Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
Stars and Stripes, July 24, 2016
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii. (Joe Gromelski/Stars And Stripes)
The U.S. Senate has passed a bill authored by Sen. Mazie Hirono to make
it possible for more than 260,000 Filipinos and Filipino-Americans,
including 300 from Hawaii, to receive the highest civilian award that
Congress can bestow — the Congressional Gold Medal.
U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, author of a companion measure in the U.S.
House, said she hopes to gather enough support to send the legislation to
President Barack Obama before the end of the year.
Following the Senate’s action, Gabbard said House rules require the
measure to have 290 co-sponsors before it can be considered. So far,
Gabbard has been able to persuade 180 House members to support the bill.
“More than 200,000 Filipino and Filipino-American soldiers responded to
President Roosevelt’s call to duty and fought under our American flag during World War II,” Gabbard said.
“With just 18,000 Filipino WWII veterans alive today, time is truly of the essence to honor these
courageous men with the long overdue recognition they deserve. We’ve made tremendous progress over
the past year to gather bipartisan support from lawmakers for this legislation.”
Before his death, U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, in a statement released by the Congressional Asian Pacific
Caucus, said: “While this recognition is a step in the right direction, Congress can do more. As the number
of World War II veterans continues to diminish, we can continue to build on recent improvements to the
visa process and make it easier for the families of these selfless Filipino veterans to be reunited with their
loved ones in the United States.”
Retired Army Col. Ben Acohido, who is part of a national effort to complete a census determining the exact
number of surviving Filipino veterans, estimates that little more than a dozen are still living in Hawaii.
Congress has already recognized the wartime contributions of other minority military units with eligibility
for the medal beginning with the Tuskegee Airmen in 2006; Navajo Code Talkers in 2008; Women
Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, in 2009; the Japanese-American soldiers of the 100th Infantry Battalion
and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service in 2010; the Montford Point
Marines, who were the first African-Americans to serve in the Marine Corps, in 2011; and in 2014, the 65th
Infantry Regiment, known as the Borinqueneers — the only Hispanic, segregated military unit in the
Korean War whose soldiers were predominantly from Puerto Rico.
“These veterans were instrumental to an Allied victory in the Pacific theater, but their fight didn’t end with
the war,” Hirono said in a statement. “For decades, they have continued to fight for the benefits they have
earned and to be reunited with their families in the United States.”
Her sentiments were echoed by retired Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, a 1968 Leilehua High School
graduate and chairman of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project. “Filipino World War II
veterans served their country with distinct honor and uncommon valor and we owe them a profound debt of
gratitude,” he said. “I am proud that with the Senate’s unanimous passage of the Filipino World War II
Congressional Gold Medal Act, the veterans are significantly closer on their lifelong goal of national
recognition of sacrifice and selfless service during World War II from the U.S. Congress. They have waited
75 years for this proud and historic milestone in American history. We deeply appreciate Sen. Hirono’s
steadfast leadership and dedication to the thousands of Filipino World War II veterans and their families
who made this day possible. The veterans will surely be proud.”
Taguba’s father, Tomas, survived the 65-mile Bataan Death March in 1942, retired as a sergeant first class
in 1962, and lived in Hawaii until his death.
http://www.stripes.com/news/us/us-senate-approves-bill-honoring-filipino-veterans-1.420747
Most of the survivors are in their 90s and supporters continue to fight for U.S. fulfillment of promised
pensions and health benefits.
“The Congressional Gold Medal will preserve the history of service and sacrifice by these loyal Filipino
WWII veterans,” Acohido said. “They were the first line of defense in the Pacific, providing valuable time
for the American military to marshal its forces when the outcome of the war was still in question. We are
now hopeful for the bill’s passage in the U.S. House.”
Hirono has continued the congressional battle to restore pensions and benefits begun by U.S. Sens. Spark
Matsunaga, Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka.
The legislation was supported by a bipartisan coalition of 71 senators, including Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.,
who said: “Filipino World War II veterans served and sacrificed alongside American forces and played an
important role in the Allied victory. I have spent my career fighting to ensure they receive the recognition
and benefits they deserve. While we can never fully repay the debt we owe these brave soldiers, Congress
can pay tribute to their courage by awarding them with the Congressional Gold Medal. Granting Filipino
veterans this honor will be yet another step taken in correcting past wrongs and celebrating their heroic
actions and the patriotism of their community.”
©2016 The Honolulu Star-Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Visit The Honolulu Star-Advertiser at www.staradvertiser.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/election/2016/07/27/conventions-women-veterans-keyroles/87610328/
Women veterans take key roles at the party conventions
By Leo Shane III
Military Times, July 27, 2016
Na'ilah Amaru seconds the nomination of Hillary Clinton for
president during the second day of the Democratic National
Convention in Philadelphia on July 26.
(Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
PHILADELPHIA -- Women veterans have become a key talking
point at both political conventions this month, but community
leaders say that attention alone won’t be enough to address the
challenges facing their population.
“I think that the core problem we need to address is that when
people think of veterans, they don’t think of women,” said Allison Jaslow, chief of staff at Iraq and
Afghanistan Veterans of America. “Until we break through that wall, we’re still going to have a challenge.”
Both Republicans and Democrats highlight women serving in the ranks in their party platforms, and both
GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton promised in speeches
this week to improve health care options for female veterans.
Democrats also held a party forum on Monday at their convention in Philadelphia to further discuss how
women veterans still feel overlooked or ignored. In the event’s first two nights, three women who served in
the ranks were among the featured speakers.
New York delegate Na'ilah Amaru drew loud cheers from the crowd when she talked about path from an
immigrant to a soldier to an activist for the Democratic party.
“I joined the Army as an ammunition specialist and gave the best of myself to a country that had given me
so much,” she said during Tuesday’s speeches. “I returned from Iraq deeply committed to restoring the
faith of America's promise for everyone.”
Republican Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst drew similar cheers a week earlier at her party’s convention, speaking
about her time deployed in Iraq as with the National Guard and the importance of strong leadership for the
military.
Few of the speakers have focused on their role as women in the ranks, instead simply focusing the same
themes of service and sacrifice as male veteran attendees.
That’s an important image for the country, women veterans said. Once more Americans see the role women
are playing, they’ll be more receptive to the need for additional policies and resources to uncomplicate that
service.
“The good news is that we’re talking about it, and it’s a conversation,” said Verna Jones, executive director
of the American legion. “The more we talk about it, the more people are going to become aware.”
“Women veterans are the fastest growing population coming out of the military, but our resources pale in
comparison to those of our male counterparts.”
According to VA statistics, women make up about 10 percent of the U.S. veterans population. But women
at the Democratic event said too often their peers view their service as unusual or different, a problem that
can’t be changed through legislative action.
“The first step is putting women veterans on stage and shining a spotlight on their service,” said Kate Hoit,
director of communications for Got Your 6. “As a country, we need to see the faces of the women who
have served in our military.
But cultural changes won’t happen “if we can't even recognize the women who have worn the uniform,”
Hoit said.
http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/election/2016/07/27/conventions-women-veterans-keyroles/87610328/
“At times we are ignored, our issues pushed to the side, because we don't fit the mold for what a ‘veteran’
looks like. It's time we're recognized.”
She said seeing women veterans showcased at the national stage of both conventions is a significant step
forward. Jaslow agreed, saying without the visibility, none of the underlying problems can change. But
both said they hope it’s just the first of many steps.
Jones said she doesn’t think the problem as one of malice but instead ignorance.
“For so long, women were seen only as spouses of the military. And there are always going to be people
who have that mindset,” she said. “But the vast majority of people understand the value that women bring
to the military and to this country.
“Are we over the hump yet? Maybe not. But we’re standing dead on top of it.”
Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be
reached at [email protected].
Human Relations
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2016/07/25/americans-think-more-than-half-vets-havemental-problems-survey-says/87101004/
Americans think more than half of vets have mental
problems, survey says
By Patricia Kime
Military Times, July 25, 2016
Marines patrol in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on May 15,
2014. Veterans say that concerns about being stigmatized have
prevented them from seeking help for mental health and combatrelated conditions.
(Photo: Sgt. Joseph Scanlan/Marine Corps)
The general public vastly overestimates the number of post-9/11
veterans with mental health conditions, a misconception
veterans advocates say threatens the overall well-being and
employment prospects of former troops.
A survey of more than 1,000 adults in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom found that roughly 40
percent believed more than half the 2.8 million veterans who have served since 2001 have a mental health
condition.
The actual figure lies somewhere between 10 percent and 20 percent, or 280,000 to just more than a half
million, according to a Rand Corp. estimate.
Trump and Clinton to discuss VA reform at VFW convention
The recent survey, conducted by the George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative, also found that
while a majority of veterans say traumatic brain injury and combat-related mental health conditions are
legitimate war wounds, 80 percent say embarrassment or shame is a barrier to seeking treatment.
A similar percentage say concerns for future employment also kept them from getting medical treatment
and therapy for these conditions.
The veterans' acknowledgment of the legitimacy of these injuries, juxtaposed with their reluctance to get
care is a "clear indication that challenges and stigmas regarding veterans mental health persist,” said
Military Service Initiative director retired Army Col. Miguel Howe following a forum in Washington on
July 7 on veterans' transition.
"The unfortunate result is that less than half veterans who experience these invisible wounds of war are
seeking care.” Howe said.
Police shootings touch nerve among military veterans
The Bush Institute commissioned the survey to better understand public perceptions of today’s veterans.
Howe said the organization wanted the information to improve programs for veterans and families.
He added that the survey results mirror the findings of research conducted in 2011 by the Pew Research
Center, which found about half of 1 percent of the U.S. population has served on active duty and fewer
Americans knew anyone serving in the U.S. military.
"The civilian military divide is still there. … The needle has not moved, even though there have been
tremendous efforts in this country in the past five years. But the work hasn’t been enough and it really is
going to take public, private and nonprofit partnerships to build a national system of high-quality care and
services [for veterans],” Howe said.
New VA study finds 20 veterans commit suicide each day
Nearly 3 million active and reserve service members have left the military for civilian life since 2001, with
another million expected to transition in the next five years. Transitions not only include changes
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2016/07/25/americans-think-more-than-half-vets-havemental-problems-survey-says/87101004/
in employment, they often mean change of housing, income, communities, lifestyle and health care,
and also affect family members.
The Bush Institute teamed with the Edelman marketing firm and Give An Hour, a nonprofit established to
provide free mental health counseling to troops, veterans and family members, to hold the Washington
event focused on fostering successful transitions for military personnel.
“This is about what we need to do to change and address perceptions because they are getting in the way of
the veterans getting the mental health care they need and relationships with the veterans we employ,” said
Barbara Van Dahlen, founder of Give An Hour.
