U.S. military leaders launch an unprecedented string of “summit” meetings in Virginia during the next three weeks to hash out major policy reforms for dealing with sexual assault issues.
But the goals could be undermined by what some in Congress call an unprecedented level of secrecy.
The public and media are barred from a week-long, invitation-only conference starting Monday. The Pentagon isn’t publicly disclosing the location. And attendees are signing agreements not to divulge details.
Spokesmen for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld declined to discuss the event, billing it as “a pre-decisional working conference” that doesn’t require public scrutiny.
“It’s basically an internal thing, our first run out of the gate on these issues,” said Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon representative.
But lawmakers, many of whom learned about the summit only recently, are bewildered by the stealthy approach.
“It surprises me that they’re attempting to break their silence on these issues by having a secret conference,” said Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif. “What are they trying to hide?”
Said Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y.: “We’ve pledged too many times to fix this problem, only to fail … To put an end to this terrible problem forever, our work must be both thorough and transparent.”
This week’s conference caps months of research by a Pentagon task force and political pressure from Congress to dramatically alter approaches to addressing sexual assaults of military women.
According to a schedule of events, the conference will tackle longtime thorny issues such as confidentiality for victims; how to revise the legal definition of sexual assault; and how to improve social services.
The lineup of participants reflects experts and organizations closely aligned with the military. Final approval on policy decisions is set for another summit the first week of October.
Missing from the process, however, are civilian experts who do not have financial ties to the Defense Department, according to Sanchez and others.
“We just wanted a two-hour slot so some of them could come and talk and present ideas about what to change,” Sanchez said. “My office has become a clearinghouse for people who have been denied access.”
The National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, whose leaders have testified in recent congressional hearings, is among the groups kept at bay.
“Maybe it’s to avoid criticism or getting additional input,” said Kristen Houser, the group’s president. “But considering that one of the largest issues we’ve been talking about is the need for victims to have confidentiality after assaults, it’s incredibly ironic.”
A source on Capitol Hill said Defense Department officials have insisted they want to keep organizations “with an agenda” out of discussions. Among them is The Miles Foundation, an outspoken Connecticut-based victim advocacy group that has helped more than 200 women soldiers who say they were sexually assaulted by fellow soldiers in the Iraq or Afghanistan war zones, the source said.
“Our only agenda is for a comprehensive response to victims of these crimes,” said Christine Hansen, the foundation’s executive director. “Our agenda does not entail seeking funding from the Department of Defense.”
Staff writer Miles Moffeit can be reached at 303-820-1415 or at mmoffeit@denverpost.com .
