Military Hazing
April 26, 2016
Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) introduced a bill to require the Pentagon to track and make annual reports on the problem on hazing in the military. The Harry Lew Military Hazing Accountability and Prevention Act is named in honor of Rep. Chu’s nephew, a marine who died after being hazed by his platoon while deployed in Afghanistan in 2011. It is cosponsored by Reps. Jackie Speier (CA-14), Debbie Dingell (MI-12) and Ted Lieu (CA-33). This bill would require the Pentagon to create a database of hazing incidents in the military and to submit an annual report on what is being done to stop hazing through training and response.
Issues:Military Hazing
April 25, 2016
"Hazing has no place in our military, and it has a negative impact on military retention and the longterm health of military service members and veterans," Chu said. "It certainly doesn't create a bond within a unit. But, what is most alarming is that, for the most part, there has been no justice for the victims. I do think that if there is accountability and if there are those in supervisory positions who actually stop the hazing, then we could see a day when we eliminate hazing in the military."
Issues:Military Hazing
March 2, 2016
"Next month will recognize the fifth anniversary of the death of my nephew, Harry Lew, Chu testified yesterday before the House Armed Services Committee. "In the middle of the night, his fellow Marines took it upon themselves to administer so-called "corrective training" for almost four hours. They tormented, abused and degraded him. They forced him to perform useless, unnecessary exercises while he was clad in his full body armor, carrying a 25-pound sandbag. After they kicked, punched, and stomped on his back, they nearly smothered him with the contents of the sandbag.
Issues:Military Hazing
March 1, 2016
Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) testified before the House Armed Services Committee about the need to address military hazing in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Rep. Chu secured language in the Fiscal Year 2015 NDAA to direct the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to provide an objective analysis about the current status of hazing in the military. The report, released on February 9, 2016, found a lack of oversight of existing hazing policies put in place by military branches and an uncertainty of to what extent existing policies have been implemented. Rep. Chu testified that annual reporting, better training, stricter guidance, and department-wide evaluations are necessary to put an end to the problem of hazing in the military.
Issues:Military Hazing
March 1, 2016
A congresswoman whose nephew committed suicide while serving as a Marine in Afghanistan is pressing Congress to take action after a government watchdog report found the Pentagon isn't doing enough to prevent hazing. "I've made it my mission to end hazing in our armed services because it is unacceptable and indefensible," Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) said Tuesday.
Issues:Military Hazing
February 12, 2016
"We learned that despite having anti-hazing policies in place, these policies are unevenly implemented and done with little oversight," Chu said. "In addition, the standards among branches can differ radically, with some not even having a system for collecting data on hazing. We cannot claim that any existing prevention and enforcement policies are adequate without understanding the full scope of the problem."
Issues:Military Hazing
February 10, 2016
Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, February 9, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released their investigative report on hazing in the military. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) worked to pass an amendment through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2015, which directed the GAO to provide an objective analysis about the current status of hazing in the military.
Issues:Military Hazing
May 4, 2015
In March, the Army Times reported allegations of a practice in which soldiers in a given battalion were given a “free pass” to use racial slurs. In response, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Rep. G. K. Butterfield (NC-01), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Rep. Linda Sánchez (CA-38) sent a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter calling on the Department of Defense to end long-standing and continued instances of racial hazing within the military.
Issues:Military Hazing
May 4, 2015
The members of Congress who wrote the letter to Carter include Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., whose nephew Lance Cpl. Harry Lew killed himself in Afghanistan in April 2011 after hours of alleged abuse by his fellow Marines, who were angry with him for falling asleep multiple times while he was on watch.
Issues:Military Hazing
March 24, 2015
Last week, the Army Times reported allegations of a practice in which soldiers were given a “free pass” to use racial slurs in a battalion that belongs to the 25th Infantry Division’s 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Issues:Military Hazing