George W. Bush, Prince Harry call for mental health stigma to end
Results of a concurrent survey conducted by Edelman underscore the disconnect between the civilian
population and those who serve.
The Edelman survey of more than 2,000 veterans and civilians found while 84 percent of employers believe
veterans are viewed as heroes in their communities, just 26 percent of employers believe veterans are
“strategic assets” to their communities.
And only 34 percent of veterans felt they were assets to their community.
"The stereotyping of veterans as heroes may create emotional distance between veterans and civilians,
making it difficult for community members to connect with veterans and see them as potential
colleagues," the Edelman report noted.
According to the Bush survey, more than two-thirds of the public said they do not understand the problems
faced by the military, and post-9/11 veterans agreed, with eight of 10 saying the American people don’t
understand them.
Brian Duffy, incoming national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said civilian communities
and veterans must take steps to ensure that former troops successfully transition to their post-service lives.
“There is a bridge that needs to be crossed, both on the civilian side and the military side,” Duffy said.
Patricia Kime covers military and veterans health care and medicine for Military Times. She can be
reached at [email protected].
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/advice/kevlar-for-the-mind/2016/07/25/do-recent-veteranshave-more-psychological-problems-than-those-past-wars/87297612/
Do recent veterans have more psychological problems than
those of past wars?
By Bret Moore, Special to Military Times
Military Times, July 25, 2016
Kevlar for the Mind (Photo: Thinkstock/Staff)
Reader: I'm a World War II veteran, and I find myself wondering
about our country's newest group of veterans. It seems like they are
always talking about some disorder they have because of combat. Does
our current generation of vets have more psychological problems than
those of us from previous wars?
Your question is a tough one. My short and honest answer is, "I don't think
so." The research comparing the rate of psychological conditions between
different wars is sparse. But the information we do have seems to show that the rates of psychiatric
ailments are fairly consistent between conflicts.
What makes it seem like our current veterans are battling more psychological problems may be a matter of
awareness. Veterans, and the public at large, are more informed about conditions such as post-traumatic
stress disorder. They understand that depression, anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse can be consequences
of extended and multiple deployments.
Kevlar for the Mind: How to feel rested every morning
Increased awareness is likely only one part of the equation. Related to awareness, anti-stigma campaigns
that focus on encouraging veterans to seek help leads to more veterans getting care. This does not mean that
Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have more problems than those from Desert Storm, Korea, Vietnam or
World War II. It's a matter of it being made easier and more acceptable for them to ask for help.
What I do know for sure is that the bond between veterans, regardless of which conflict they fought in, is
one of the strongest bonds that can occur between groups. Veterans from all eras have much to teach and
share with others.
Reader: I retired from the Navy last year. Although I look back on my service with pride, I find
myself hoping that my 8-year-old son doesn't want to join the military when he's older. I know it's
hypocritical, but it's how I feel. Is this wrong?
It's not a matter of right or wrong. It makes sense if a veteran looks back on his career and wells up with
pride with the thought of his son or daughter serving. It's also perfectly acceptable for a parent to reflect on
how difficult and dangerous military service can be and not want that for a child.
My recommendation is to find comfort in the fact that the choice is the child's. And if you've done your
best as a parent, then you've given your child what he or she needs to make the best choice for their
life. Beyond that, you're just trying to control someone else's future. That never turns out well!
Bret A. Moore, Psy.D., is a board-certified clinical psychologist who served two tours in Iraq. Email him at
[email protected]. This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended
to convey specific psychological or medical guidance.
http://www.morrisherald-news.com/2016/07/25/first-ever-memorial-for-veterans-lost-to-ptsd-coming-tochannahon/a1ldj4i/
First ever memorial for veterans lost to PTSD coming to
Channahon
Memorial expected to open in November at Channahon State Park
By Mike Mallory
Morris Herald-News (Morris, Ill.), July 25, 2016
Channahon State Park in Channahon has been chosen as
the site of The Forgotten Warrior Memorial Wall that will
honor veterans who have lost their battle to post-traumatic
stress disorder. This graphic shows the design, which is the
first of its kind in America.
CHANNAHON – Channahon State Park will be home to a
one-of-a-kind memorial for military veterans who have lost
their battles with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Forgotten Warrior Memorial Wall will be a tribute to
all veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and have been afflicted with PTSD and sacrificed
their lives beyond the limits of active duty. The memorial, expected to open in November, was funded
through private donations to Chicago-based nonprofit K9s For Veteran Warriors.
K9s For Veteran Warriors CEO Michael Tellerino said it’s proper to have memorials for veterans who lost
their lives in battle; however, currently no memorials exist for the countless veterans who have taken their
own lives while fighting another war at home – PTSD.
“How can we honor them for paying the ultimate price?” Tellerino said. “They come home with wounds
you can’t see. People don’t understand how serious this is.”
One statistic Tellerino cited suggests about 22 veterans commit suicide each day, but that’s just based on
veterans who have registered for benefits. He said the real number is between 28 and 32 a day.
“That’s not acceptable,” he said. “We wanted to acknowledge that sons, daughters, brothers and sisters
have not died in vain. We hope this will give some healing to their families and raise public awareness.”
The memorial, which will cost more than $80,000, will be constructed in an existing circular turnaround
area of the park and be comprised largely of granite. Tellerino initially wanted to etch the names of each
veteran lost to PTSD into the memorial, but said it would be an exhaustive process to get every name from
the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Instead, families will have individual bricks etched with their loved ones’ names on a volunteer basis. He
said that since announcing the memorial last week, he received a call from a woman in tears.
“She was so excited about doing this,” he said. “It’s so long overdue for these guys.”
The organization chose Channahon because it has easy access from the Chicago metropolitan area and the
specific spot in the park is perfect for what the architects of the project have designed.
The nonprofit also wanted the memorial to be relatively close to Marseilles, which is home to the Middle
East Conflicts Wall Memorial along the Illinois River.
Illinois State Parks and Recreation and state legislators have already signed off on the project, he said.
[email protected]
Miscellaneous
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b2641d834fdf48ce96fe790537026324/army-secretary-touts-importancemental-health
Army secretary touts importance of mental health
By Cathy Bussewitz
The Associated Press, July 27, 2016
Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning tours Tripler Army Medical Center in
Honolulu, Wednesday, July 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Cathy Bussewitz)
HONOLULU (AP) — Army Secretary Eric Fanning says the Army is
paying more attention to behavioral health and making sure anyone who's
injured while defending the nation gets the treatment they need.
The Army and other military branches are conducting research into how
military deployment affects anger, and they are encouraging mental health
treatment before deployment to mitigate the effects of anger after soldiers return, he said.
"There's a tremendous amount of research the Army's been doing, the military's been doing," Fanning said.
"It's clear we have a lot of work left to do."
Fanning told The Associated Press on Wednesday he's concerned that two recent mass shootings involved
military veterans, but he said the research doesn't show any cause and effect between military service and
what happens after soldiers leave the armed forces.
Earlier this month, Army reservist Micah Johnson shot and killed five Dallas police officers at a rally
protesting the deaths of two black men by white police officers. Also in July, Gavin Long, a former Marine
and Iraq war veteran, killed three law enforcement officers in Louisiana. Long's mother has told the PBS
TV network that he had post-traumatic stress disorder.
There is no data that suggest veterans as a whole are more likely to commit crimes, said Major Chris
Ophardt, public affairs officer for the Secretary of the Army, in an email.
"We want to make sure that we are understanding any impacts that service might have," Fanning said. "We
don't see that as being the cause."
Fanning is in Hawaii as part of weekslong tour of military bases throughout the Pacific region that includes
stops in Guam, Malaysia, Japan, Alaska and other destinations.
He toured Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, which treats soldiers stationed in the Pacific, and met
with doctors who treat men and women for issues like post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Research was showing there are things we can do in advance to lay the groundwork before the deployment
and after the deployment," Fanning said. "This would be a new way of looking at the anger issue that we
haven't done before."
This month, researchers at Tel Aviv University released a study that found computerized training before
deployment could help prevent flare-ups of post-traumatic stress disorder. The research team followed
soldiers from basic training to combat and found that those who avoided potential threats presented on a
computer screen were at greater risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder.
The study was conducted in collaboration with the Israel Defense Forces, the Walter Reed Army Institute
of Research and the National Institutes of Health.
Fanning wants to look at the stigma he said still exists about behavioral health. Seeking help is a sign of
strength, not a sign of weakness, he said.
"The brain is the most complicated organ in the body, and we go to specialists for everything else," Fanning
said. "Why wouldn't we encourage people to seek specialists for any type of behavioral issues that they're
having?"
___
Follow Cathy Bussewitz on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbussewitz . Her work can be found
at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/cathy-bussewitz .
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/07/28/decision-coming-soon-on-navy-job-title-review-mabussays.html
Decision Coming Soon on Navy Job Title Review, Mabus
Says
By Hope Hodge Seck
Military.com, July 28, 2016
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said Thursday that he expects a review
of Navy job titles to help sailors' careers, not only within the
service, but also when they transition out into the civilian sector.
The Navy in June announced that top brass had decided to expand a
review initiated by Mabus to ensure that current job titles were
gender-inclusive to also explore the impact of titles on personnel
policy and training organization.
The review now could go beyond changing the names assigned to
Navy ratings and include updates to detailing policy, reorganization of training pipelines and more.
Mabus said the results of the policy review were going to come out "pretty soon," though a proposal was
not yet on his desk.
"I think it will do two things: It will better describe what people do, and it will make career paths more
flexible and more rewarding," Mabus said. "Two is, when people leave the Navy, it will make the transition
easier, because people outside will understand what they did and what their skills are."
While Navy officials have said that all job titles are under review and haven't described any specific titles
as candidates for special scrutiny, Mabus' comments may indicate that more antiquated or opaque titles,
such as yeoman, for a sailor who performs administrative and clerical work, or aerographer's mate, for a
specialist in meteorology and weather forecasting, may receive consideration for change.
The Marine Corps, which was also commanded by Mabus to review job titles for gender-specific language,
announced in late June that the service would change 19 job titles to make them more gender-neutral, while
keeping some, such as rifleman, out of respect for tradition.
The job title review is one of a series of measures Mabus has promoted in an effort to minimize distinctions
between the genders in the military. He has also worked to overhaul Navy uniforms as the driving force
behind new unisex dress covers, "dixie cup" enlisted white hats for women, a female version of the
"crackerjack" blues and the prohibition of dress white skirts at this year's Naval Academy graduation.
Mabus told Military.com today that he was proud of his legacy as Navy secretary, even as he broke with
service tradition on a wide range of issues.
"Every decision I've made, I've made with the view of making the Navy and the Marine Corps stronger,
better for the future. Better at their jobs, better at what we're entrusted to do, which is defend this country,"
he said. "And I think we've done some historic things. ... We've got the greatest expeditionary fighting
force the world has ever known."
