The Joint Chiefs of Staff have recently outlined new policies to deter sexual assaults in the armed forces.
One of the major changes will happen at basic training for new recruits in every service branch. New recruits will receive training on sexual assault policies within their first two weeks on active duty. Making sure that recruits are educated on right conduct and appropriate behavior will go a long way in the force. This prevention and education effort should be viewed as an important step in reducing sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military.
Additional policy changes include ensuring that sexual assault cases are handled by officers at the Colonel or O-6 level, and forming a new Special Victims Units across each service branch in order to better investigate assaults and bring more perpetrators to justice. Cases will no longer be dropped by low-level commanders who can prevent investigations from moving forward with flimsy excuses. Cases will instead move past the local unit level and be pushed up the chain of command for investigation by senior officers.
While these changes are new and still being fine tuned for implementation, I hope that advocacy efforts will also be a part of the equation. All of the services need to provide high levels of support through unit victim advocates, sexual assault response coordinators, medical services, legal representation, and counseling.
Veterans and service members can make confidential reports to a chaplain, healthcare provider, sexual assault response coordinator, or victim advocate. If you need help or have questions you can call 877-995-5247 or click www.safehelpline.org for additional resources.
God Squad 
Senate Confirms New National Guard Bureau Chief and Vice Chief
Posted in News & Commentary, tagged air force, armed services committee, army, chaplain, faith, joint chiefs of staff, military, national guard, prayer, senate armed services committee on July 31, 2012| Leave a Comment »
The Senate confirmed Army Lt. Gen. Frank J. Grass as the next chief of the National Guard Bureau and Air Force Maj. Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel as the bureau’s vice chief during a late evening session July 26.
Grass, who also will be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be promoted to the rank of general. Lengyel will earn his third star.
The Senate’s action followed Grass’ July 19 hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“To the men and women and families of the Army and the Air National Guard … you can know that I will be your strongest advocate,” Grass said during the hearing.
Asked about the his role on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Grass said, “As a member of the Joint Chiefs, I [will] definitely have to bring forward the adjutants generals’ and governors’ thoughts, concerns, on the homeland mission. … I also need to be able to balance that with the federal mission and deployable forces and be able to give my best military advice to the secretary of defense as well as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.”
Grass will succeed Air Force Gen. Craig R. McKinley, the National Guard’s first four-star general and first to be appointed to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
1 Timothy 2 is a call to prayer. It reminds us to offer prayers and petitions for all who are in authority. Take time to remember the new leadership at NGB and the important roles they have.
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