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U.S. NEWS Friday 28 april 2023
Military sex assault reports rise, even as Army numbers fall

By LOLITA C. BALDOR While the military has made
Associated Press inroads in making it easier
WASHINGTON (AP) — The and safer for service mem-
number of reported sexual bers to come forward, it
assaults across the military has had far less success re-
inched up by about 1% last ducing the assaults, which
year, as a sharp decline in have increased nearly ev-
Army numbers offset large ery year since 2006. And
increases in the other three Army leaders, as an exam-
services, according to a ple, have acknowledged
Pentagon report released that issues such as sexual
Thursday. assaults, suicides and other
The small overall uptick is problems have an impact
significantly less than the on recruiting. All of the ser-
13% jump the Defense De- vices have been struggling
partment saw in 2021, but to meet recruiting goals.
it’s overshadowed by the Asked about the latest re-
fact the Air Force, the Navy port, Heather Hagan, an
and the Marine Corps all Army spokeswoman, said
had more reports last year Thursday that “while en-
than the previous year. couraging, we know the
Because the Army is much Army has much more work
larger than the other three to do to prevent sexual
services, its 9% drop in re- The Pentagon is seen in this aerial view made through an airplane window in Washington, Jan. 26, assault and sexual harass-
ported sexual assaults last 2020. Associated Press ment.”
year drove the overall mili- Army officials were alarmed
tary increase down. That tary services have come reporting system, greater assault. as they saw the growing
large decrease comes a under increasing criticism comfort with the support “This is the first time in the 15 numbers last year and be-
year after Army leaders and pressure from mem- for victims, and a growing years that I’ve been work- gan trying to implement
saw a nearly 26% jump in bers of Congress to reduce number of offenders who ing this issue for the De- new programs, and by late
reports involving soldiers — sexual assaults and harass- are being held account- partment of Defense that I fall they said that some
the largest increase for that ment in the military. The ser- able. have a fully funded and ful- changes were starting to
service since 2013. vices have long struggled Nate Galbreath, acting di- ly staffed way forward,” he work.
The Air Force saw the larg- to come up with programs rector of the Pentagon’s told The Associated Press. “I They said one change in-
est increase in reported to prevent sexual assaults sexual assault prevention think this is the thing that’s volved a training program
assaults during the fiscal and to encourage report- and response office, said going to allow us to really that soldiers get when they
year that ended Sept. 30, ing, including a number of the department is using address this. Everybody report to their first duty sta-
at 13%, while the Navy had new initiatives over the past a budget infusion of $479 needs to hold us account- tion. It is rolled out right
a 9% jump and the Marine year. million this year to hire as able. They need to watch away, and it has soldiers
Corps went up by about Defense officials have long many as 2,400 personnel for this space, and we will acting out dangerous situa-
4%. argued that an increase a new “prevention work- make good on our promise tions and emphasizes train-
Overall, there were more in reported assaults is a force.” He said about 350 to address this.” ing on how to respond.
than 8,942 reports of sexual positive trend because so have already been hired It’s unclear whether the lat- The Army officials also
assaults involving service many people are reluctant and as the number grows est increase in reports rep- said they were beefing
members during the 2022 to report them, both in the they will be placed in mili- resents a growing problem up evaluation programs
fiscal year, a slight increase military and in society as tary installations around the or whether those who say that grade unit leaders, in-
over the 8,866 the year be- a whole. Greater report- world to help command- they were assaulted were cluding randomly picking
fore. ing, they say, shows there ers address some of the risk just more willing to come peers and others to do the
The Pentagon and the mili- is more confidence in the factors that lead to sexual forward. assessments.q

Feds wrote $128M in duplicate checks

to docs, report finds

By AMANDA SEITZ provided to veterans from Roughly 1.9 million veterans
Associated Press 2017 to 2021, the Health every year now receive
WASHINGTON (AP) — The and Human Services Office health care, paid for by
federal government wrote of Inspector General found the federal government,
duplicate checks to doc- in its report. from private doctors when
tors who provided care for There’s been a spike in a VA medical facility is too
veterans, costing taxpayers those duplicate payments far away or has long wait
as much as $128 million in since 2020, when the pro- times. The number of vet-
extra payments, according gram that allows veterans erans seeking care from
to a new watchdog report to seek care from private private doctors has more
out this week. doctors was expanded. than doubled since 2020.
In nearly 300,000 cases, “These duplicate payments The HHS OIG’s audit ex- This June 21, 2013, file photo, shows the seal affixed to the front of
the Department of Veterans Affairs building in Washington.
private doctors were paid occurred because CMS amined $19.2 billion Medi- Associated Press
twice — once by the Vet- did not implement controls care payments for 36 mil-
erans Health Administration to address duplicate pay- lion claims for individuals services. The investigation 300,000 claims that had al-
and another time by Medi- ments for services,” the HHS who enrolled in Medicare found that Medicare paid ready been covered by the
care — for the same care OIG said in its report. and were eligible for VA out $128 million in nearly VA from 2017 to 2021. q