-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck.
© Copyright 2016 Military.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast,
rewritten or redistributed.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2016/07/23/female-air-force-pilot-amputee-returnsskies/87446184/
Female Air Force pilot amputee returns to the skies
By Oriana Pawlyk
Air Force Times, July 23, 2016
Capt. Christy Wise, 71st Rescue Squadron. (Photo: Courtesy photo)
Capt. Christy Wise frantically waved her headlamp flashlight to alert a boat
jetting toward her to turn away. But Wise, a HC-130J rescue squadron
pilot, quickly realizing it was too late, dove as far down to save herself.
When she surfaced, she knew the boat’s propeller had severed her right leg.
Almost a year later, Wise — who thought it would be the end of her pilot
career — is back in the cockpit, and flew her first mission Friday at Moody
Air Force Base, Georgia, where she is stationed. She is the first female Air
Force amputee to return to flight, the service said.
“I have been blown away with the amount of support I’ve had to ... achieve
my goals,” Wise told Air Force Times on July 21.
On April 11, 2015, she and her boyfriend were paddleboarding in a cove
near Shalimar, Florida. “When I surfaced I immediately thought, ‘Dang it, I
should have had a brighter flashlight’,” Wise said. But she later learned it was a hit-and-run accident as the
boat did not stop or slow down.
Wise’s boyfriend, Tim, and a fisherman from nearby got Wise in the back of the fishing boat, made a
tourniquet from fishing net handle and Tim’s long-sleeve shirt. During her 45-minute ride to a hospital in
Pensacola, she thought about her friend and fellow airman, Ryan McGuire, who too lost his leg in a boating
accident, but would later return to flying C-17s for the Air Force.
“If Ryan did it, I can do it,” said Wise, who lost her leg above the knee.
She spent eight months in rehabilitation in San Antonio, Texas. Before her first flight was approved, Wise
achieved many milestones: She recently passed her physical training test, running — not walking —
the 1.5-mile run test in 13.54 minutes.
“My commander here said, ‘I can’t wait until you pass the PT test because everybody else in the squadron
who fails it has no excuse’,” she said.
Wise, of the 71st Rescue Squadron, participated in the Wounded Warrior Games in Quantico, Virginia,
nine weeks after the accident. She won 11 medals in hand-cycling, swimming, wheelchair racing,
swimming and track and field; in May, she competed in the Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida, in road
cycling, running, swimming, cycling, shot put and discuss, among others.
Wise also created One Leg Up on Life, a non-profit organization which distributes prosthetic limbs and
cares for children in third world countries. She and a volunteer team visited Haiti in April.
“I was working toward getting back to this old cycle of life,” she said.
Wise completed her eight-month rehabilitation in San Antonio,
Texas. (Photo: Courtesy photo)
She still needs to complete a requalifying syllabus for full-flying
status in the next few weeks, and will soon PCS to Davis-Monthan
Air Force Base, Arizona. But by winter, Wise says she will likely
be ready to deploy overseas for her second career deployment.
On Friday, Wise practiced instrument and engine procedures and
taxiing. In her second flight, she will conduct mission oriented
procedures for air refueling, airdrop and working with PJs.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2016/07/23/female-air-force-pilot-amputee-returnsskies/87446184/
What’s most challenging boils down to the nitty-gritty metrics of flight, she said, after months in the
training simulator.
“I’ve really had to work to build strength in my prosthetic leg because I still have to be required to do the
same amount of force on the rudder pedals,” Wise said.
“And, anyone who’s flown a C-130 will agree that it’s a really tricky parking break ... you have to put a lot
of force on the pedal on the toe-break, and then pull it.
“That was even hard with two legs,” she said.
Oriana Pawlyk covers Air Force deployments, cyber, Guard/Reserve, uniforms, physical training, crime,
and operations in the Middle East and Europe for Air Force Times. She was the Early Bird Brief editor in
2015. Email her at [email protected].
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2c54b7b0e68741e09a04683b86ede5f7/pretrial-motions-heard-fifth-officerprisoner-death
Prosecutors drop all remaining charges in Freddie Gray
case
By Juliet Linderman
The Associated Press, July 27, 2016
Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, right, holds a news
conference near the site where Freddie Gray was arrested after her
office dropped the remaining charges against three Baltimore
police officers awaiting trial in Gray's death, in Baltimore,
Wednesday, July 27, 2016. The decision by prosecutors comes after
a judge had already acquitted three of the six officers charged in
the case. At left is Gray's father, Richard Shipley (AP Photo/Steve
Ruark)
BALTIMORE (AP) — Prosecutors on Wednesday dropped all
remaining charges against the three Baltimore police officers who were still awaiting trial in Freddie Gray's
death, blaming police for a biased investigation that failed to produce a single conviction.
The decision means that no one will be held criminally responsible for the death of Gray, a 25-year-old
black man whose neck was broken while he was unrestrained in the back of a police van in April 2015.
A judge had already acquitted three other officers, including the van driver who prosecutors considered the
most responsible and another officer who was the highest-ranking of the group. A mistrial was declared for
a fourth officer when a jury deadlocked.
Gray's death added fuel to the growing Black Lives Matter movement, set off massive protests in the city
and led to the worst riots that Baltimore had seen in decades.
The case also led the police department to overhaul its use-of-force policy. All officers will soon be
equipped with body-worn cameras, and the U.S. Justice Department has launched an investigation into
allegations of widespread abuse and unlawful arrests by police. The results are expected soon. The officers
also face an internal investigation.
Shortly after the announcement that charges would be dropped, a defiant State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby
held a news conference, saying there was "a reluctance" and "an obvious bias" among some officers
investigating Gray's death.
"We do not believe Freddie Gray killed himself," she said, standing in the neighborhood where Gray was
arrested, a mural of him on a wall over her shoulder. "We stand by the medical examiner's determination
that Freddie Gray's death was a homicide."
She walked up to the podium as people chanted "we're with you," and her remarks were punctuated by
shouts of support.
Gray's mother, Gloria Darden, stood by Mosby, saying police lied. "I know they lied, and they killed him,"
she said.
Attorneys for the officers said justice had been served and praised the police department's thorough
investigation. The officers have sued Mosby, saying she intentionally filed false charges against them.
"The comments made today about our officers by Ms. Mosby were outrageous and uncalled for and simply
not true," said Gene Ryan, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3.
Ivan Bates, an attorney for Sgt. Alicia White, said everyone wanted to know what happened to Gray.
"The Baltimore city police, they did the investigation and they said it was an accident," he said. "The
Baltimore state's attorney had the opportunity to do an investigation and they did not. It is the Baltimore
city state's attorney's office that denied justice to the Gray family and to these officers."
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2c54b7b0e68741e09a04683b86ede5f7/pretrial-motions-heard-fifth-officerprisoner-death
Gray's family received a $6.4 million settlement from the city.
The day started with a pretrial hearing for officer Garrett Miller, who had faced charges of assault,
misconduct and reckless endangerment. But instead of pretrial motions, Chief Deputy State's Attorney
Michael Schatzow told the judge that prosecutors were dropping the charges against Miller and the other
officers.
Prosecutors had said Gray was illegally arrested after he ran from a bike patrol officer and that officers
failed to buckle Gray into a seat belt or call a medic when he indicated he wanted to go to a hospital. He
was handcuffed and shackled when he was hurt.
After Gray's death, Mosby wasted little time in announcing charges, waiting just one day after receiving the
police department's investigation while a tense city was still under curfew. She did not shy from the
spotlight, posing for magazine photos, sitting for TV interviews and even appearing on stage at a Prince
concert in Gray's honor.
The city's troubles forced Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to fire her reform-minded police chief and
abandon her re-election campaign. She has taken a prominent role on the podium this week at the
Democratic National Convention.
Many feared that the acquittals could provoke more protests and unrest, but that never happened, and the
streets appeared mostly calm Wednesday.
The Gray case never fit neatly into the narrative of white authorities imposing unfair justice on minorities.
Three of the officers who were charged are white and three are black. The victim, judge, top prosecutor and
mayor are all African-American. At the time of Gray's death, so was the police chief.
No reputations hinged on the case's outcome as much as Mosby's and that of her husband, Nick Mosby, a
councilman for Baltimore's west side who announced his mayoral candidacy shortly after Rawlings-Blake
left the race. He later pulled out.
Marilyn Mosby spoke so forcefully when she announced the charges against the officers that defense
attorneys argued she should recuse herself for bias. She did not let up Wednesday.
"We've all borne witness to an inherent bias that is a direct result of when police police themselves," she
said.
SEE ALSO:
Individuals, agencies dodge blame as Freddie Gray case ends [AP, 2016-07-28]
3rd officer acquitted in black man's police custody death [AP, 2016-07-18]
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/67bcf779b5884444b0e4596b3c165798/report-shooting-deaths-lawenforcement-spike-2016
Report: Shooting deaths of law enforcement spike in 2016
By Rebecca Santana
The Associated Press, July 27, 2016
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Shooting deaths of law enforcement officers spiked 78 percent in the first half of
2016 compared to last year, including an alarming increase in ambush-style assaults like the ones that killed
eight officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, according to a report released Wednesday.
However, data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund shows that firearms-related
deaths of officers in the line of duty are still lower than they were during previous decades like the 1970s.
Thirty-two officers died in firearms-related incidents so far this year including 14 that were ambush-style
attacks, according to the report. During the same period last year, 18 officers were shot and killed in the
line of duty including three that were considered ambush attacks.
"That's a very alarming, shocking increase in the number of officers who are being literally assassinated
because of the uniform they wear and the job that they do," said Craig W. Floyd, who heads the
organization.
The organization usually releases a mid-year report tracking incidents for the first six months but decided
to extend the period due to the July attacks in Dallas and Baton Rouge against police officers. So the report
goes from the beginning of January to July 20 and compares it to the same period last year. On their
website, the organization also keeps a running tally of officers who died in the line of duty. Those figures
through July 26 show that 33 officers have been shot and killed so far this year.
The report comes at a time of heightened tension between communities across the country and police
officers. Two police officers and one sheriff's deputy were shot and killed during an ambush on July 17 in
Baton Rouge by a black gunman who was later killed by responding officers. In Dallas, a black gunman
opened fire on police during a July 7 protest against recent police shootings of black suspects; the gunman
killed five officers before being killed by authorities.
A total of 67 officers have died in the line of duty so far in 2016, according to the report. That figure also
includes officers who died in traffic accidents, fatal falls or airplane crashes.
Texas leads the nation in the number of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty with 14
deaths so far this year, including the five recent slayings in Dallas. Louisiana, where three officers were
shot and killed in Baton Rouge, ranked second with a total of seven officers who died in the line of duty.
