Biden Executive Order Changes How Sexual Assaults Are Handled in DOD

August 3, 2023

President Biden made a change last week to how the Pentagon handles cases of sexual assaults. He signed an executive order that removes the handling of those cases from the military chain of command, putting them instead in the hands of independent military prosecutors.

“Today, I signed an executive order strengthening how our military handles sexual assault and serious offenses,” Biden posted Friday on his official X account. “Ending gender-based violence has been a priority for me throughout my career. This represents a turning point for survivors of gender-based violence in the military.”

Many of the changes in the executive order come from recommendations made by the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military, which Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin created in 2021, as a DOD news article reported.

White House photo via X

August 3, 2023

Recent News

Warren Highlights DCIP as Opportunity for Off-Base Housing Support

Warren Highlights DCIP as Opportunity for Off-Base Housing Support

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) suggested Wednesday that the Defense Community Infrastructure Program is one way to help solve the housing crunch in many military communities. The program, which Congress made permanent last year, provides grants for infrastructure...

DOD Names Higher Education Faculty Partners

DOD Names Higher Education Faculty Partners

DOD has chosen seven DOD-university faculty teams for the FY 2023 Defense Education and Civilian University Research (DECUR) Partnership, part of the Minerva Research Initiative, according to a press release. DECUR aims to enhance social science research collaboration...

Snap of the Week

Snap of the Week

Air Force Maj. Gen. Vanessa Dornhoefer greets a World War II veteran during a V-E Day ceremony at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. May 8. Air Force photo by Eric Dietrich

In Our Communities

In Our Communities

Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota is set to receive $850 million for upgrades to its nuclear weapons facilities, The North Dakota Monitor reported. The upgrades are part of a broader effort to modernize the nation’s nuclear arsenal, ensuring its reliability and...

PAST STORIES