After months of calling on the military’s top brass to put action behind their words of “zero tolerance,” our voices have been heard. Yesterday, the United States Air Force announced that Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin will be forced to retire.
Franklin fueled calls for fundamental reform to our broken military justice system after he, as the Convening Authority, overturned a sexual assault conviction at Aviano Air Base in Italy and freed fellow pilot, Lt. Col. James Wilkerson, reinstating him back into the Air Force against the recommendation of his own legal counsel.
For months, Protect Our Defenders has called for the removal of Franklin and Wilkerson with protests, an online petition, and public pressure on our lawmakers. Wilkerson was forced to retire at a reduced rank last year.
Kim Hanks, the brave civilian contractor at Aviano who came forward about her case wanted us to pass along this note:
“The removal of Lt. Gen. Franklin is a long overdue victory for survivors of sexual assault in the military. I would like to thank Protect Our Defenders and all of you for your unrelenting efforts to see justice in my case and for all survivors. While neither Franklin nor Wilkerson will ever truly be held responsible for their actions, it is a consolation to know that our collective voices were heard.
Franklin’s reckless disregard for me and for the safety of those who worked and served at Aviano is typical of the military’s broken justice system. Franklin demonstrated his extreme bias and lack of objectivity in overturning Wilkerson’s conviction, and Air Force leadership revealed their own biases and loyalties in choosing to stand behind his explainable actions instead of with survivors of these crimes.
For those of us like myself who have been forced to live with the consequences of their biased actions, Franklin’s removal is the first logical step in changing the military’s attitude and handling of sexual crimes. However, it is not nearly enough: we need fundamental reform. My case would not have moved forward without the perseverance of the military prosecutors who pursued my case, and it should be them, not commanders, who decide whether to move forward to trial.
By finally forcing Franklin to retire, the military has acknowledged to the American public that they know their justice system is flawed and broken. Instead of working to fix it, they have chosen to dig in their heels, despite their admission that commanders like Franklin cannot be trusted to make a fair and impartial decision on their own. Until this changes and survivors have access to a functioning, objective justice system, we will continue to see men and women suffer at the hands of biased and untrained commanders.”
Throughout this ordeal, Kim and her family have faced an ongoing series of betrayals by the military; from overturning the Wilkerson’s conviction to learning he would be reassigned to her family’s hometown. Despite their personal trials, they have demonstrated grace and dignity. They bravely stepped forward and spoke out publicly to call for justice and reform. In March, Kim and I met privately with members of congress to share her story and ask our lawmakers to support removing authority from the chain of command.
Kim, along with all of you, stand for the American ideal that justice should be blind. Legal authorities should be trained, experienced, and impartial. The military has been allowed to fail the same way, after making the same promises, for far too long. By stepping forward and sharing their stories, survivors like Kim have helped to educate the public and lawmakers.
By shedding light on this issue, more Americans have stood up for the values of blind justice, and the fact that all men and women who sign up to protect our country should be afforded the same system they have pledged their lives to protect.
With your support, we will press ahead and continue to stand alongside these brave survivors to demand blind justice and a military free of fear, intimidation, and retaliation.
Sincerely,
Nancy Parrish
Founder and President, Protect Our Defenders