Despite the recent high-profile shootings of police, the average number of officers shot and killed on the
job is significantly lower than in previous decades. Floyd said during the 1970s, there was an average of
127 officers shot and killed yearly; during the last ten years through 2015, the average number shot and
killed is 52. He cited the reduction in violent crime in recent decades and said officers have benefited from
the widespread introduction of body armor and improved trauma care if they do get shot.
But he noted a worrying increase in recent years in anti-police and anti-government sentiment.
___
Follow Santana on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ruskygal .
Misconduct
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/27/extramarital-affair-misuse-resources-cost-risingarmy-general-his-post/87572656/
Extramarital affair, misuse of resources cost Army general
his post
By Tom Vanden Brook
USA TODAY, July 27, 2016
Maj. Gen. David Haight
(Photo: U.S. Army)
WASHINGTON — Military officials have relieved a senior officer from a key
post in Europe after determining he had misused government resources while
having an extramarital affair, the Army has confirmed.
Army Maj. Gen. David Haight had been in charge of operations for U.S. European
Command, the Pentagon’s principal command for confronting a resurgent Russia
with the 28-nation NATO alliance.
Haight was removed from his post earlier this summer without an announcement
and reassigned to Army headquarters at the Pentagon. He is listed as a special assistant to the director of the
Army staff. Typically, the military reassigns senior officers suspected of misconduct to such positions as
investigations unfold. Military law prohibits extramarital affairs.
Haight has been issued a letter of reprimand, a move that effectively ends his career.
"Maj. Gen. Haight was reprimanded for failing to exhibit exemplary conduct by engaging in an
inappropriate sexual relationship with a woman who was not his wife and for misusing government
resources," said Col. Pat Seiber, an Army spokesman.
The Army may convene a board to determine the rank at which he last served satisfactorily, Seiber said.
Retirement at a lower rank could cost him tens of thousands of dollars in pension pay.
"I'm very sorry — and take full responsibility — for my actions,” Haight said in a statement to USA
TODAY. “I will cooperate fully with Army leadership as the process moves forward."
Haight is at least the second senior Army officer in a high-profile position to be relieved of duty for
personal misconduct in the last year. In November, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that his senior
military adviser, then-Lt. Gen. Ron Lewis, had been abruptly fired from his job following allegations of
misbehavior, which involved an inappropriate relationship, senior officials said at the time.
Lewis was reassigned to the Army staff and saw his rank drop to the two-star level. The Pentagon Inspector
General continues to investigate his case.
Several cases of misconduct by senior officers — a drunken binge in Moscow by an Air Force two-star
general in 2013 and the ongoing bribery scandal involving Navy officers and a corrupt businessman in the
Pacific are some examples — have rattled the Pentagon in recent years. Defense secretaries have
commissioned studies into stemming the problem.
Haight had seen his star rise continually while in the Army, holding several key commands. He was
commissioned as an infantry officer in 1986 after graduating from Brigham Young University. His
deployments read like a history of American military expeditions ever since: Panama, Haiti, multiple
combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He also served as executive officer to Adm. Mike Mullen, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Another key post: 53rd Chief of Infantry and Commandant of the United States Army Infantry School.
Haight is married and has four adult children.
As the operations chief, Haight oversaw eight missions, including responding to emerging crises, air and
missile defense for U.S. forces and its NATO allies and joint training exercises. Those capabilities have
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/27/extramarital-affair-misuse-resources-cost-risingarmy-general-his-post/87572656/
grown increasingly critical in the last few years after Russia annexed Crimea and its warplanes have buzzed
provocatively close to American ships and planes in the region.
On July 21, the Pentagon announced that Army Maj. Gen. Gordon “Skip” Davis had been assigned to
replace Haight. Davis has been leading training of security forces in Afghanistan.
The threat of war with Russia is less a concern for the operations post than the flow of refugees into Europe
from the war-torn Middle East, said Michael O’Hanlon, a military analyst at the Brookings Institution.
Davis’ experience in Afghanistan should serve him well in that regard, O’Hanlon said.
http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2016/07/27/brian-sorenson-board-of-inquiry-cruiser-anziodecision/87629018/
Ex-Navy CO should be busted and booted in sex for
advancement scandal: Panel
By David Larter
Navy Times, July 27, 2016
Capt. Brian Sorenson was fired in September as commanding
officer of the cruiser Anzio for what the Navy called allegations of
personal misconduct.
(Photo: Lance M. Bacon/Staff)
NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, Va. — A board unanimously
ruled Wednesday that a fired commanding officer accused of
propositioning one of his junior officers should be busted a rank
and booted out of the service withan other-than-honorable
discharge.
The board of inquiry recommended Capt. Brian Sorenson be forced to retire as an O-5 with a discharge that
could diminish his veterans benefits and pension. The final ruling on his career will be made by Navy
Personnel Command and the office of the Navy secretary.
Sorenson and his attorney Greg McCormack, a retired Army judge advocate, argued for two days that the
female officer had propositioned Sorenson, and that a series of inappropriate incidents and conversations
overheard by the crew of cruiser Anzio were misconstrued. The panel of three rear admirals was
unconvinced, despite Sorensen's denial under oath that he solicited the female officer for sex. He also
denied that he grabbed her buttocks at a bar during a wardroom function.
Sex for career advancement: Senior Navy officer fights salacious accusations
Sorenson was dumped as the commanding officer of cruiser Anzio in September and found guilty at
captain's mast in January for sexual misconduct, sexual harassment and conduct unbecoming. In trying to
persuade a panel to retain Sorenson, McCormack told the panel that the junior officer was struggling to
attain her SWO qualification and had encouraged Sorenson's advances.
Sorenson’s career began to unravel Aug. 30, when he and several junior officers assigned to the Norfolkbased Anzio attended a "wetting down" party at a bar in Yorktown, Virginia. He is accused of engaging in
two highly inappropriate conversations with the woman who worked for him, allegedly propositioning her
for sex, according to a Navy investigation.
The investigation also found that the day after the wetting down, Sorenson invited the accuser to the
captain's cabin, shut the door and asked her directly if she would have sex with him if he would qualify her
as a SWO.
As a policy, Navy Times does not to publish the names of alleged sexual assault victims.
Sex for career advancement: Navy says commander propositioned subordinate
Sorenson alleged at the board of inquiry that the accuser came up to him and told him, "I'll do whatever you
want," and went on to discuss sexual acts. He recalled going outside with her, where they were overheard
discussing sex.
Sorenson acknowledged this conversation was inappropriate. He was unable to say why he spent an hour
talking to her alone outside the bar after she, according to him, allegedly propositioned him for sex.
The panel also questioned Sorenson's judgment to invite the junior officer to a private meeting in his
captain's cabin the next day. Sorenson told the panel he had by then discounted the alleged proposition.
http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2016/07/27/brian-sorenson-board-of-inquiry-cruiser-anziodecision/87629018/
Sorenson and his attorney spent hours painting a picture of the accuser as a struggling JO with a history of
sexual promiscuity. But the panel seemed to agree that unproven allegations of sexual habits had little
relevance to Sorenson's conduct as CO.
Sorenson also testified that on two occasions the victim dressed inappropriately at command functions and
had to be counseled on proper attire.
The investigating officer concludedthe victim had no motive to lie about the sexual assault and harassment,
but at the board of inquiry, McCormack implied that she was angling for a disability rating based on sexual
trauma at Sorenson's expense.
In his closing statement, McCormack harped on the victim's evolving statements to witnesses in the
command investigation about the encounter with Sorenson at the bar and in his cabin the next day.
The government's attorney, Capt. D.J. Hansen, told the panel in his closing argument that the panel's
decision in this case would be closely watched.
"People will be watching and the impact of this will extend beyond these proceedings."
The panel, composed of Rear Adms. Randy Crites, David Lane and John Polowczyk, deliberated for just
over an hour before returning their recommendation.
Sorenson is a Naval Academy graduate and 25-year Navy veteran. A reduction to an O-5 could reduce his
annual pension payment by more than $11,000 before taxes.
The final decision on his career will now goes to Navy Personnel Command and Navy Secretary Ray
Mabus.
http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2016/07/27/submarines-top-enlisted-fired-poorleadership/87634034/
Submarine's top enlisted fired for poor leadership
By Mark D. Faram
Navy Times, July 27, 2016
Master Chief Machinist's Mate (Weapons) Joseph Decker
(Photo: Navy)
Poor leadership has cost a second leader his job this year aboard attack
submarine Oklahoma City.
Master Chief Machinist's Mate (Weapons) Joseph Decker, OKC's chief of
the boat, was removed Wednesday from his job on the Guam-based boat
due to poor leadership. He was canned by the boat’s skipper, Cmdr. Patrick
Friedman.
“He was relieved for a consistent pattern of ineffective leadership at the
deckplate level,” Cmdr. Corey Barker, a Submarine Force Pacific
spokesman, said Wednesday. “Master Chief Decker was not relieved for
misconduct.”
Decker, who took over as COB in April 2015, is the seventh submarine leader fired from his post this year.
2016 Navy firings: Commanding officer, XO, senior enlisted
Barker characterized Decker’s relief as “administrative in nature” but also said he faces “further
administrative actions,” though Barker was not at liberty to discuss what those actions could be.
“He has been temporarily reassigned to Submarine Squadron 15, also in Guam, and what his future in the
Navy will be is under discussion at this time,” Barker said.
The top enlisted on attack submarine Oklahoma City was fired Wednesday
for what officials called ineffective leadership. The boat entered a floating
dry dock in San Diego in May. (Photo: MC3 Derek A. Harkins/Navy)
In January, Decker's CO, Cmdr. Mike Conner, was relieved “for
deficiencies in his leadership and proficiency in command.”
Senior Chief Fire Control Technician Brandon Edmiston from Submarine
Squadron 11 has assumed the responsibilities as OKC's chief of boat.
A 24-year Navy veteran, Decker enlisted in the Navy in September 1991 and has served four underway
tours on three attack submarines, including the Chicago, two tours on the Jefferson City and the Oklahoma
City. Decker could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday.
Racism
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/84fe664a1deb40af90aa97748900b68e/how-sympathetic-whites-are-helpingfuel-racial-change
How sympathetic whites are helping to fuel racial change
By Philip Marcelo
The Associated Press, July 24, 2016
In this Friday, July 22, 2016 photo, Collin Allen, the creator of
'White Men for Black Lives', poses on the Freedom Trail in Boston
Common, as a group of summer camp children walk past, in
Boston, Mass. Some white Americans say they're being spurred to
action by the shootings of black men by officers in Minnesota and
Louisiana after long sitting in silence. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
MEDFORD, Mass. (AP) — An attorney in Oregon is supporting
political candidates who promise to address racial profiling in
policing. In suburban Ohio, a mother says she and her friends will
push for better racial integration in their children's high school. And in rural Massachusetts, a young father
has launched a Facebook group called "White Men for Black Lives."
