Demand Congress investigates sexual assaults at Lackland Air Force Base

We want to share with you a major news story that anyone concerned about unpunished sexual violence within our military should read: "The Enemy Within." Award winning journalist James Kitfield wrote the cover story for this month's issue of the National Journal – it powerfully describes and questions our military's acceptance of sexual assaults within its ranks.

Click here to read the article: http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/the-military-s-rape-problem-20120913

The article asks, and through careful investigation answers, "How, in 2012, can sexual assault still be so pervasive and the military justice system's reaction so cruel...?"

In the article, three of our advocacy board members make the story come alive. Survivors Jennifer, Brian, and Jenny bravely came forward to share their stories.

"I could escape the recruiter and the instructor and the other sergeant, but I couldn't escape my supervisor."

The article is sparking important conversations. Since the article came out, we have been hearing that senior officials are beginning to grasp the enormity of the problem.

Please share this thorough and thoughtful article to keep this issue in front of our fellow citizens and elected officials -- on Facebook, Twitter, or by forwarding this email or link: http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/the-military-s-rape-problem-20120913

The article concludes that "the Pentagon should be prepared to stand down, and let others lead the way" if the military fails to change.

Articles like this one are helping to turn the tide.

Thank you for your continued support,

Nancy Parrish
Founder, Protect Our Defenders

The Air Force announced on Saturday that a woman has been selected to lead basic training at Lackland Air Force Base amid the ongoing sexual abuse scandal. Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish put out this statement in response:

"Hopefully, Col. Deborah Liddick will do a great job. But, Lackland is but a small of example of a much broader problem endemic throughout all the services. The majority of the sexual assault victims in our armed forces are male. According to the military's own reports, there are 10,000 male victims a year of unpunished rape and sexual assault throughout the military. Yet only 13.5% come forward out of fear of retaliation and of those who come forward 80% would not do so again if given the chance. Congress must investigate, modernize the military code of justice and offer legislative solutions.

As the House Armed Services has rightfully said in announcing open hearings about sexual abuse scandal at Lackland, 'there are a lot of policy questions that arise from this scandal that the committee should rightly address.' It is the job of Congress now to not only look at Lackland but all branches of our military as they have said they will and offer legislative solutions. The military has proven incapable of fixing the problem on their own -- as decades of failure and hundreds of thousands of victims demonstrate. Now, it is time for Congress to do what we elected them to do and protect our brothers, sisters, daughters and sons."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/woman-lead-air-force-training-sex-scandal-17246420#.UFdP-hjvaly

Protect Our Defenders would like to thank everybody for supporting Tailhook Whistleblower, Paula Coughlin-Puopolo's petition calling on Congress to hold open hearings about the sexual abuse scandal at Lackland Air Force Base. Today, we can declare victory.

House Armed Services Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon's Sr. Advisor, Jaime Cheshire just announced that he will be "holding hearings once the prosecutions have wrapped."

Thank you for supporting Paula's petition and our brave men and women in uniform.

We could not have done this without you. There is still much more work to be done and we will keep you updated on next steps.. Please share the victory by clicking here:

http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1683289

- Protect Our Defenders

We did it! Thank you for your support. The House Armed Services Committee announced to 1200 WOAI news yesterday that it will hold "open and complete" hearings into sexual abuse scandal at Lackland Air For Base in San Antonio, Texas. Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish today released this statement in response. Please share the victory.

"We applaud House Armed Services Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon for what appears to be a breakthrough in getting to the bottom of the sexual abuse scandal at Lackland Air Force Base and addressing the epidemic of sexual assault throughout our armed forces.

We wait to hear more details on the nature of the hearings. However, this is a significant step forward for our brave men and women in uniform.
The HASC spokesman told 1200 WOAI that the hearings 'will look broadly at the role of women in the armed forces.' The epidemic of sexual assault in the military does discriminate based on gender – it is critical that hearings include all victims of sexual assault.

We look forward to working with the House Armed Services Committee to make sure that survivors of sexual assault are part of the hearings. We would also like to thank the more than 15,000 citizens and sexual assault survivors that demanded on Causes.com and Protect Our Defenders that Congress do its job and protect our service men and women and the 78 members of Congress who called on Rep. Buck McKeon to hold open hearings.

