LaVena Johnsons Update:Oversight Hearing on Sexual Assault in the Military This Morning at 10:00 EST

Watch hearing on webcast

In 30 minutes a hearing Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs will conduct an oversight hearing into the current status of sexual response and prevention within the U.S. military. This hearing seeks to ensure that the Department of Defense has adequate policies and oversight mechanisms in place to prevent, treat, and punish sexual assaults.

LaVena Johnson's case is not on the agenda, but members of Congress will be asking Army Officer's questions so it was a good opportunity to possibly get a few answers on the LaVena Johnson case or highlight it again. I know many of you have written to ask the members of the committee to ask about LaVena's case and some of you are actually gong to the hearing. I would give you advice, but you are probably sitting on the hard floor of the Rayburn Building waiting to get in right now. If you take your laptop, head for the side where the power outlets are and if some high school student intern tries to tel you that the area is just for the media just say "I AM the media!" and sit down. Make sure you stick around for Panel Three were the Department of Defense and U.S. Army, and GAO will provide testimony.

Witness List

Panel One – Members of Congress (Statements Only):

Honorable Louise M. Slaughter, Member of Congress (NY-28)

Honorable Jane S. Harman, Member of Congress (CA-36)

Panel Two – Victims and Family Members:

Ms. Ingrid Torres, MSW, CSW, Washington, DC

Mrs. Mary Lauterbach, Mother of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, Vandalia, Ohio

Panel Three – Department of Defense and U.S. Army, and GAO:

Mr. Michael Dominguez, Principal Deputy Undersecretary for Defense
(Personnel and Readiness)

Dr. Kaye Whitley, Director, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, U.S. Department of Defense

Lieutenant General Michael D. Rochelle, Deputy Chief of Staff G-1,
United States Army

Ms. Brenda S. Farrell, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, U.S.
Government Accountability Office

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10:00 am in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building and is open to the public.


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Color of Change Launches Campaign to Get hearings for LaVena Johnson

SEND A MESSAGE TO CONGRESS! Color Of Change had written the letter for you

Whew, I have been sitting on this for a minute waiting for it to launch. Color of Change has launched a campaign on behalf of Lavena Johnson's family.

Democratic Representative Skelton's House Armed Services is basically twiddling their thumbs on the LaVena Johnson issue although sources say that discussions are still underway, however Color of Change is calling on another committee of Congress with jurisdiction to hold hearings. They want us to direct our efforts to Congressman Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee.

Go to their site to send a message directly to Congress.

Dear ColorOfChange.org member,

LaVena Johnson was a 19 year old private in the Army, serving in Iraq, when she was raped, murdered, and her body was burned--by someone from her own military base. Despite overwhelming physical evidence, the Army called her death a suicide and has closed the case.¹

For three years, LaVena's parents have been fighting for answers. At almost every turn, they've been met with closed doors or lies. They've appealed to Congress, the one body that can hold the military accountable. But, as in other cases where female soldiers have been raped and murdered and the Army has called it suicide, Congress has failed to act.

Will you join Mr. and Mrs. Johnson in calling on Congressman Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee, to mount a real investigation into LaVena Johnson's death and the Army's cover-up²? Will you ask your friends and family to do the same?

http://www.colorofchange.org/lavena/

From the beginning, LaVena's death made no sense as a suicide. She was happy and had been talking with friends and family regularly³--nothing indicated she could be suicidal. And when the Johnsons received her body, they noticed signs that she had been beaten.⁴ That was when they started asking questions.

After two years of being denied answers and hearing explanations that made no sense, the Johnsons received a CD-ROM from someone on the inside. It contained pictures of the crime scene where LaVena died and an autopsy showing that she had suffered bruises, abrasions, a dislocated shoulder, broken teeth, and some type of sexual assault. Her body was partially burned; she had been doused in a flammable liquid, and someone had set her body on fire. A corrosive chemical had been poured in her genital area, perhaps to cover up evidence of rape.⁵

Still the Army sticks by their story. They refuse to explain the overwhelming physical evidence that LaVena was raped and murdered and continue to claim that she killed herself.

For many Black youth, and working class young people of every race, the military is seen as an option for securing a better future. LaVena came from a deeply supportive family, and while the military wasn't her only option, she was attracted by its promise to help her pay for a college education and the opportunity to travel around the world. She also thought that by joining she could continue her lifelong commitment to serving other people in need. She made a decision to serve in the military, with all its risks, and expected respect and dignity in return.

LaVena's death is part of a disturbing pattern of cases where female soldiers have been raped and killed, and where the military has hidden the truth and labeled the deaths suicides.^6,7 In virtually all cases, Congress has been slow to investigate or hold the military accountable in any way. Unfortunately, most families simply don't have the resources, time, and psychological strength to push back.

