Over 100 Air Force Generals Oppose to Change to the UCMJ that would allow military lawyers, rather than commanders to determine whether to court-martial defendants in military sexual assault cases.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has proposed a bill to let military prosecutors, rather than commanders, make decisions about whether to prosecute sexual assaults in the armed forces. (J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press)
By Kristin Davis
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More than 100 retired Air Force generals and five former chief master sergeants of the Air Force have signed a letter of opposition to a Senate bill that would give military prosecutors, rather than commanders, the power to send serious offenses to court-martial.
The change “would have a devastating impact on our national security and military readiness by diminishing the vital role of commanders in the military justice system,” Lt. Gen. George Muellner, chairman of the board of directors for the Air Force Association, wrote in a Nov. 13 letter to Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.
The 2013 Military Justice Improvement Act, authored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., would move the decision whether to prosecute any crime punishable by one year or more to military attorneys. Commanders would still be responsible for deciding whether to send to court-martial 37 offenses, such as disobeying orders or being absent without leave.
The bill is the more controversial of two that propose changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice aimed at reducing sexual assault across the services.
Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., has proposed a bill that would leave the power to prosecute military sexual assault crimes within the chain of command but strip commanders of the authority to change or dismiss a court-martial verdict except when the offenses are minor. It would also require a convening authority to hear from a victim before modifying a sentence — and provide a written explanation for any changes.
In addition to Muellner, the Air Force Association letter opposing Gillibrand’s bill is signed by 112 retired Air Force generals and five former chief master sergeants of the Air Force, including James Roy, who retired in January.
“In our professional military opinion there is no substitute for committed and empowered commanders who engage their troops at every level of the chain of command,” Muellner wrote to Levin, who is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The bill, Muellner continued, “would undermine the commander’s essential role by stripping away the ability to directly shape the culture and climate of their command.”
Gillibrand has argued that the current system giving a commander sole authority to pursue a case presents an inherent conflict of interest: The boss of an accused — and oftentimes the accuser — decides whether to send a case to a court-martial.
Gillibrand spokesman Glen Caplin said he had not seen the letter but said military support for the senator’s bill is on the rise. “We’ve had retired flag officers come forward, commanders, captains, JAG officers, veterans organizations and brave survivors who have come forward and said a vote for this bill is a vote for our troops and a vote to strengthen our military,” Caplin said.
The following retired generals and chief master sergeants of the Air Force signed Muellner’s letter:
4 Stars
Gen. Mike Loh
Gen. Gene Renuart
Gen. Duncan McNabb
Gen. Chuck Boyd
Gen. Dick Hawley
Gen. Paul Hester
Ron Fogleman
Steve Lorenz
Earl O’Loughlin
Arthur Lichte
Eugene Habiger
Michael Hayden
John Handy
William Looney
Lance Lord
Lance Smith
Billy Boles
C.T. “Tony” Robertson
Ronald Yates
Charles Horner
Martin Marsh
James P. Mullins
William L Kirk
Gen. Kevin Chilton
Gen. Doug Fraser
3 Stars
Lt. Gen. Dick Newton
Lt. Gen. Mike Dunn
Lt. Gen. David Deptula
Lt. Gen. John Conaway
Lt. Gen. Michael E. Zettler
Lt. Gen. Robert D. Springer
Lt. Gen. Tom Waskow
Lt. Gen. Chuck Heflebower
Lt. Gen. Walter S. Hogle, Jr.
Lt. Gen. Dave Teal
Lt. Gen. Timothy A. Kinnan
Lt. Gen. Walter E. Buchanan III Lt. Gen. Arnold W. Braswell
Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins,
Lt. Gen. Thomas G. McInerney
Lt. Gen. Thad A. Wolfe
Lt. Gen. Clifford H “Ted” Rees, Jr.
Lt. Gen. David L. Vesely
Lt. Gen. Don Snyder
Lt. Gen. Michael A Nelson
Lt. Gen. Richard A. Burpee
Lt. Gen. Jeffrey B. Kohler
Lt. Gen. Charles Johnson
Lt. Gen. Michael A. Hamel
2 Stars
Maj. Gen. Don Shepperd
Maj. Gen. Robert L. Smolen
Maj. Gen. John Speigel
Maj. Gen. Edward J. Mechenbier
Maj. Gen. Rick Devereaux
Maj. Gen. Larry New
Maj. Gen. Silas R. Johnson, Jr.
Maj. Gen. John W. Brooks
Maj. Gen. Frank R. Faykes
Maj. Gen. Marke Gibson
Maj. Gen. William W. Hoover
Maj. Gen. Peter U. Sutton
Maj. Gen. Bobby J Wilkes
Maj. Gen. Jay H. Lindell
Maj. Gen. Keith McCartney
Maj. Gen. George N Williams
Maj. Gen. Andrew M. Egeland, Jr.
Maj. Gen. Earnest O. Robbins II
Maj. Gen. Curtis M. Bedke
Maj. Gen. George W. “Nordie” Norwood
Maj. Gen. Keith W. Meurlin
Maj. Gen. William R. Usher
Maj. Gen. Kenneth W. Hess
Maj. Gen. Richard B. Goetze, Jr.
Maj. Gen. Burton R. Moore
Maj. Gen. Dan Dick
Maj. Gen. Wm. L. Nicholson, III
Maj. Gen. Jack Catton
Maj. Gen. Richard E. Perraut, Jr.
BG:
BG Robert. E. Dehnert
BG Rudolf F. Peksens
BG James M. Shamess
BG Robert A. Norman
BG Daniel J. Sherlock
BG Duncan w. Campbell
BG Chester D. Taylor, Jr.
BG Jerry Landry
BG Sanford Schlitt
BG Stan Smith
BG Robert T. Osterthaler
BG Robert A. Hoffmann
BG Howard G. DeWolf
BG Raymond A. Shulstad
BG Duncan Campbell
BG Harold B. Adams
BG Joel M McKean
BG E. Daniel Cherry
BG Virgil Wayne Lloyd
BG Scott P. Van Cleef
BG Steven Speer
BG Edward N. Giddings
BG Robert C. Stumpf
BG Andrew W. Smoak
BG William R. Hodges
BG Gary A Ambrose
BG Walter C. Hersman
BG John W. Meincke
BG Jeffrey R. Johnson
BG Harold “Buck” Adams
BG Karl Kristof
BG Thomas E. Stickford
BG Monte Montgomery
BG Eden Murrie
CMSAFs:
CMSAF Gerald Murray
CMSAF Sam Parish
CMSAF Eric Benken
CMSAF Bob Gaylor
CMSAF James Roy
