Protect Our Defenders Press Releases

Jul 22 2020

Following Disappearance and Murder of Vanessa Guillén, Gillibrand Offers Amendment to Review Military’s Missing Person Investigation Procedures

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, offered an...

Jul 22 2020

Chair Speier’s Amendments to Address Military Sexual Assault and Harassment and Missing Persons Cases in Honor of SPC Vanessa Guillén Pass in FY21 NDAA

Washington, DC – Two amendments introduced by Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Chair of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, to...

Jul 08 2020

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

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

Jul 02 2020

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

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

Jun 10 2020

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

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

May 27 2020

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

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

Apr 30 2020

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

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

Jan 28 2020

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

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

Jan 23 2020

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

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

Jan 13 2020

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

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

Nov 18 2019

STATEMENT SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW LEGAL LOOPHOLE SETTING ACCUSED MILITARY RAPISTS FREE

Washington, DC – The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Friday that it would hear an appeal from the Justice Department to review a military...

Nov 06 2019

STATEMENT NEW PENTAGON REPORT FINDS SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY MORE LIKELY TO RESULT IN POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER THAN COMBAT

Washington DC – On Monday, the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report that determined sexual...

Jul 30 2019

STATEMENT AIR FORCE MISLEADS SENATORS AHEAD OF GEN. HYTEN CONFIRMATION HEARING BY CONTRADICTING FINDINGS OF ITS INVESTIGATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 30, 2019 Contact: Brian Purchia, 202.253.4330, brian@protectourdefenders.com ***STATEMENT*** AIR FORCE MISLEADS SENATORS AHEAD OF GEN. HYTEN...

Jun 19 2019

STATEMENT PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS ON CONGRESS TO PASS MJIA & REFORM BROKEN MILITARY JUSTICE SYSTEM

June 13, 2019 Contact: Brian Purchia, 202.253.4330, brian@protectourdefenders.com ***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS ON CONGRESS TO PASS MJIA & REFORM...

Apr 02 2019

STATEMENT PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS PRESIDENT COL DON CHRISTENSEN (RET.) TO CALL FOR PENTAGON TO EMPOWER PROSECUTORS, RATHER THAN COMMANDERS, WITH THE AUTHORITY TO PROSECUTE SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 2, 2019 Washington, D.C. — Today, the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee will hold a...

Mar 06 2019

STATEMENT PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS PRESIDENT COL DON CHRISTENSEN (RET.) CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT PROSECUTION OF MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 6, 2019 Washington, D.C. — Today, the United States Senate Armed Services Committee (watch live here)...

Feb 13 2019

STATEMENT PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS PRESIDENT COL DON CHRISTENSEN (RET.) CALLS ON PENTAGON TO EMPOWER MILITARY PROSECUTORS OR TURN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES TO CIVILIAN JUSTICE SYSTEMS AT CONGRESSIONAL HEARING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 13, 2019 Washington, D.C. — Today, the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee (watch live here)...

Jan 31 2019

STATEMENT PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARING AFTER REPORT SHOWS 47% INCREASE IN MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMY SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 31, 2019 ***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARING AFTER REPORT SHOWS 47% INCREASE IN...

Sep 21 2018

STATEMENT PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS SAYS DELAYED PENTAGON REPORT PUT TROOPS AND COMMUNITIES NEAR BASES AT RISK FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 21, 2018 ***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS SAYS DELAYED PENTAGON REPORT PUT TROOPS AND COMMUNITIES NEAR BASES...

Sep 14 2018

STATEMENT PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS ON VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY TO IMMEDIATELY REVIEW CLAIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS THAT WERE WRONGLY DENIED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 14, 2018 ***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS ON VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY TO IMMEDIATELY REVIEW CLAIMS OF...