After standing silently on the sidelines, some whites who agree with demands by civil rights activists for
greater police reforms say they're being spurred to action following this summer's fatal shootings of black
men by officers in Minnesota and Louisiana and the deadly retaliation attacks on police in Texas and
Louisiana.
"I was tired of every discussion on Facebook turning into a debate between Black Lives Matter versus All
Lives Matter," said Colin Allen, a 30-year-old Bernardston, Massachusetts, resident. "I wanted to start a
conversation specifically with white men who know that something has to be done."
Robert Milesnick, a 39-year-old civil attorney in Portland, Oregon, penned a sharply worded essay titled
"My White Male Privilege Is Complicit In Black Male Killing" that ran in the local African-American
newspaper this month.
"At some point, to not do or say anything is complicit," Milesnick told The Associated Press. "These things
keep happening because people that look like me don't do or say anything."
He said he'll be putting that frustration into action by supporting local candidates who pledge to address
racial profiling and other policing issues that disproportionately affect people of color, issues he would not
have necessarily made priorities in years past.
In Shaker Heights, a diverse and wealthy suburb of Cleveland, 50-year-old Lisa Vahey said she and other
mothers at her daughter's high school are looking to turn an informal discussion about race, including a
Facebook group, into more concrete action.
The group, calling itself Shaker Heights High School CommUnity Builders, will be pushing administrators
this school year to better integrate sports and other extracurricular activities that tend to get segregated
along racial lines, she said.
"We come to this as parents," Vahey said. "So we're thinking about what message we're sending to our kids
by our actions or by our inaction."
But not everyone has been able to turn their sympathy into action.
At a Whole Foods store in the Boston suburb of Medford, Joanne Meehan said she would never consider
speaking out on social media or attending a rally or protest — basic actions many activists are imploring of
supportive whites.
She said her comments haven't been warmly received the few times she has tried to broach the shootings
with friends.
"My white friends say, 'All lives matter,' and I try to tell them we can say that because we're not black,"
said the Boston mother of three grown children. "Their lives have meant less to a lot of people."
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/84fe664a1deb40af90aa97748900b68e/how-sympathetic-whites-are-helpingfuel-racial-change
The recent killings of police officers complicate matters for some whites, who feel they have to choose
sides and don't want to come across as against police, said Barbara Simmons, executive director of the
Peace Center, a social justice organization in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia suburb.
But Allen, the creator of "White Men for Black Lives," said it's critical for more whites to fight through
their personal discomfort. Before this summer's shootings, Allen says he also tended to avoid difficult
conversations about race and never attended rallies by Black Lives Matter or other groups.
"There are too many of us just trying to live in our own little, private world, away from all the bad stuff out
there," Allen says. "Empathy is vitally important."
Civil rights activists and religious leaders suggest action doesn't always have to mean marching in the
streets. More modest steps for reticent whites could include speaking about one's conflicted emotions to a
black colleague or friend, building authentic relationships with black people through dinners or other social
interaction, or even reflecting during prayer on their individual role in perpetuating racial violence.
"It's a humility thing," said Andrew Mook, pastor at Sanctuary Church in downtown Providence, Rhode
Island. "It's about asking: Where is the racism in my heart? What is my complicity in the brokenness
around me?"
Only when a critical mass overcomes the so-called "white silence" and takes action can change truly take
root, said Michael Curry, president of the Boston chapter of the NAACP.
"There wouldn't be a Civil Rights Act or a Voting Rights Act without people from broad racial and ethnic
groups lending their advocacy, their support and their money to get those landmark pieces of legislation
passed," he said. "This is no different."
___
Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo. His work can be found
at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/philip-marcelo
___
AP NOTE: MEDFORD, Mass. (AP) — In a story July 23 about white sympathy for black civil rights
issues, The Associated Press erroneously reported the involvement of Ohio mother Lisa Vahey. She is
seeking changes at her daughter's high school, not her son's.
In addition, the story should have made clear that the Facebook group to which Vahey belongs was created
after real-time discussions, not before.
The above is a corrected version of the story.
Religion
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/2016/07/24/chaplains-prepare-worst-major-socomexercise/87334682/
Chaplains prepare for the worst in major SOUTHCOM
exercise
By Luke Carberry Mogan
Army Times, July 24, 2016
Partner nation Coast Guard boats prepare get underway for
training as part of Tradewinds 2016 in St. George's, Grenada, in
June.
(Photo: Petty Officer 1st Class Melissa Leake/U.S. Coast Guard)
Making Chaplain Corps history, U.S. military chaplains flew out to
Grenada to participate in Tradewinds 2016’s humanitarian
operations for the first time.
Sponsored by U.S. Southern Command, the first session of the
three-phase Tradewinds is a maritime security and disaster relief
exercise coordinated with 13 Caribbean partner nations.
“[Tradewinds] is a natural fit for chaplains,” said Col. Charles Towery, SOUTHCOM deputy command
chaplain. “[With] people in crisis, disasters taking place, people look for a spiritual care component.”
Towery traveled to Grenada with two National Guard chaplains, their chaplain assistants and a chaplain
from the Joint Chief of Staff office. Working in classrooms, the chaplains acted out response planning
scenarios with chaplains from six other nations.
“We’d create scenarios with a large map on the floor, like a tsunami hitting Grenada,” Towery said. “Once
the exercise starts, we’d staff emergency operation centers and attend briefings.”
The chaplains role-played how they would go about organizing security and medical transportation details
for people in regions affected by disasters. For this, they would need to collaborate with other military
branches.
“It’s all about how we interrelate with other groups, like maritime and transportation,” he said. “We wanted
to learn a lot about the other inner workings, planning for a disaster.”
Iraq veteran's ‘next faithful step’ leads to divinity school
An Air Force chaplain, Towery’s lack of experience working with maritime units brought him and the other
chaplains seaside. They oversaw exercises simulating ship boarding and chases with drug runners while on
boats in the middle of the action.
The chaplains’ goal is to “have a real impact when crisis happens,” he said.
Towery and the other chaplains value relationships developed during Tradewinds 2016 with other military
commanders and their Caribbean counterparts.
“When something really does happen, and there’s need, there’s already those relationships developed,"
Towery said.
A partner nation boat prepares to board the U.S Army landing ship
Aldie during a mock boarding June 10 in St. George's, Grenada, as
part of Tradewinds 2016. For the first time, U.S. military chaplains
participated, overseeing exercises simulating ship boarding and
chases with drug runners. (Photo: Petty Officer 1st Class Melissa
Leake/U.S. Coast Guard)
While describing Caribbean chaplains as more hands-on in disaster
relief efforts, Towery noted the managerial role the Chaplain Corps
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/2016/07/24/chaplains-prepare-worst-major-socomexercise/87334682/
takes on with the abundance of agencies willing to help.
“In Grenada, the national emergency disaster team, similar to FEMA, used the exercise to practice its
emergency disaster plan,” he said. “[The Chaplain Corps] is the liaison with nongovernmental
organizations, faith-based organizations, who show up when disaster happens.”
Point-counterpoint: Chaplains as Green Berets
The Red Cross, U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Army’s Global Response Force
are pertinent in contributing to relief work worldwide. Caribbean Community and the Caribbean Disaster
Management Agency are Caribbean-based organizations willing to give support as well.
About 20 states’ National Guard forces also have agreements with several South American and Caribbean
countries to help at a moment’s notice.
“When recovery starts, there are lots and lots of helpers,” Towery said.
Towery hopes that by including chaplain officials in Tradewinds, military leadership can “learn to [better]
understand the significance of religion” when making decisions. He is eager to continue the chaplains’
presence at the exercise.
Chaplains from the U.S. and Caribbean nations pose for a photo at
St. George’s University in Grenada in June when they were
participating for the first time in Tradewinds, a multinational
maritime security and disaster response exercise. (Photo: Sgt.
Jason Drager/U.S. Army)
A SOUTHCOM initiative, Religion Matters, incorporates faith to
care for service members and their families, to network with allies
in other countries and to enact disaster relief or military exercises.
“As the US is planning missions … [it would] really benefit you to
consider religious environment … set you up in a much better position,” Towery said. “[The Tradewinds]
exercise helps it to take another step [and see] how other countries have thought of how.”
http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/07/26/487468832/french-army-asks-citizens-to-enlist-but-nomuslim-headscarves-please
French Army Asks Citizens To Enlist — But No Muslim
Headscarves, Please
By Daniel Estrin
NPR, July 26, 2016
Majda Belaroui, 21, answered the call to volunteer for the French military
reserves following the recent terrorist attack in Nice. But Majda, a Muslim,
refused to remove her headscarf and hijab, as required under a French law
that prohibits displays of religion in government institutions.
Courtesy of Majda Belaroui
After the July 14 terrorist attack in Nice, the French interior minister called
on "all willing French patriots" to help defend the country by volunteering
for the military's reserves.
Two sisters, Majda and Amina Belaroui, French Muslims of Moroccan heritage, heeded the call in the
aftermath of the Bastille Day attack, when a Tunisian truck driver mowed down crowds of spectators,
killing 84 and wounding hundreds.
Majda, 21, and Amina, 24, are both university students who live in Nice, on the French Riviera. They pair
French fashion with traditional Muslim dress, sporting wide-brimmed sun hat and headscarf ensembles.
The Monday morning following the attack, the third major terrorist rampage in the past 18 months, young
men and high school boys trickled through the gates of Nice's military recruitment center. So did Majda.
Wearing a hat and headscarf, she walked past soldiers guarding the gate with weapons across their chests.
She was there to sign up for the "operational reserves," comprising both former soldiers and civilians with
no military background. She wasn't interested in holding a gun. She just wanted to see how she could help,
and set an example as a Muslim amid the growing fears over radical Islam.
"I want to show," she said, "that I am not like that."
Amina Belaroui, 24, Majda's sister, also volunteered for the military
reserves. She didn't want to remove her scarf and hijab but reluctantly
agreed to do so. "I really want to commit and help people," she said.
Courtesy of Amina Belaroui
A law against religious displays
The receptionist told her she must take off her hijab to enter the recruitment
center.
French law prohibits people from displaying their religion in governmentrun buildings, including public schools, to maintain secularism in the public
sphere. It's a fundamental tenet of the country, stretching back more than a
century as part of an effort to reduce the influence of the Catholic Church.
But the old concept of secularism is now rubbing up against France's new
efforts to integrate its Muslim population, the largest in Europe.
