Mikie Sherrill Wants Change After Death Of Vanessa Guillen

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Women Veterans Caucus has joined the chorus of voices urging government and military officials to address sexual assault and misconduct in the armed services after the death of Vanessa Guillen.

In a letter to the House Armed Service Committee, and the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Congresswomen Mikie Sherrill, Tulsi Gabbard, Chrissy Houlahan and Elaine Luria say their military experience provides them with enough proof that change is past due.

"For too long, sexual assault has been a shameful and unacceptable part of our military. As former service members, we have experienced and witnessed sexual harassment in our own careers and know firsthand that it is past time for serious change," they said.

"As the only women veterans serving in the House of Representatives, we have an obligation to speak up for Spc. Vanessa Guillen and those who have survived sexual assault while serving our country."

Guillen, an army specialist stationed at Fort Hood, was reported missing on April 22. In late June, her remains were found in a shallow grave.

In July, Army officials said that Guillen may have faced "some harassment" but not of a sexual nature.

Army Specialist Aaron Robinson and his girlfriend Cecily Aguilar were charged in Guillen's death, but Army officials say the harassment did not come from him, or other persons of interest in the investigation.

Robinson fatally shot himself as authorities approached on July 1.

The family met with President Donald Trump on Thursday, and say that Guillen complained of being sexually harassed by another service member, countering what Army officials are saying.

Both the Guillen family and the Women Veterans Caucus are seeking change that would hold military officials accountable in this case, but also in the future.

The Women Veterans Caucus is supporting two provisions in this year's National Defense Authorization Act, according to the letter.

A provision proposed by Rep. Jackie Speier would establish a pilot program at the service academies for a chief prosecutor to make binding referrals on special victims cases, they said.

The other, a provision from Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, would "require an investigation of the 'bad papers' discharges over the last twenty years, to better understand the ways the military justice system has treated minorities, survivors of sexual trauma, and whistleblowers."

The Guillen family is attempting to pass the #IAmVanessaGuillen bill, which would allow active duty service members to file sexual harassment and assault claims to a third-party agency, according to a press release from Attorney Natalie Khawam.

The Women Veterans Caucus also addressed the means through which women can report these matters, and the institutional shortcomings of the current system.

"Specialist Vanessa Guillen's murder is a devastating example of the issues women service members face in the United States military and the consequences of not having appropriate reporting mechanisms in place for victims to feel safe to be heard. We are deeply disturbed by the lack of urgency surrounding Spc. Guillen’s case from the commanding officers at Fort Hood," they said.