This is not just a crisis in the training commands — it's throughout the armed forces and has been for decades. The epidemic of sexual in our military must be addressed systemically and this requires congressional hearings and legislation, so that Lackland does not become another Tailhook or Aberdeen.

According to the military's own reports, there are 19,000 (10,000 male) victims a year of mostly unpunished rape and sexual assault throughout the military. Yet only 13.5% come forward out of fear of retaliation and of those who come forward 80% would not do so again if given the chance."

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EXCLUSIVE: Congress Will Probe Lackland Sex Scandal
http://radio.woai.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=119078&article=10408735#ixzz26H8YEi4z

Paula Coughlin-Puopolo's petition demanding Congress investigates the Lackland sexual assault scandal can be viewed here:
http://action.protectourdefenders.com/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8040

Today, Rep. Buck McKeon, the House Armed Services Committee Chairman, returned to Congress from his summer recess.

More than 15,000 citizens, 78 members of Congress, the San Antonio Express-News and both Senators from Texas have called for a hearing to get to the bottom of the widespread sexual violence at Lackland and throughout the military. Yet — there is still no word from the House Armed Services Chairman on if he will hold an open hearing on Lackland.

Will you call Rep. Buck McKeon's office today and ask him if he will hold a hearing on Lackland? Call Buck in Congress: (202) 225-1956

Sample script: Hello, I'm concerned about the sexual violence at Lackland Air Force Base and I want to ask Rep. McKeon to hold a Congressional hearing about the sexual abuse at Lackland. The situation keeps getting worse.

When we last saw Buck in Washington, DC he had just let Air Force brass hide behind closed doors in a briefing about the worsening criminal sexual abuse scandal at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. Inside the closed-door briefing, Generals were unable to answer basic questions about the deteriorating situation at the sole training center for all our airmen. Outside the hearing room Protect Our Defenders was there to call Rep. McKeon out and ask him to do his job of oversight on behalf of our sisters, daughters, friends and neighbors.

Since Buck went on recess the situation at Lackland has gotten progressively worse. Now there are at least 43 female trainees at Lackland that say they were raped, sexually assaulted or victims of other sexual offenses by their instructors.

Rep. Buck McKeon has talked about how his granddaughter recently joined the military and how he is shocked about what he has heard about the epidemic of military sexual assault in our armed forces. It is time he did something about it.

We need your help to get Buck to do his job.

After your call, please email us at info@protectourdefenders.com and let us know how the call went.

Thank you for your continued support,

Nancy Parrish
President, Protect Our Defenders

An Air Force colonel at Lackland AFB has stepped down, days after increasing reports of sexual violence on the base. But a change in leadership won't stop widespread military rape.

Here's our take, as reported in the San Antonio Express-News: "The abuse at Lackland and throughout our military did not begin with this most recent scandal. And it will not end by removing three colonels," said Nancy Parrish, founder of Protect Our Defenders, a victims advocacy group. "The military culture and broken legal system is so heavily weighted against the victim, that structural changes are required to fix this systemic crisis."

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/military/article/At-Lackland-a-wing-commander-s-quick-exit-3839714.php#ixzz25eixqkZf

Thousands of you have called for a congressional hearing about sexual abuse scandal at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. But, Rep. Buck McKeon, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, still refuses to take immediate action.

In the last 24 hours, more than 800 people have taken the pledge to Ask Buck on Twitter, "how many more soldiers need to be sexually assaulted before Congress investigates what happened at Lackland?"

Take the pledge and #AskBuck on Twitter. Click the link below and join us in asking Buck to Protect Our Defenders.

http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1669027

The Air Force announced late last night that the number of victims in the sexual abuse scandal at Lackland Air Force Base has has climbed to 42 trainees and that the number of instructors under investigation has increased from 15 to 17 instructors.

It is time for our elected officials to do their job and protect our sisters, neighbors, daughters and friends and hold an open hearing and investigation about Lackland. Ask your friends and family on Facebook to sign Paula's petition asking Congress to open an investigation ASAP.

Sign and share the petition here: http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1665842

The sexual abuse scandal at Lackland continues to get worse day after day, week after week. Air Force leaders have told Congress they do not know how to fix the epidemic and have misled the public about the scope of the problem.

House Armed Services Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon should listen to his colleagues and more than 14,000 citizens and not let the Air Force hide behind closed doors and investigate and legislate fundamental reforms.