France has succeeded, in many cases. In Nice, Muslims are an integral part of the landscape. They, too,
were on the promenade watching fireworks along with their French compatriots on Bastille Day, the most
French day of the year, when the crowd came under attack. Nearly a third of the victims of the attack were
Muslims, according to a Muslim community group.
But some Muslims in France believe prohibitions against wearing religious clothing in government venues
are actually targeted specifically at them, sending a message that Muslim culture is unwelcome in France.
http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/07/26/487468832/french-army-asks-citizens-to-enlist-but-nomuslim-headscarves-please
"Although France has managed to integrate many immigrants and their descendants, those it has left on the
sidelines are more embittered than their British or German peers, and many feel insulted in their Muslim or
Arab identity," sociologist Farhad Khosrokhavar wrote recently in The New York Times. "Laïcité, France's
staunch version of secularism, is so inflexible it can appear to rob them of dignity."
It poses a dilemma for people like the Belaroui sisters, who want to stay true to both flag and faith.
Minutes after entering the recruitment center, Majda walked out, unwilling to remove her hijab when
asked.
"If I weren't Muslim, I think I would be so afraid of these people," she said, referring to Muslims. That's
precisely why she came to volunteer, hijab proudly wrapped around her head.
"For me, it's discouraging. We want to show that we are against this violence," she said, adding, "We are
demotivated."
Her sister faced the same choice
Her sister, Amina, a third-year engineering student, faced the same difficult decision.
Amina had already been to the recruitment center a week prior to the Nice attack and went back again, by
herself, more determined following the attack.
Both times, she agreed to take off her hijab in front of the uniformed men, though she really didn't want to.
She said it felt like undressing in public.
"I think the ends justify the means. That's why I took it off," Amina said in her flawless English. "I really
want to commit and help people, and also try to give another image of Muslim girls, and Muslims in
general."
Anger is boiling over in Nice, which leans conservative. At the memorial ceremony for the victims, some
residents argued with Muslim citizens. In the days after the attack, some in the city voiced their support for
the National Front, France's far-right political party, which has used anti-Muslim rhetoric.
Amina hopes joining the military reserves while she finishes her engineering degree can help change minds
in France. Or, at the very least, it can help change the minds of French Muslim girls like her.
"Maybe it will encourage other girls to do something they didn't think they could do before," she said.
"Maybe it will change things."
http://gazette.com/punished-for-praying-while-in-uniform-klingenschmitt-feels-he-helped-to-change-navypolicy/article/1581060
Punished for praying while in uniform, Klingenschmitt feels
he helped to change Navy policy
By Jake Allen
The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.), July 24, 2016
Gordon Klingenschmitt
A Navy chaplain removed from the U.S. military for disobeying an order
that said he couldn't pray in Jesus' name is hoping to present his case to the
U.S. Supreme Court.
Gordon Klingenschmitt said he took a stand and violated a Navy policy
that said chaplains had to pray "nonsectarian" prayers in January 2006. The
same policy Klingenschmitt said he was punished for violating was
repealed by the secretary of the Navy several months later, in November
2006. Klingenschmitt was involuntarily separated from the Navy with an
honorable discharge in March 2007, according to Klingenschmitt's petition
to the Supreme Court.
Klingenschmitt was a lieutenant in the Navy with over 15 years of active duty in the military, and at the
time of discharge, he was assigned to active duty in the Navy Chaplain Corps at Naval Station Norfolk.
Before becoming a naval chaplain, he served in the Air Force and achieved the rank of major.
Klingenschmitt is a minister who has served as a representative for the past two years in Colorado's state
Legislature but lost a state Senate Republican primary last month.
Klingenschmitt said the next step is a phone conference between his lawyer and the Supreme Court justices
to determine if his case will be heard at the court. If the justices agree, they will hear his case in the spring
of 2017.
Klingenschmitt is being represented by attorney John Wells. Wells, a retired naval officer, has been
representing clients in freedom of religion cases for 21 years, including many cases against the U.S.
military.
"I felt that Klingenschmitt had been shafted by the system, and I thought he had gotten kind of a raw deal,"
Wells said.
Klingenschmitt said he is hoping to get his pay and years back from his career in the military. He said he
lost an almost $1 million pension.
"I am hoping to get back my pension, but more importantly I am hoping the Supreme Court will protect
military chaplains forever and their rights to pray and preach in Jesus' name," Klingenschmitt said.
He said that if the Supreme Court hears his case and rules in his favor, it would provide the protection
military chaplains need.
"It would create a case-law precedent for the next 100 years to let military chaplains pray and preach in
Jesus' name and defend everybody's religious freedom," Klingenschmitt said.
He said he isn't just worried about the rights of Christians to pray but also the rights of all other religions.
"If you are Muslim, you should be allowed to pray to Allah; if you are atheist, you should be allowed to say
good luck," Klingenschmitt said. "But when I was a Christian chaplain, they said no Jesus."
The controversy began Jan. 7, 2006,when Klingenschmitt participated in a "religious observance" in
Lafayette Park across from the White House and said a short prayer while in uniform, according to his
petition to the Supreme Court. The media covered the religious observance, the petition said.
In December 2005, Klingenschmitt was told by the commanding officer of Naval Station Norfolk that he
was forbidden to pray in uniform when the media was present, his petition said. On Jan. 6, 2006, the
http://gazette.com/punished-for-praying-while-in-uniform-klingenschmitt-feels-he-helped-to-change-navypolicy/article/1581060
chaplain's commanding officer modified his original order and gave him written permission to wear his
uniform when participating in "religious observance," Klingenschmitt's petition said.
After his "religious observance" near the White House, Klingenschmitt said, the Navy believed he violated
their policies but had offered to discipline him quietly with a letter of reprimand. He instead insisted on a
court-martial.
The military judge ruled against Klingenschmitt for wearing his uniform while worshipping in public and
praying in Jesus' name outside the White House, he said. The judge ruled to enforce policy, which was later
repealed in November 2006, and said Klingenschmitt was not engaged in public worship, although he may
have been worshipping in public, the petition to the Supreme Court said. On Sept. 29, 2006, the chief of
naval personnel suspended the chaplain from performing duties effective Oct. 1, 2006, the petition said.
Although he was charged, Klingenschmitt said he still felt like he won when Congress directed the Navy to
repeal policies that required "nonsectarian" prayer on Sept.25, 2006.
"I won; I feel like I was vindicated by Congress," he said. "Now all the chaplains can pray in Jesus' name,
even in public, even in uniforms. They can do what I did and not be punished. I feel like I sacrificed my
career for the cause of freedom for other chaplains to pray in Jesus' name."
SEE ALSO:
Klingenschmitt after loss: 'God's will is not always done in this world' [2016-06-28]
'The Daily Show' ridicules Gordon Klingenschmitt [2016-04-07]
Sexism
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/07/paygap-discrimination/492965/
What Gender Pay-Gap Statistics Aren't Capturing
Women are in fact more likely to choose lower-paying jobs, but numbers do a poor job of
highlighting the cultural biases that can shape their decisions.
By Bourree Lam
The Atlantic, July 27, 2016
Barbie Careers Assortment dolls feature over 150 careers. Diane
Bondareff / AP for Mattel
In discussions of the gender-pay gap, there’s one counter-argument
that comes up a lot: The gap isn’t real, because after adjusting for
the different types of jobs men and women tend to have, the gap
shrinks to single digits. And so, the argument goes, men and
women aren’t paid the same amount of money because they are
choosing to go into different professions and the labor market
rewards their choices differently. In other words: unequal work,
hence unequal pay.
There’s a lot of truth to this: Men and women do tend to choose different careers, so much so that
researchers have a term for it: “gender occupational segregation.” And because of this occupational sorting,
the most commonly mentioned figure of the gender-gap debate—that an American woman only earns 79
cents for every dollar a typical American man makes—is indeed too simple.
But the occupational differences explanation, when presented without caveats, is also problematic. "The
story is a lot more complicated than that,” says Elise Gould, an economist and the co-author of a new report
from the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute about gender and compensation. “We wanted to disentangle
the question of 'choice' and what's happening between two workers that are sitting right next to each other
in a cubicle … What's going on behind that in terms of cultural norms, expectations, work-family
balance—all the different components that might lead women to be in certain kinds of jobs differently than
men.”
Researchers often control for certain variables if they suspect that those variables might be exaggerating the
size of an effect. In the case of the pay gap, economists often adjust their data to compensate for the fact
that, for example, men are overrepresented in high-paying computer programming jobs, and women are
overrepresented in low-paying service jobs. These adjustments lead to numbers that stand as good estimates
of how big a pay gap would be if men and women were represented in equal numbers in each profession.
There are usually other variables that researchers control for, too; geography, experience, and job titles are
other variables with known effects, so filtering them out from the numbers is a step toward isolating the
effects of gender on pay.
But the striking thing is that even after adjusting for so many factors, there’s still a statistically significant
pay gap. (Pay-gap skeptics often note that the gap shrinks after taking these factors into account, but it’s
supposed to—those statistical adjustments were intended to create a more definitive, standardized
measurement.) The fact that a gap remains at all after such adjustments shows that the problem defies any
simple explanation. As Robert Hohman, the CEO of Glassdoor, wrote a few months ago in Fortune:
Factoring differences in education, experience, age, location, job title, industry and even
company, our latest research reveals that the “adjusted” gender pay gap in the U.S. amounts
to women earning about 94.6 cents per dollar compared to men. It is remarkable that a
significant gap persists even after comparing male-female worker pay at the job title and
company level.
That 5-cent difference is evidence that something isn’t getting accounted for in all those variables that
economists are adjusting.
The premise of the occupational-differences argument is that if women are choosing jobs that are easier to
do, they shouldn’t be paid the same wages as men. But what that argument—that women are to blame for
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/07/paygap-discrimination/492965/
keeping their wages down because they’re choosing bad jobs—doesn’t take into account are the many
things that contribute to the way men and women choose their careers.
Gould, along with her co-author, Jessica Schieder, argue that the decisions women make regarding their
careers do not happen in a vacuum: These are decisions shaped by cultural norms and expectations, societal
forces that aren’t cleanly captured by pay data. Gould and Schieder point to a multitude of messages that
women get from society about what sorts of jobs they should pick: The expectations of American mothers
could lead women to take lower-paying jobs because they’re more likely to offer flexible (or shorter hours),
while fears of discrimination might steer them away from higher-paying professions. In other words,
adjusted statistics could be missing the role of discrimination in the processes that lead women to choose
the careers they do.
“Too often it is assumed that this gap is not evidence of discrimination, but is instead a statistical artifact of
failing to adjust for factors that could drive earnings differences between men and women. However, these
factors—particularly occupational differences between women and men—are themselves affected by
gender bias,” Gould and Schieder write.
