As mentioned below, earlier today Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks announced the Independent Review Commission Actions and Implementation to Address Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in the Military. She made this announcement during a briefing for the Pentagon press corps.
For those who were not able to view Deputy Secretary Hicks' remarks at the press briefing, a video is available now for viewing on the DoD Facebook page at: https://fb.watch/8blvK5B00K/. Also, transcript will be available soon at https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/.
The establishment of the 90-day Independent Review Commission (IRC) on Sexual Assault in the Military, provided the Department a set of comprehensive and actionable recommendations to improve our approach in four lines of effort: accountability, prevention, climate and culture, and victim care and support.
The Deputy Secretary has developed a tiered implementation roadmap in consultation with the uniformed and civilian leadership of the Department. The Secretary of Defense approved the roadmap in its entirety and signed the attached memorandum directing Department leaders to move swiftly and deliberately to implement it.
The Secretary's memorandum and implementation roadmap may also be found on the DoD website here:
https://media.defense.gov/2021/Sep/22/2002859809/-1/-1/0/DOD-ACTIONS-AND-IMP
LEMENTATION-TO-ADDRESS-SEXUAL-ASSAULT-AND-SEXUAL-HARASSMENT-IN-THE-MILITARY.
A DoD press release providing additional details may be found here:
https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/278543/commencing-depa
rtment-of-defense-actions-and-implementationto-address-sexual-a