Politics & Government

Belvoir Garrison Commander on the U.S. Military Sexual Assault Debate

Col. Gregory Gadson spoke with Patch on Wednesday

The United States military should maintain control of how sexual assault cases are reported, according to Fort Belvoir Garrison Commander Col. Gregory Gadson. 

The House Armed Services Committee approved a bill on Wednesday that takes away the ability of a military commander to overturn court martial convictions. 

"In my opinion, why we (in the U.S. military) think this authority is important is because we have a unique mission," Gadson told Patch Wednesday. "We ask our military to be ready to do things that we ask no other group in our society to do, and with that unique requirement and mission, we have this unique authority. They (Congress) needs to trust our authority… I just hope that our leadership recognizes that they do ask us to do unique things, and our authority is important to do that."

Find out what's happening in Lortonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Are you following us on Facebook and Twitter? You should. 

On Tuesday, the Senate Armed Services Committee grilled the Joint Chiefs of Staff over the increasing number of sexual assaults reported by military personnel. Another bill sponsored by committee member Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) would allow troops to report such incidents to another military official outside their chain of command. 

Find out what's happening in Lortonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Approximately 26,000 troops were sexually assaulted in 2012, an increase of about 35 percent over the 19,000 assaults in 2010, according to a Pentagon report released last month.

“You have lost the trust of the men and women who rely on you that you will actually bring justice in these cases,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the hearing, according to the Washington Post

Gen. Martin Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, asked the committee to resist the measures. 

“I urge that military commanders remain central to the legal process," said Dempsy, according to The Daily Beast. "Reducing command responsibility could adversely affect the ability of the commander to enforce professional standards and, ultimately, to accomplish the mission.”

Victims of sexual assault at Fort Belvoir can find out more by visiting the Fort Belvoir Army Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here