Dear General Joseph Andrews...

Many of you may not realize who General Andrews is... He was the convening authority over General Sinclair's rape court martial.

In case you haven't heard about General Sinclair- he was recently court martialed for raping and inappropriately having sexual contact with subordinates. He entered a plea deal where he plead guilty to the lesser charges in exchange for a 20,000$ fine (which his wife deemed unfair never mind that her husband is a convicted rapist now)& he was "asked" to retire as in here so what if you are a convicted rapist let's still give you full benefits & a full pension too.

Which that ^ brings me to my next point... General Anderson. So, he let Sinclair off with the equivalent to a trip to the principal's office. Then Al-Jazeera America runs an exclusive on General Anderson. Guess what else he's been involved in?!

It has now come to light via audio recording that General Andrews has been retaliating against active duty soldiers for seeking help from civilian advocates who were fighting for the soldiers to get medical discharges instead of failure to adapt discharges. In other words, we know you are entitled to a severance package & a pension, but since we don't like that you didn't just go along with us we are going to make sure to stick it to you.

What General Andrews has done is morally reprehensible. He used his power & authority to enact revenge on soldiers for trying to ensure proper discharges. A severe pattern of misconduct & ethics violations, & conduct unbecoming of an officer.

General Andrews, you have put yourself on our map. I will be speaking with Senator Gillabrand, & Congresswoman Speier about you. It's going to be made public knowledge what all you have done. Don't think for a second you got away with it because you haven't. We are coming for your career next. You are a disgrace to this country & to the military & to the soldiers that are under your command. Thanks for letting your true character come through. Commanders & troops who mistakenly trust you & follow your commands are part of the problem & we will no longer tolerate soldiers like you. Zero tolerance means ZERO... not oh I'm a general I'll exclude myself & my friends from being accountable to the UCMJ & other applicable laws. Your career days are numbered. We do not forget & we do not forgive.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/3/24/exclusive-recordingshowsthatarmypunishedsoldierswhoaskedforhelp.html

Congresswoman Jackie Speier Discusses STOP Act & the Significance of General Sinclair's Punishment

Congresswoman Jackie Speier comes forward to speak on General Sinclair. She highlights the exact point I've been making to her for 3 years now... Commanders are not law enforcement nor are they lawyers. They have no investigation experience or training. If you need heart surgery do you go to the foot doctor? Then why would anyone be okay with letting untrained personnel decide violent felonies... let's call it what it is. The really sad part was they were using General Sinclair as an example of how tough & serious they were about "zero tolerance" ... we walked away with a fine.... A fine his wife complained about... do you think she cared that her husband is a convicted rapist now? No she just cared that the fine isn't fair & we need that money. That's the "justice" survivors get... This survivor is lucky she even got to court martial. Oh & I forgot to mention that the asked him to retire as in here have full benefits even if you are a convicted sex offender. That's the uphill battle survivors & advocates fight daily- a system that's designed to force survivors out & reward the violent criminals. 

And just for the record I'm not bashing the military nor am I saying all soldiers marines or squids are rapists because they aren't. I'm simply saying that this is a problem & we need to fix it now. Let's make it a safe environment where people don't have to be afraid of getting raped violated or having things literally shoved up their anal area. 

3 years ago I teamed up with Jackie along with other advocates as well.... and in those 3 years we have moved mountains, (which we never expected) but still it hasn't been enough. Every victory we won there was still the looming issues of why is the commander the legal expert & jury without an ounce of investigation experience. We won't stop until we force that change. It's coming whether they like it or not. Commanders you've now officially been put on notice.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/20/opinion/speier-military-prosecution/index.html?c=&page=1

Thoughts and Confessions

I have to be ho nest, I rarely read articles about myself. When they get ready to cover me in the media, I usually avoid watching. I just always expect the responses to be negative just like the Marine Corps was.
A very good friend of mine who is also a very well known advocate told me that I really should read when they cover me. I've been thinking about it and then finally I did it.
I was completely shocked & amazed by article after article. People are genuinely Infuriated by what happened to me and how they treated me. They realize that if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.
The outrage & support has been amazing. I never expected .... never even crossed my mind that complete strangers would hear my story and fight for me. They took my voice and kicked me when I was down but then the public was on my side and it felt like justice was alive again. The morals I thought most had lost were back & for the first time in my life the public's voice had become louder than my commander and every other participant. All the times they put me down the public cried louder and it was in support of me. I am the girl next door. I am the All American kid who is going places that has potential... and it was cut short out of discrimination and gender hate and bias.
I can keep going because people like you support me. They help me prove my point. So to all the reports who helped me, thank you. It has still been a long hard road, but it's been made easier with your verbal support. ♡

Thinking of Joining the Military? Better Read This First....

