sleep good morning ladies and gentlemen welcome to the house committee on veterans affairs subcommittee on disability assistance in memorial affairs know a joint session with the health subcommittee for a joint hearing on healing the wounds evaluating military sexual trauma issues would you all please rise and join me in the pledge of allegiance experiences with the purpose of this hearing today is to evaluate ways in which the veterans benefits administration veterans health administration and the department of defense can better effect veterans who are impacted by military sexual trauma or to identify and better prevent treat and properly compensate them and she refers to sexual harassment and sexual assault that occurs in military settings often in a setting where the victim lives and works which means of the victims must continue to live and work closely with the perpetrators can also disrupt the career goals of many victims as perpetrators are frequently peers or supervisors responsible for the decisions on work related evaluations and promotions this means that they must use between continuing their careers at the expense of frequent contact with their perpetrators were ending their careers in order to protect themselves many victims share that when they do report an incident they are not believed or they are encouraged to keep silent because of the need to preserve organizational cohesion the national center for p t s d of the department of veterans affairs reports that in  the national center for p t s d also reports at the rate of among the veteran population who use the v a health care system appears to be higher than that of the general military population one study found that twenty three percent mr chairman and welcome our witnesses to this important hearing to discuss matters concerning military sexual trauma occurrences of sexual assault within the ranks of our military are totally and completely unacceptable it distresses me to must thoroughly investigate and prosecute who unfortunately from the plight of those who really are victims of sexual assault while it is important that we deliberate on the very serious topic of military president for women's health research and helen benedict professor of journalism at columbia university and author of the lonely soldier the private war of women serving in iraq among victims in the civilian world reactions help explain why victims are so reluctant to report their or even to their own friends and family while the civilian reporting rate is going up still about six out of every ten victims do seriously are recognized and rewarded and that recalcitrant commanders are identified and reformed by training when possible by the threat of poor performance rating in this process we need to ensure that commanders  side of the house and more related to health care providers and treatment issues is my understanding that and staff are also have spoken about the issue but we are not aware that an official policy process or m r u is currently in and we also have questions with respect to where the forensic sexual assault examination form and subsequent mental health treatment records related to a restricted m s g report are by each military branch and for how long we provide the subcommittees with any information it has in reference materials for claims developers and raiders that reflect lab ration fabro and guidance on how to obtain supporting m s t documentation from each military service branch including any all survivor being rated service connected disability attributed to trauma represents validation that the event occurred expresses gratitude for their service to their country and recognized the tribulation the central central purposes in obtaining fair and equitable compensation for their service related disability in this particular area however many of our national service offices are where they are deeply frustrated appreciate the subcommittee's interest in this area and efforts to identify ways to improve access to benefits and health services related to military sexual trauma and we thank you for the opportunity  the education director for sexual assault prevention response the office of the undersecretary for personnel and readiness u s department of defense accompanied by clarence johnson undersecretary for audience as well for those who decide to come here today thank you sir this is a very serious issue and i know the chairman and i will be taking it very seriously and be looking forward to your input as we move forward  record from denise williams the assistant director of the veterans affairs and rehabilitation commission of the american legion and state and by dr beth causey act of the american you're a logical association  r the record of this hearing as well as all members having five days to revise and extend their remarks and we will submit questions for you and look forward to receiving your answers in writing