And while there are many efforts to push women towards studying subjects that would funnel them into
higher-paying fields, such as science or tech, it’s worth remembering that the adjusted gap still exists.
Closing it would mean paying attention to all the ways that women make choices about their careers—and
the inequities they can experience after they make them.
BOURREE LAM is an associate editor at The Atlantic. She was previously the editor of Freakonomics.com.
Twitter Email
Sexual Assault /
Harassment
http://federalnewsradio.com/defense/2016/07/DOD-substantiates-first-ever-sexual-assault-reprisal-casevictim-still-waiting-relief/
DOD substantiates its first-ever sexual assault reprisal case,
but victim still waiting for relief
By Jared Serbu
Federal News Radio, July 29, 2016
In April of this year, the Defense Department inspector general’s office substantiated a whistleblower
reprisal claim by retired Lt. Col. Teresa James, a decorated Iraq war veteran.
That, in itself, was a milestone: It was the first time the IG had ever done so in a sexual assault case.
But ten years after James was first assaulted and four years after she reported the crime, the alleged
perpetrator has never been charged and the Army has yet to issue any punishments to the general officer
who, according to the IG, derailed her career for her dogged pursuit of a criminal investigation. Nor has it
done anything to remedy the years of reprisals the IG found she suffered starting in 2012.
James, now medically retired from the West Virginia National Guard, initially decided not to report that a
superior officer had sexually assaulted her during a temporary duty assignment in Arkansas in 2006,
fearing that doing so would ruin her career.
“I tucked it away,” she said. “I had a thriving career, I was a very resilient leader, and I thought, ‘I can deal
with this myself.’ And that’s exactly what I did for six years.”
Retired Lt. Col. Teresa James., speaking to an audience of government
whistleblower hotline managers in Arlington, Va. Thursday. (Photo
courtesy of the DOD Office of the Inspector General)
But upon returning from a 2010 deployment to Iraq’s Anbar Province, she
learned that the same officer had been routinely sexually harassing other,
more junior women at her West Virginia home station.
“One of my subordinates would not even walk to the restroom without an
escort,” she told an audience of whistleblower hotline leaders from federal,
state and local agencies at the DOD IG’s headquarters in Alexandria, Va.
Thursday. “People were afraid of him, and the morale was very low. I was
one of the highest ranking female officers there, and these women came to
me. I had a duty and an obligation to report this guy for what he was
doing.”
Listen to retired Lt. Col. Teresa James’ full address to the Worldwide
Hotline Conference
A subsequent administrative investigation unearthed more serious allegations, including other sexual
assaults by the same officer, and after James learned that he had suffered no consequences other than to be
placed on medical leave, she decided in the fall of 2012 that it was time to report what had happened in
Arkansas six years earlier.
The National Guard Bureau eventually substantiated her sexual assault allegations in March 2013, but the
case had outlasted Arkansas’ criminal statute of limitations, and the Army Criminal Investigation
Command determined that it lacked jurisdiction over the case.
James said that’s when the retaliation began in earnest. On the same day West Virginia officials notified
her of the outcome of the NGB investigation, she was ordered to go before a medical review board, and
even though doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center initially found her fit for duty, she
alleges they were influenced to change the results after phone calls from commanders in the West Virginia
National Guard.
http://federalnewsradio.com/defense/2016/07/DOD-substantiates-first-ever-sexual-assault-reprisal-casevictim-still-waiting-relief/
Later, she received the first negative performance evaluation in her 35-year career, which may have kept
her from a promotion to colonel. She was denied at least one award for which she’d already been
recommended.
“April of 2013 is when I finally said enough is enough,” James said. “All I did was report wrongdoing and
now I’m watching my career tumble before my very eyes. So I went online to the DOD Hotline and I
submitted my complaint.”
Fast-forward to April 2016, when the DOD Inspector General substantiated James’ complaint of
whistleblower retaliation.
The IG found that the assistant adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard engaged in adverse
personnel practices in retaliation for her decision to seek criminal prosecution against her perpetrator. It
recommended the Secretary of the Army take “appropriate action” against that one-star general, expunge
the negative officer evaluation report from James’ personnel file and order the Army Board for Correction
of Military Records to hold a new promotion board to decide whether she should be retroactively promoted
to Colonel.
So far, none of those things has happened.
“It’s still not over for me. It’s not enough that I have a case that’s been substantiated,” she said.
“Throughout this process, I’ve hired two civilian attorneys and spent $10,000. I don’t have that money —
I’m retired now, but this is important to me. The reason I’m speaking out is not about me, it’s about those
junior people who are still coming up in the ranks where the rubber meets the road, who don’t have a voice
and don’t understand the system as well as I do. I’ll be their voice. I really will, if I have to be. That’s what
inspires me. That’s what keeps me going.”
James moved to central Florida a year ago, saying it eventually became too difficult to stay in her small and
close-knit home state, where she said at least two co-workers had faced retaliation for helping her compile
information during her pursuit of a criminal investigation.
“Several other people said, ‘Terry, I’d absolutely love to help you, but I fear for my job.’ And people
should never, ever have to fear for their job for helping somebody else,'” she said. “It’s been a good move,
trust me. I was afraid in West Virginia. I never knew when I was going to run into someone who had
harassed me. I couldn’t live my life. I was isolated, I was avoided. I had to ask my children to go to the
grocery store for me. That’s the kind of trauma and emotions a person is dealing with in a situation like
this.”
James said she credits the DOD IG for a thorough and professional investigation of her case, something she
says she didn’t experience when trying to report to lower-level military investigative organizations.
However, she said the Defense Department’s broader mechanisms for responding to sexual assault and
handling whistleblower claims seem to be improving.
In response to recommendations earlier this year by the DOD Judicial Proceedings Panel (JPP), the DOD
IG will now investigate all claims of whistleblower retaliation in sexual assault cases itself rather than
delegating them to the military service IGs. And in June, the IG created a dedicated team of investigators
specially trained in sexual assault cases in anticipation of a significant increase in reprisal claims in sexual
assault cases.
IG officials say James’ case being the first one the office has ever been able to substantiate has partially to
do with the fact that until now, it’s received no more than five retaliation allegations in any recent year.
But the office has gotten more than 40 complaints so far in 2016 and is actively investigating 30 of those
cases, said Nilgun Tolek, the IG’s director for whistleblower reprisal investigations.
“We obviously can’t say what the reason is for the number going up, but we hope it’s because word is
getting out more that people can call us,” Tolek said. “One of the things the JPP said was that since it’s
http://federalnewsradio.com/defense/2016/07/DOD-substantiates-first-ever-sexual-assault-reprisal-casevictim-still-waiting-relief/
apparent that more people are coming forward and reporting sexual assaults, perhaps the number of people
who’d suffered reprisals would also increase their complaint filing with us.”
That specialized team and outreach structure didn’t exist at the time James first began pursuing her case.
She said she dealt with perhaps ten different investigative agencies before her first contact with the DOD
hotline.
“Every case is different, but there should be some type of one-stop shopping for sexual assault survivors,
and I think the system is going in that direction,” James said. “We’ve had a lot of changes in the sexual
assault policies and assistance to survivors, but one of the biggest things for me was the amount of time it
took to get to where I’m at today. Three years to get through an investigation is a very lengthy process, and
perhaps standing this team up will help with that. But overall, I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
Jared Serbu | @jserbuWFED
SEE ALSO:
Serving in Silence: Sex Assault Retaliation Complaints Investigated [NBC Washington, 2016-07-28]
Retired officer tells of sexual assault, retaliation in WV National Guard [Charleston Gazette-Mail, 201607-28]
New DOD investigative unit to focus on sexual assault-related reprisals [Stars & Stripes, 2016-07-28]
http://www.stripes.com/news/us/new-DOD-investigative-unit-to-focus-on-sexual-assault-related-reprisals1.421464
New DOD investigative unit to focus on sexual assaultrelated reprisals
By Dianna Cahn
Stars and Stripes, July 28, 2016
Retired Lt. Col. Teresa James shares her story Thursday at the
DOD Inspector General's annual whistleblower hotline conference.
James was retaliated against for reporting she was raped in the
West Virginia National Guard.
STEVE FALL/DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON — A new unit in the Defense Department’s Office
of Inspector General will focus solely on complaints of retaliation
against military members who report sexual assault, highlighting a
commitment to end the double victimization of victims.
In addition, this newly created team of seven investigators and a supervisor will directly handle sexual
assault reprisal cases from across the services, rather than overseeing investigations at the branch level, said
Nilgun Tolek, director of whistleblower reprisal investigations at the DOD OIG.
The steps followed recommendations made in February by a panel that reviewed military judicial
proceedings and found a severe lack of hard data on the frequency of retaliation for reporting sexual assault
and inconsistent policies on how those cases are reported and monitored.
It also comes after some milestones. In April, a DOD IG investigation substantiated its first case of
whistleblower reprisal for reporting sexual assault, and Tolek says the number of those filing IG complaints
for this kind of retaliation have increased, from about five a year to 40 cases since fiscal year 2016 began in
October.
“Now that we have seen that the number of sexual assault related reprisal complaints rising, we have come
to believe that it’s time to follow those recommendations,” Tolek said. “To dedicate a team, to get the
proper training—the kind of training that other people within the department who provide assistance to
sexual assault victims have. We are also taking all cases from across the department and handling them in
our offices.”
Tolek said she was not clear on why the number of reported retaliation have spiked in recent months.
Based on Defense Department surveys, the rights group Human Rights Watch found last year that one in
three servicemembers who report sexual assault are professionally retaliated against—more than 5,700 in
the past decade.
Sara Darehshori, senior counsel at Human Rights Watch, said the steps the IG’s office is taking were
welcome, but they don’t go far enough.
“Unless the Military Whistleblower Protection Act is strengthened so these cases are easier to prove there
will be little improvement in results—and if people who are now coming forward see their cases fail, it will
discourage others,” Darehshori said. “Thus the new unit needs better tools so it can be as effective as
possible.”
She said there are proposals in the House and Senate defense bills to help give whistleblowers added tools,
like bringing the burden of proof for servicemember whistleblowers in line with what is for civilians and
giving whistleblowers extra protections.
Darehshori also noted that even in the one case the IG substantiated—retaliation against Lt. Col. Teresa
James—justice remains elusive.
http://www.stripes.com/news/us/new-DOD-investigative-unit-to-focus-on-sexual-assault-related-reprisals1.421464
James didn’t report that she’d been raped by a superior officer in 2006, instead choosing to focus on her
thriving military career. But James said she decided to out her perpetrator in 2012, because she saw that he
was harassing other women in their West Virginia National Guard unit.
It took four years until an OIG investigation substantiated her claims of retaliation in April, finding that, in
the wake of her reporting the rape, she’d been denied an opportunity for promotion and had suffered a
damaging professional evaluation by the assistant adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard,
Brig. Gen. Charles Veit.