Sign and share the petition here: http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1665842

Thank you for your continued support,

-Protect Our Defenders

We just broke 9K supporters for Paula's petition. Let's keep up the pressure on Congress to open a investigation into the sexual abuse scandal at Lackland Air Force Base. Please share the petition with your friends and family and ask them to sign.

Also, see all the major Lackland news developments of the summer now in one place. Read our take on the unfolding scandal, then share with others to help them understand the crisis. Protect Our Defenders just sent out a news digest to our supporters and advocates. If you don't receive our emails, email jenny@protectourdefenders.com to add your name.

Read the digest: http://www.protectourdefenders.com/lackland-news-update-august-22-2012/

Gen. Edward Rice, who ordered the internal Lackland investigation has contradicted himself on the scale of rape in the military, claiming it's a "localized" problem. On June 22, Rice rightfully said, "It's important to look even deeper and wider to identify any systemic issues that may place our youngest airmen at risk in any basic or technical training environment."

What happened during those three weeks of the initial investigation to cause Rice to change his mind? If there was any doubt that an independent congressional hearing about Lackland is required, let that be put to rest by the contradictions in Rice's recent statements.

Almost 9,000 people have signed Paula's petition on Causes.com asking Congress to investigate Lackland. Please take a minute to share the petition with your friends and family. Ask them to join you in demanding Congress open a hearing on the Lackland sexual abuse scandal ASAP.

http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1665842

Thank you for your continued support,

-Protect Our Defenders

Tailhook whistleblower Paula Coughlin-Puopolo and other military sexual assault survivors went to Washington last week. They delivered your petitions to Capitol Hill demanding Congress do its job and investigate the sexual abuse scandal at Lackland ASAP.

It was a powerful day.

Check out this video from last week's event and then share it with your friends and family on Facebook.

http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1672376

In her petition, Paula asks: How much longer and how many more of our brave men and women in uniform need to be raped or sexually assaulted before our elected officials do something to end the crisis?

http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1672376

Please watch and share the video. Let's keep the pressure on Congress!

-Protect Our Defenders

"The light sentence meted out by a court-martial last week in another case involving a trainer who engaged in improper relations with trainees doesn't inspire confidence in military justice.

Congress would be acting well within its authority to find out what went wrong at Lackland, the extent of the wrongdoing, and how to prevent volunteers in our nation's armed forces from being subjected to such abusive, criminal behavior in the future." - San Antonio Express-News

Please take a couple seconds to share Paula's petition on Facebook with your friends and family. Ask Congress to open a Lackland hearing and investigation ASAP. Our soldiers need our elected officials to do their job.

Thank you for your continued support,

-Protect Our Defenders

Statement from Protect Our Defenders President, Nancy Parrish on the sentencing of a Lackland instructor to 30 days in a military lockup.

"This is a travesty of justice. It breaks my heart. What will it take for the military leadership to understand that their so called system of justice is broken. This is another indication that congress needs to do its job and hold an open congressional investigation with a series of hearings addressing the full scope of this crisis," said Nancy Parrish.

Please ask Congress to hold a Lackland hearing and investigation ASAP. Sign and share Paula's petition here: http://bit.ly/O0dpyb

Our brave veterans delivered your petitions to Congress today demanding a Lackland hearing from Buck McKeon. "How many serial sexual assault trials in the military is it going to take before Congress does something real and effective to remove the reporting of assaults from of the chain of command and into a third party?" said military sexual assault survivor Paula Coughlin-Puopolo.

Check out photos from a powerful day in Washington, DC on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.428627690509409.92002.274290832609763&type=1

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.428627690509409.92002.274290832609763&type=1

Tomorrow, Protect Our Defenders, Paula Couglin-Puopolo and other survivors are going to DC to demand an investigation on the widening Lackland sexual abuse scandal and deliver your petitions to Congress.

We are holding a press conference in advance of HASC Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon's closed door briefing on Lackland. A closed door briefing is not enough. Congress must hold an open investigation to get to the bottom of the rape epidemic in our military now.

At the press conference, survivors Paula Couglin-Puopolo, Brian Lewis and Jenny McClendon will speak. Following the event they will deliver Paula's petition to Rep. Buck McKeon's office.

Please take 5 seconds to share Paula's petition on Facebook -- ask your friends and family to join you.

http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1665842

Thank you for your continued support!