Yesterday, I was faced with one of those military personnel who said that speaking out about the rape epidemic is the same as bashing the military. Not only that, but then he opened the flood gates of abuses on me name calling and acting like he was better than me just because he was a male. This whole instance got me thinking- what would I say to someone who is thinking of joining? Would they still join if they knew what it really involves? I don't know, but I do know that at least they would be well informed before they made any decisions. So I ask are you thinking of joining the military? Do some research first. Here is some informative articles and documentaries I have compiled that can be a start for you. Also know that if this should happen to you you need to get in touch with a military rape crisis counselor. There are many organizations that take calls 24/7 so Google them and call. Do NOT call the VA Crisis Line. Call the rape crisis counselor who will tell you what steps to take and how to keep a copy of the evidence. There is a very good chance your command will try to have your evidence destroyed. You need that evidence for when you file for disability through the VA. I can't emphasize it enough, call the rape crisis counselor and go to a civilian hospital never ever go on base! http://nation.time.com/2013/05/09/fear-of-reprisal-the-quiet-accomplice-in-the-militarys-sexual-assault-epidemic/ http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/america-tonight-blog/2014/3/20/victims-of-militarysexualassaultappealtohumanrightscommission.html The Invisible War (http://invisiblewarmovie.com/), documentary, June 2012 The academy-award nominated documentary has helped bring the military’s rape crisis to national attention (http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/blog/the-film-that-revolutionized-the-conversation-about-military-rape). Filmmakers interviewed victims and military personnel to reveal the overwhelming obstacles to prosecuting military rape, and how inadequate efforts have been so far to curbing sexual assault. Trauma Sets Female Veterans Adrift Back Home (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/us/female-veterans-face-limbo-in-lives-on-the-street.html), New York Times, February 2013 According to the Pentagon report, 48,100 women (and (http://www.thenation.com/blog/173522/new-study-demands-zero-tolerance-military-sexual-assault)43,700 men) reported (http://www.thenation.com/blog/173522/new-study-demands-zero-tolerance-military-sexual-assault) military sexual trauma last year, which studies say makes them nine times more likely (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15385701) to suffer from PTSD. This two-part New York Times series documents the struggles facing women veterans who’ve suffered from sexual assault, including homelessness and unemployment. The Rape of Petty Officer Blumer (http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-rape-of-petty-officer-blumer-20130214?src=longreads), Rolling Stone, February 2013 The story of one naval officer’s rape details the consequences victims face for coming forward — consequences that keep most victims from reporting sexual attacks. After telling her superiors she had been raped, Rebecca Blumer was accused of lying, sexually harassed, denied promotions and ultimately discharged. Rape victims say military labels them 'crazy' (http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/14/health/military-sexual-assaults-personality-disorder), CNN, April 2012 A CNN investigation found another way the military handles rape accusations: labeling victims as emotionally unstable. After reporting a sexual assault, multiple service members were diagnosed with a personality disorder and discharged. Their abuse allegations were ignored. The Enemy Within (http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/the-military-s-rape-problem-20120913), National Journal, September 2012 What is it about the military that makes sexual assault so pervasive? The National Journal digs into the policies behind the statistics, and the legal loopholes exploited by sexual predators. Pentagon grapples with sex crimes by military recruiters (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pentagon-grapples-with-sex-crimes-by-military-recruiters/2013/05/12/d082ec1c-b97e-11e2-bd07-b6e0e6152528_story.html), Washington Post, May 2013 Active service members aren’t the only ones vulnerable to sexual assault. A recent series of scandals across the country exposed military recruiters accused of sexually abusing young people looking to enlist. Betrayal in the Ranks (http://extras.denverpost.com/justice/tdp_betrayal.pdf), The Denver Post, 2004 The Denver Post spoke with more than 60 victims about their battle for justice, and the psychological trauma that lasted long after their assault. Many felt the military blamed them for their rape, while shielding their attackers from punishment.

Exactly How Much Power Should Commanders Have?

Every appearance I make, people say to me that Commanders need total control for the "good order of the unit". I have to be honest, I really want to ask those people 'what is wrong with you?'! Let's break this down barney style and think about it logically- Commanders have no law enforcement investigation experience. They aren't lawyers. They have absolutely no legal or investigative experience. Why on earth would anyone try to say Commanders should be the judge and jury for a criminal trial? If the person you loved got raped would you want the Commander "investigating" your case? I doubt it. If you need heart surgery, do you go to the foot doctor? What I want to know even more is why Commanders are even fighting to keep the ability to be judge and jury... Doesn't it make more sense to pass this to "Agency X" who does have the experienced investigators? That cuts the Commander off the hook for any disagreements or mess ups. That means s/he can get back to playing golf (unless POTUS is coming around) What kind of example is the brass setting for our junior Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers? They know that this behavior is wrong, but they see their leaders doing it but know they can't speak up either... for the same reason rape survivors can't come forward- retaliation. When is the brass going to get serious and admit they are wrong? No one asked for all of the Commander's power.. just to have felony crimes investigated and treated as what they are- violent crimes.