But James and her perpetrator suffered the same end result—both were medically retired from the military.
And no action has yet been taken against Veit, even though the IG report had recommended that he be
disciplined by the Secretary of the Army.
A spokesman for the Army secretary said the case is still under review and no other information is being
released on the status of the case.
James is also waiting for the Army Board for Corrections of Military Records to take up her case, to clear
her record and possibly give her the promotion to colonel, which will change her retirement pay.
Darehshori said the case illustrates the limitations of the DOD Inspector General, which can’t do more than
recommend actions against those found to have retaliated.
“It is ultimately up to the services to take action to show there are consequences for retaliating against
sexual assault victims,” she said. “Thus while it is important and welcome news that DOD IG is taking
action to improve handling of these cases, there is only so much they can do unless the law is improved and
the services follow up.”
James told her story Thursday to an annual conference for some 200 DOD IG investigators and employees,
hoping, she said, to help them understand just how difficult it is for a victim of sexual assault and
retaliation to come forward and report.
But she also said she hoped it might draw attention to her wait for justice. She’s hired two private attorneys
at significant cost, she said.
“The DOD has done their piece, but my case is not over. I still do not have relief,” James said in a news
conference following her speech. “It’s very difficult for me to understand. I think it’s very clear. It was
substantiated.”
“So I am going to continue be a voice. I am going to continue to speak about it,” she added. “I just think
it’s that important. And If I do nothing that’s what is going to happen—nothing.”
[email protected]
Twitter: @DiannaCahn
SEE ALSO:
DOD substantiates its first-ever sexual assault reprisal case, but victim still waiting for relief [Federal News
Radio, 2016-07-29]
Serving in Silence: Sex Assault Retaliation Complaints Investigated [NBC Washington, 2016-07-28]
Retired officer tells of sexual assault, retaliation in WV National Guard [Charleston Gazette-Mail, 201607-28]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/07/25/auto-draft/
New Grand Canyon park chief on sexual misconduct: ‘Some
of our colleagues have suffered immeasurable harm’
By Lisa Rein
The Washington Post, July 25, 2016
National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis is taking steps
to stop sexual harassment in the parks. EPA/JIM LO SCALZO
Now that eliminating sexual harassment is a top priority for the
National Park Service, Director Jonathan Jarvis is laying out the
steps he is taking to create a “zero tolerance” culture.
“First, some have asked what it means for the National Park
Service to have a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment,”
Jarvis wrote in an email last week to 22,000 full-time and
seasonal agency employees.
“I want to clearly state that this means that when incidents of harassment are reported, I expect [Park
Service] managers to follow up on those allegations.”
[Interior chief: ‘Culture’ of harassment probably pervades the National Park Service]
Jarvis said that managers must investigate allegations of harassment and take disciplinary action if they are
found to be true — steps that were not taken in at least two high-profile cases of sexual misconduct at the
Grand Canyon and Cape Canaveral National Seashore, where investigators found evidence of a pattern of
problems that went unaddressed for years.
The Park Service also promoted two managers last week, giving them a mandate to turn around what
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, whose agency oversees the Park Service, recently described as a “culture”
of harassment.
Christine Lehnertz, superintendent of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, will assume the top job at
the Grand Canyon on Monday, replacing Dave Uberuaga, who retired in June.
[As National Park Service confronts sexual misconduct, this dysfunctional park is Exhibit A]
A scathing report on the Grand Canyon early this year by the Interior Inspector General’s office revealed
that Uberuaga ignored formal complaints from women on river trips who said they were propositioned,
bullied and subjected to retaliation when they refused unwanted advances from men.
Christine Lehnertz, the new superintendent of the Grand Canyon. Courtesy of
National Park Service
Lehnertz, an environmental biologist who joined the Park Service in 2007 as
deputy superintendent at Yellowstone National Park, is a widely respected
manager who has already told employees at the Golden Gate park that she intends
to take sexual misconduct seriously.
Michael Reynolds, the agency’s associate director for human capital, will become
deputy director for operations. Reynolds told the Post in June that sexual
misconduct is a “huge wake-up call” for the Park Service, reflecting “cultural
issues we need to do a deep dive on.”
[Lawmakers charge Park Service chief oversees culture of sexual harassment]
Lehnertz did not mince words last week as she addressed the issues.
“In the midst of a very bright up, the Centennial year, we have learned of some very dark downs – sexual
harassment in at least two national park units,” she said in an email to employees, first reported by National
Parks Traveler.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/07/25/auto-draft/
“The sexual harassment at Grand Canyon National Park and Cape Canaveral National Seashore means that
some of our NPS colleagues have suffered immeasurable harm, and the outrageous misconduct of a few
park employees has driven dedicated professionals away from federal service.”
“We can’t wait another moment for this to change dramatically, or for the NPS to honestly, directly, and
completely address these issues,” she wrote. “Grand Canyon National Park now has a responsibility to lead
the National Park Service in eliminating the factors that have allowed such behaviors.”
[Female Park Service employees say they were groped, bullied and propositioned on Grand Canyon river
trips]
At Canaveral, the inspector general found that multiple female employees at the Central Florida park have
been subjected to sexual harassment, and men and women alike to a hostile workplace for at least five
years.
The latest report, released in June, showed a pattern of unwanted advances and attention — along
with inappropriate remarks — to female subordinates by the chief law enforcement officer. He is still
employed by the park but was recently ordered to work at home. Female employees said the Park
Service largely ignored their reports of harassment.
In his memo to park employees Wednesday, Jarvis said the Park Service is setting up a confidential hotline
for victims and others who may have witnessed sexual misconduct.
He also said the Equal Employment Opportunity Office, which handles formal allegations of harassment,
now reports directly to him. And he assured employees that if they speak out, they will not suffer
retaliation.
A long-awaited survey of employees to gauge their experience with the problem will begin by October,
Jarvis said. That’s 11 months after the Park Service was provided a copy of the inspector general’s findings
on the long-running culture of harassment at the Grand Canyon.
Lisa Rein covers the federal workforce and issues that concern the management of government.
Follow @Reinlwapo
https://www.army.mil/article/172131/soldiers_urged_to_participate_in_gender_relations_survey
Soldiers urged to participate in gender relations survey
By David Vergun
Army.mil, July 25, 2016
The Army and DOD will benefit tremendously from personnel
completing the "2016 Workplace and Gender Relations Survey of
Active Duty Members," said Dr. Elizabeth Van Winkle, who worked
on designing the survey. Survey results will be leveraged toward
fostering a climate that is discourages sexual harassment and
sexual assault and emphasizes that such behaviors will not be
tolerated, she added. (Photo Credit: courtesy of Army SHARP)
WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- About 700,000 invites to
participate in a biennial gender relations study have gone out to
active duty service members across the Department of Defense via
email.
The congressionally mandated "Workplace and Gender Relations Survey of Active Duty Members,"
conducted once every two years, assesses the rates of sexual assault, sexual harassment and gender
discrimination in the Army as well as in the other armed services.
It's the largest survey of its kind, according to Dr. Elizabeth Van Winkle, who serves as the principal
investigator. In odd years, a similar biennial survey is administered to the Nation Guard and Army Reserve.
The Defense Manpower Data Center also surveys service academy students on a biennial schedule as well.
Questions in the gender relations study focus on three periods of a service member's life: the last 12 months
of their service; the entirety of their military career; and their life before military service.
The survey ends September 29. The results, which will be published next spring, will be broken down by
service and gender. Van Winkle said those results will be used by DOD and each of the armed services to
determine the effectiveness of their sexual assault prevention and response programs and identify areas that
need additional focus.
The results of the survey will also go to Congress and the administration and will be made public, she said.
THE PURPOSE OF THE SURVEY
The Army and DOD will benefit tremendously from personnel completing the survey, Van Winkle said.
Survey results will be leveraged toward fostering an environment that discourages sexual harassment and
sexual assault and emphasizes that such behaviors will not be tolerated.
The survey is a chance for Soldiers who have been subjected to such unwanted experiences to be heard, but
Van Winkle stressed that it's just as important for service members who haven't had such experiences to
participate.
"Hearing from as many members as possible, regardless of their experiences, will help us assess the scope
of the problem," she said.
The survey could take as little as 15 to 20 minutes, but the time it takes to complete will depend on the
experiences of the respondent and how much the respondent wishes to disclose.
"We've offered opportunities in the survey (for respondents) to provide open-ended comments," she said.
WERE YOU SELECTED?
Since July 22, when the survey was released, Soldiers have been notified via an email that they've been
selected to participate.
For soldiers who accidentally deleted the invitation to take part in the survey or who recently received a
new email address and are concerned they missed the notification, they can still find out if they've been
selected to participate by visiting the Defense Manpower Data Center website at
http://www.dodsurveys.mil.
https://www.army.mil/article/172131/soldiers_urged_to_participate_in_gender_relations_survey
Click the "Am I in a DMDC Survey Sample?" button and then enter the DOD ID number from the back of
your Common Access Card. If you are among those selected to participate, the website will provide a link
to the survey.
In August, a paper form of the survey will be mailed out to those who have not yet responded. Either the
web survey or the paper version can be completed during on-duty hours, Van Winkle said.
Soldiers who are concerned about privacy can rest assured that the survey is completely confidential, Van
Winkle said.
"No identifying information is ever provided," she said. "Our reports and data tabulation are aggregate
only. We conduct disclosure reviews on all of our data sets and products to ensure that even combinations
of data elements cannot inadvertently identify a respondent. We really take this responsibility very
seriously."
PAST SURVEY RESULTS
In response to the 2012 survey, about 26,000 active duty DOD service members reported having
experienced unwanted sexual contact. That figure represents about 6.1 percent of active duty women and
1.2 percent of men, according to Van Winkle.
The 2012 survey showed an increase in incidence of unwanted sexual contact from the previous survey in
2010, when around 19,000 service members reported experiencing an unwanted sexual contact. That was
about 4.4 percent of active duty women and 0.9 percent of men.
In 2014, the RAND Corporation was contracted to conduct the gender relations survey, Van Winkle said.
That study showed a decrease in reports of unwanted sexual contact from 2012, a decline that could be due
to increased attention from leadership on gender relations as well as new programs and policies put in place
by the DOD's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office.
"We've seen some movement in these rates over time, which is expected considering how crime rates often
fluctuate, but we are interested in the direction of the trends," she said.
The Army has also expanded sexual harassment and sexual assault victim services with the opening of
Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention resource centers and approved additional skill
identifiers for sexual assault response coordinators and victim advocates.
Additionally, the Army is currently assessing the effectiveness of measures meant to prevent sexual
harassment, sexual assault and retaliation at the command level.