 Defense &
National Security |
Defense &
National Security |
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Report shines light on troubled climate at US military academies |
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says there is "far more work to do to halt sexual assault and harassment" at the U.S. military academies. |
The report indicates that U.S. military academies have struggled to address a toxic and unhealthy climate. And the environment has only grown worse following a spike in sexual assault and harassment cases in the last school year. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said it was "disturbing and unacceptable" that the crimes are "trending upward," which he said degrades military readiness and endangers teammates. "This is a difficult moment, and it must serve as a turning point for the service academies," Austin wrote in a memo to Pentagon leadership. "We defend America as one team, and the brave service members who volunteer to keep our country safe should themselves be safe from sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other harmful behaviors." An independent commission team, established by the office of the Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, reviewed procedures and the climate at the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Military Academy.
Commission officials concluded that existing practices and procedures contributed to an unhealthy climate and that harmful behaviors are likely to increase.
They said academy students are expected to fix problems themselves, often feel disconnected from the wider academy community and struggle in a toxic climate of hazing and harassment.
Thursday's report recommended expanding the range of mental health services available and calls for more transparency and accountability against individuals who harm, bully, sexually assault or harass others, among other recommendations.
In the memo released Thursday, Austin said each secretary of the military branches overseeing the military academies must send him a plan of action report by Oct. 31.
The Defense Department will also set up a new task force to meet regularly and address the ongoing issue.
In the 2021-2022 school year, sexual assaults at the Air Force, Navy and Military academies reached the highest level on record since the Defense Department began tracking the issue in 2006. Read more at TheHill.com. |
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Brad Dress — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. | |
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How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
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The U.S. sanctioned four Russians operatives Thursday over their alleged role in the August 2020 poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The four individuals — Alexey Alexandrovich Alexandrov, Konstantin Kudryavtsev, Ivan Vladimirovich Osipov and Vladimir Alexandrovich Panyaev — were all members of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), according to the Treasury Department ... |
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U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) introduced the Visa Processing Improvement Act on July 27, a bipartisan bill aimed at addressing ongoing delays that have left some waiting for an interview for more than two years. In a November 2022 media note, the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs attributed the long wait times to pandemic-era restrictions that prevented embassies and consulates … |
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The State Department on Thursday sent to congressional leaders a batch of 300 documents related to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan as House Republicans continue to probe the chaotic military retreat from the country in 2021. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the documents came after a call with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who said he would start to produce more … |
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The liberal veterans group VoteVets pressured Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) in a new political ad to help break Alabama GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s roughly five-month hold on more than 300 military nominations. In the latest ad, VoteVets features a Florida veteran who accuses Scott of being AWOL on the blockade from Tuberville, despite the Florida senator touting his status as a Navy veteran. “Senator, wearing that hat … |
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Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: |
- President Biden meets with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday at Camp David.
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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Grand jurors in Georgia Trump case face threats, racist attacks |
Grand jurors who voted to indict former President Trump in Georgia earlier this week are facing threats and a profusion of racist comments online. The jurors' names were listed publicly within the indictment, as required under Georgia law. A review of social media platforms and far-right forums found … |
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Events in and around the defense world: |
- The Center for Strategic and International Studies previews the upcoming BRICS summit in South Africa during a call-in briefing event at 11 a.m. ET.
- Cato Institute talks on U.S. military action in Mexico and combating the illicit fentanyl trade during a hybrid event at 3 p.m.
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News we've flagged from other outlets: |
- Inside the Russian effort to build 6,000 attack drones with Iran's help (The Washington Post)
- In Anne Frank's Amsterdam, Ukrainian children's war diaries go on show in exhibition at City Hall (The Associated Press)
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Two key stories on The Hill right now: |
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House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) on Thursday requested that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) provide unredacted … Read more |
| Tropical Storm Hilary strengthened into a hurricane Thursday, with forecasters warning it could potentially bring devastating rainfall and high winds … Read more |
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