-Protect Our Defenders

Sen. Cornyn has blocked the nominee for Air Force chief of staff because of the Lackland sexual abuse scandal. "My hold on General Welsh will remain until I feel the Air Force is adequately addressing the unacceptable situation at Lackland," Cornyn said.

More than 5,000 Americans on Causes have now signed Tailhook whistleblower Paula Coughlin-Puopolo's petition demanding the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Buck McKeon investigate the Lackland scandal. And the #AskBuck Twitter campaign is taking off, hundreds have taken the #AskBuck pledge asking Rep. Buck McKeon to hold a Lackland hearing. Have you asked Buck: http://bit.ly/lacklandpledge

What will it take for the Chairman of the House Armed Services committee, Rep. Buck McKeon to hold a hearing about the sexual assault scandal at Lackland? Last night, the Air Force announced an additional 7 victims in the widening scandal. Still nothing from Buck.

We are launching a new campaign #AskBuck on Twitter asking him why he won't hold a hearing. We need your help. Please go here: http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1669027 and click the Twitter icon on the right to tweet Buck. The message will already be there for you tweet.

Thank you again for signing Paula's petition demanding Rep. McKeon hold call a Lackland hearing immediately to get to the bottom of the sexual assault epidemic in our military.

Please share the #AskBuck campaign with your friends on Twitter and ask them to tweet: http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1669027.

Thank you for your continued support.

-Protect Our Defenders

The Air Force just announced an additional 3 instructors are being investigated at Lackland Air Force Base, bringing the total number of suspects under investigation in the widening sexual abuse scandal to 15. Air Force officials also announced that there are now 38 suspected victims, up from 31.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the Lackland victims and their families. Unfortunately, we've always suspected that this was just the tip of the iceberg.

What will it take for the Chairman of the House Armed Services committee, Rep. Buck McKeon to hold a hearing about the criminal sexual assault scandal at Lackland and investigate this epidemic of violent sexual crime within our military? Our brave men and women in uniform deserve more from their elected officials.

Seventy-eight bipartisan members of Congress have called on Rep. McKeon to hold a Lackland hearing and more than 8,500 Americans have demanded it. But, the representative from California so far has ignored their pleas.

Earlier this year, Rep. McKeon introduced legislation to protect lions and tigers, but when it comes to protecting our soldiers he has shown zero leadership. He should open a Lackland hearing immediately and get to the bottom of the sexual assault epidemic in our military.

We cannot let the Lackland scandal become yet another asterisk in government's long history of failing to fix our broken military justice system, as was the case of the Tailhook scandal in 1991 and Aberdeen in 1997. It is time for our elected officials that have been put in charge of oversight of our armed services to stand up and be counted.

More breaking news on the Lackland sexual abuse scandal. The San Antonio Express-News reports that a Lackland trainee's complaint didn't reach a commander for weeks:

Sometime after mid-May 2011, a woman targeted by Luis A. Walker told her former boot camp instructor that Walker, the trainer now at the center of an Air Force sex scandal, had assaulted her.

Although the instructor worked at Walker's side at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, the report did not reach the squadron commander until June 24, 2011, within hours after word of another attack.

That disclosure and others indicate the Air Force received warning signs about Walker earlier than it had reported.

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/military/article/Trainee-s-complaint-didn-t-reach-commander-for-3732187.php#ixzz21bEeaCZD

Statement from Protect Our Defenders' President, Nancy Parrish:

"The delay is just another example that the reporting of sexual assault and rape in the military is broken. The system does not work. It has not worked for decades. The chain of command is incented to sweep the problem under the rug. What happened with the delay in reporting Walker's crimes is very common. Unfortunately, every day Protect Our Defenders hears similar stories of survivors' attempts to receive medical care and justice that are ignored or not properly investigated.

This new evidence only emphasizes the urgency for Rep. Buck McKeon to hold a hearing about Lackland ASAP and then legislate fundamental reforms to make sure it does not happen again. As we have seen, all to often, institutions are unable to investigate themselves. The military is no exception and some could argue the most egregious example. Seventy eight members of Congress have called on Rep. McKeon to hold a hearing and more than 7,500 advocates have demanded it.

We cannot let the Lackland scandal become yet another example of our government's failure to fix the broken military justice system, as was the case of the Tailhook scandal in 1991 and Aberdeen in 1997."

