News Blog

* PRESS RELEASE * FIVE YEAR LEGAL BATTLE LEADS TO JUSTICE FOR MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVOR AND PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CLIENT; TWO STAR GENERAL PLEADS GUILTY

Jul 08 2020

Washington, DC – Today, in Prince William County Virginia Circuit Court, Major General James Grazioplene pled guilty to felonious aggravated sexual battery....

STATEMENT PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS APPLAUDS REP. SPEIER’S CALL FOR INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF RACIAL DISPARITIES IN MILITARY

Jul 02 2020

Washington, DC – On the heels of Protect Our Defenders’ (POD) recently released report on “Racial Disparities in Military Justice,...

Speier, Gillibrand Call for Investigation Into Disappearance of Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen

Jul 02 2020

Office of Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA), Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee...

Gillibrand, Grassley & Cruz Offer Military Justice Improvement Act as Amendment to 2021 NDAA

Jul 01 2020

Office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), ranking member of the Senate Armed...

It’s time for change: See how POD is effectively pushing for racial justice

Jun 23 2020

From the desk of Nancy Parrish, Founder and CEO of Protect Our Defenders Here is a quick update as we...

Don Christensen Testifies Before House Armed Services Subcommittee About Racial Criminal Justice Disparities

Jun 17 2020

Hearing date: June 16, 2020. The House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a hearing on racial disparities in...

Remarks from Protect Our Defenders President Don Christensen at House Armed Services Hearing on Racial Disparities in the Military Justice System

Jun 16 2020

Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday June 16th, the United States House Committee on Armed Services (HASC) will conduct a Military Personnel Hearing titled...

STATEMENT AIR FORCE ANNOUNCES INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF RACIAL DISPARITIES AFTER PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS REPORT HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE

Jun 10 2020

Washington, DC – Today, the Department of the Air Force Inspector General announced it will independently review the Air Force’s record on racial disparities....

Air Force Leadership Holds Town Hall on Racial Disparities

Jun 04 2020

Washington, DC – On Wednesday, June 3, 2020 Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein and Chief Master Sergeant...

Norton Says Report from Protect Our Defenders Finding Racial Disparities in Courts-Martial, Nonjudicial Punishments Breaks New Ground

May 28 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a past chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, today said that...

Survivor Spotlight: Aviation Commander Darchelle Mitchell

May 28 2020

Darchelle D. Mitchell was born September 11, 1973 in Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated from Warner Robins High School in Warner...

Rep Speier’s Statement on Report Revealing Serious Racial Disparities in Military Justice Cases

May 27 2020

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Chair of the House Armed Services Personnel Committee, issued the following statement in response to...

PRESS RELEASE AIR FORCE CAUGHT IN COVER UP, REPEATEDLY CONCEALED RECORDS OF RACIAL DISPARITIES

May 27 2020

Washington, DC — Today, Protect Our Defenders (POD) released a new report revealing the Air Force has attempted to cover up its data...

* STATEMENT * VP BIDEN SUPPORTS EMPOWERING INDEPENDENT PROSECUTORS AS MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT REPORTS SURGE

Apr 30 2020

Washington, DC – Today, the Pentagon released its Annual Report on Sexual Assault and Prevention (SAPR) in the Military a day after former...

POD Sends Letter to Senator Hill in Support of Bill to Eliminate Immunity for Sexual Violence Perpetrators of CA Guard Victims

Mar 20 2020

March 20, 2020 The Honorable Jerry Hill California State Senate State Capital Sacramento, CA 95814 Subject: Letter in Support of...

STATEMENT NEW PENTAGON REPORT FINDS 32% INCREASE IN SEXUAL ASSAULTS AT MILITARY ACADEMIES AMONG CADETS AND MIDSHIPMEN

Jan 30 2020

Washington, DC – Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) released its Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service...

PRESS RELEASE Protect Our Defenders & Military Sexual Assault Survivors Announce Launch of 2020 Presidential Candidate Pledge to Help End Crisis of Military Sexual Assault

Jan 28 2020

Washington, DC – Protect Our Defenders (POD), the only national organization solely dedicated to ending the epidemic of rape and sexual assault...

STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO GROUNDBREAKING PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS RACIAL DISPARITY REPORT, CONGRESS MANDATES PENTAGON TRACK RACE, ETHNICITY, AND GENDER OF COURTS-MARTIALS

Jan 23 2020

Washington, DC – On Tuesday, the Senate signed the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The final NDAA contains a number of...

STATEMENT PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS FILES AMICUS BRIEF BEFORE SUPREME COURT TO CLOSE LEGAL LOOPHOLE SETTING ACCUSED MILITARY RAPISTS FREE

Jan 13 2020

Washington, DC – Today, Protect Our Defenders (POD) joined rape survivor and Air Force veteran Harmony Allen in filing an amicus curia brief...

POD President Don Christensen Testimony at Defense Advisory Committee on Investigations, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces

Nov 19 2019

Chairwoman Martha Bashford ATTN: DAC-IPAD One Liberty Center 875 N. Randolph Street, Suite 150 Arlington, VA 22203 15 November 2019...