Military sexual assault

Fort Hood officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Pvt. Ana Basaldua Ruiz, a 21 year-old combat engineer with Mexican roots. The soldier died on March 13, according to a release from the base.

In the past year, as pandemic restrictions have lifted, reported sexual assaults across the military increased by 13%.

Bronze Star-decorated combat commander Colonel Lisa Carrington Firmin was the highest-ranking Latina in the Air Force when she retired in 2010. The San Antonio veteran has just released a book that describes the sexual harassment and assault she and others faced while serving.

Maj. Gen. William T. Cooley was found guilty of abusive sexual contact for forcibly kissing his sister-in-law after a 2018 event. He faces dismissal from the military and up to seven years in prison.

Lloyd Austin endorses removing the prosecution of sexual assaults and related crimes from the military chain of command, but Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says the recommendation doesn't go far enough.

The bill, long-championed by New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, would dramatically reshape how the military addresses assault cases by removing them from the chain of command.

Army leaders concede that a program designed to eliminate sexual harassment and abuse has not achieved its goal. So the 18th Airborne Corps held a "Shark Tank" type event for soldiers to present ideas to fix it.

After the murder of Fort Hood Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen triggered an outpouring of rage and pain around the country, Congress and the Army initiated several investigations into the base and how sexual harassment and assault are handled by military leadership. Some have called this a watershed moment — the military's #MeToo equivalent.

On what would have been Spc. Vanessa Guillen's 21st birthday, activists held a march and vigil to celebrate her life. They also demanded progress on legislation aimed at reforming the way the military justice system handles sexual assault and harassment cases.

From Texas Standard: The brutal murder of Vanessa Guillén, an Army specialist stationed at Fort Hood, resulted in calls for changes in the way the U.S....