We can help the Johnsons, and other families, by holding Congress accountable in the LaVena Johnson case and by demanding it investigate the pattern of cover-ups by the military.

Please take a moment to join those calling on Congressman Waxman to investigate the cover-up of LaVena Johnson's death:

http://www.colorofchange.org/lavena/

Thanks and Peace,

-- James, Gabriel, Clarissa, Andre, Kai, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
July 28th, 2008

References:

1. "The cover-up of a soldier's death?" LavenaJohnson.com, March 6, 2007
http://www.lavenajohnson.com/2007/03/cover-up-of-soldiers-death.html

2. "Is There an Army Cover Up of Rape and Murder of Women Soldiers?" CommonDreams.org, April 28, 2008
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/28/8564/

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. "Suicide or Murder? Three Years After the Death of Pfc. LaVena Johnson in Iraq, Her Parents Continue Their Call for a Congressional Investigation," Democracy Now!, June 23, 2008.
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/7/23/suicide_or_murder_three_years_after

6. See reference 2.

7. "2 Years After Soldier's Death, Family's Battle Is With Army," New York Times, March 21, 2006.
http://tinyurl.com/mzcvh

Other References:

"Justice for Pfc. LaVena Johnson," DailyKos, June 30, 2008
http://tinyurl.com/5bh73v

"Rapists in the Ranks, Los Angeles Times, March 31, 2008
http://tinyurl.com/2z2c8l

Lavena Johnson Update: Hearing on Thursday at 10:00 AM Rm 2154 Rayburn Building

Here is another opportunity for you to get answers from the United States Army in the Lavena Johnson case:

On Thursday, July 31 at 10:00 am, the Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled, “Oversight Hearing on Sexual Assault in the Military.” The hearing will take place in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building and is open to the public. Oversight Committee Website

This is a subcommittee of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The full committee is chaired by Congressman Waxman. The hearing will be webcast.

Here is a list of the subcommittee members:

Majority
John F. Tierney, Chairman
Carolyn B. Maloney
Stephen F. Lynch
Brian Higgins
John A. Yarmuth
Bruce L. Braley
Betty McCollum
Jim Cooper
Chris Van Hollen
Paul W. Hodes
Peter Welch

Minority
Christopher Shays, Ranking Member
Dan Burton
John M. McHugh
Todd Russell Platts
John J. Duncan
Michael Turner
Kenny Marchant
Lynn A. Westmoreland
Patrick T. McHenry
Virginia Foxx

Although this is a subcommittee hearing, members of the full committee wil be able to attend. CBC members on the committee are Clay, Watson, and Cummings. But don't limit your inquiry to Black members. You don't care who asks the questions. Republican, Democrat, whatever! You just want answers.


My source said that he could not determine whether Lavena Johnson's case would be discussed specifically, but the members of the committee have the ability to ask questions. Here is your opportunity to tell them what questions you want asked. Due to the lateness of the notice a call or FAX was recommended as every member of Congress is not amenable to the digital age ( it is what it is)

For all of you who are upset burn a few anytime minutes or get on efax and tell your elected representatives what you want to know from the Army about Lavena Johnson and others like her.

This is separate from the organized campaign that some other large online advocacy groups are working on rolling out. When they tell me more, I will let y'all know, but I know some of you who are in DC may want to attend. In particular you might want to ask them about the allegations in this article,Tracey Barnett: Women GIs in fear of the enemy in their army. Including the allegation that three servicewomen died of dehydration because they didn't want to drink water. If they drank water, they would have to go to the latrine where they feared they would be sexually assaulted by fellow soldiers. CRAZY!

For those not famiar with the Lavena Johnson story, here is some background from Jezebel

When LaVena's father finally brought himself to look at his daughter's corpse in 2005, sent home from Iraq with a report that she'd committed suicide by shooting herself in the left side of her head with an M-16 — which, by the way, is not a handgun but a relatively long rifle, he thought there was something wrong.

Private LaVena Johnson's nose was broken, teeth were loose, one eye was concave and there were abrasions over her body. The supposed M-16 hole to the head was far too small for the revolver-sized exit wound, and was on the wrong side of her skull for a right-handed woman to have pulled the trigger. Her genital area showed evidence of acid, perhaps used to destroy DNA evidence. She had white military gloves glued to her burned hands.

Since then, the Army has continued to insist that the LaVena committed suicide by pointing her rifle with her non-dominant hand at the side of her head and set herself on fire, all after she beat herself up and poured acid on her genitals (since their was no apparent investigation into whatever happened there). Oh, and there was a trail of blood leading away from the tent where her body was found.

Her father has been trying for nearly 3 years to get someone — including Congress — to investigate the death of his daughter.

Comment AFTER you have called.