Air Force Association Sends Letter to Senate Armed Services Committee over Military Justice Improvement Act

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Air Force Association has joined fellow military organizations in opposition of the provisions of S.967, "The Military Justice Improvement Act of 2013". A letter was sent to the offices of the Honorable Carl Levin (MI), Chairman, Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC); the Honorable James Inhofe (OK), Ranking Member, SASC and the members of the SASC earlier this week.

AFA and its peer organizations believe that the proposed changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) will negatively affect a commanding officer's ability to protect their Airmen. This proposed change poses a threat to our national security by compromising a commander's ability to maintain good order and discipline in his or her command, and could potentially result in fewer prosecutions and convictions of sexual misconduct.

The letter was signed by AFA's Chairman of the Board George Muellner, a retired Air Force lieutenant general, as well as over 100 retired general officers and five former Chief Master Sergeants of the USAF.

"The key to stopping sexual assault in the military is holding commanders at all levels accountable for their command climate," said Muellner. "Stripping away UCMJ authority from commanders would deprive them of the necessary leadership role that accountability demands of leaders."

The full text of the letter can be found on the AFA website, and will be considered as the Senate debate of the FY14 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) continues, along with similar letters of retired officers gathered by the Association of the United States Navy (AUSN) and the Association of the United States Army (AUSA).

The Air Force Association is a non-profit, independent, professional military and aerospace education association. Our mission is to promote a dominant United States Air Force and a strong national defense, and to honor Airmen and our Air Force Heritage.  To accomplish this, we:

• EDUCATE the public on the critical need for unmatched aerospace power and a technically superior workforce to ensure U.S. national security.
• ADVOCATE for aerospace power and STEM education.
• SUPPORT the Total Air Force family and promote aerospace education.

AFA has 200 chapters nationally and internationally representing more than 100,000 members.  Visit AFA at www.afa.org.

SOURCE Air Force Association

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