Please keep sharing Paula's petition.

Paula Coughlin-Puopolo's petition is gaining momentum as people hear the horrific details from victims sexually assaulted by their superiors with nowhere to turn at Lackland Air Force Base. More than 3,500 have joined her call for a congressional investigation. Please take a couple seconds to share Paula's petition on Facebook and ask your friends to join you. Our troops deserve better.

http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1665842

Last year, there were an estimated 19,000 military rapes and sexual assaults, but only 3,200 victims reported the attacks and out of those only 191 cases resulted in court martial conviction.

78 members of Congress along with Paula are asking Rep. Buck McKeon to open an investigation about Lackland, but there has been no response. Though, House Armed Services Vice Chairman Mac Thornberry is quoted as saying, "My understanding is there is no evidence of a widespread problem."

Please take a couple seconds to ask your friends to sign Paula's petition.

http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1665842

Thank you for your continued support,
Protect Our Defenders

Staff Sgt. Walker has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping and sexually assaulting female trainees at Lackland. Walker is one of 12 Air Force instructors accused of assaulting fellow soldiers. Unfortunately, this verdict does nothing to fix the epidemic of sexual assault in our military. As Tailhook Whistleblower Paula Coughlin-Puopolo makes clear in her petition to Congress, "our military leadership has made no changes that stop this predatory criminal behavior. How much longer and how many more of our brave men and women in uniform need to be raped or sexually assaulted before our elected officials do something to end the crisis?" Please sign and share her petition.

http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1665842

Take 5 seconds to share Paula's petition with your friends and family. 78 members of Congress have joined you in asking Rep. Buck McKeon, Chair of the House Armed Services (HASC) to open a congressional hearing about the sexual abuse scandal at Lackland. But, there has been no response. Though, HASC Vice Chairman Mac Thornberry is quoted as saying, "My understanding is there is no evidence of a widespread problem." This is unacceptable. Our troops deserve better.

http://www.causes.com/causes/787301-protect-our-defenders-foundation/actions/1665842

We just reached 2K supporters! Please keep sharing Paula's petition.

As the Lackland story continues to unfold, Protect Our Defenders stands in support of the survivors who have been going through the investigation and the court-martial. We know that telling your story while being interrogated is deeply trying. And we stand in support of military sexual trauma survivors -- and their families and friends -- who find the news difficult to watch. You all deserve better, and that's why we'll continue to fight to bring attention to this crisis and fix our military's broken justice system.

http://www.protectourdefenders.com/

More than 1,600 people have joined you in calling on Congress to investigate Lackland. Thank you! Let's keep up the pressure. Please share her petition with your friends and ask them to sign.

Check out the USA Today's story from this morning about Lackland, "Shock. Anger. Disgust. Disbelief. Those are some of the emotions roiling this sprawling base in San Antonio in the wake of the biggest U.S. military sex scandal in years."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/story/2012-07-19/lackland-air-force-sex-scandal/56332956/1

Please sign and share Paula's petition. Out troops deserve better!

-Protect Our Defenders

The Nation in a story today asks, "Why Won't Congress Investigate the Sex Abuse Scandal at Lackland Air Force Base?"

Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish, tells the Nation, "we can no longer turn a blind eye to the systemic failure" of sexual violence in our military."

Check out the article to read the rest of what Nancy and Congresswoman Jackie Speier have to say about Lackland. The Nation also reports on Paula's Petition.

Let's keep the pressure on Rep. Buck McKeon to investigate Lackland ASAP. Please take 5 seconds to invite your friends to sign Paula's Petition.

Our brave men and women in uniform need your support.

http://www.thenation.com/article/168918/sex-abuse-scandal-consumes-lackland-air-force-base

Thank you,
-Protect Our Defenders

Check out the letter from 78 Members of Congress joining you in calling for a Congressional Hearing about the Lackland sexual assault scandal: http://1.usa.gov/NHFApb

"This issue clearly warrants an investigation by this Committee. Holding a hearing on Lackland will demonstrate the committee’s commitment to this issue, allow the military to bring to the committee their concerns with this problem and efforts to fight it, and give voice to the victims." - Congresswoman Jackie Speier

Let's keep the pressure on Rep. Buck McKeon, Chair of the House Armed Services Committee. Please sign and share Paula's petition.

-Protect Our Defenders