An executive order signed July 28 by President Joe Biden includes military justice reforms designed to standardize and strengthen the services’ response to sexual assault and other serious crimes.

The order implements changes authored by Congress in the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and will modernize procedures, empower independent military prosecutors, and standardize portions of the court-martial system involving sentencing and evidence. A full list of the reforms is available here.

“Every member of the all-volunteer force deserves the opportunity to thrive while serving our nation,” MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), said. “MOAA works toward a safe and supportive environment for all in uniform. Such an environment is critical to ensuring servicemembers can focus on the mission, and to the retention of qualified individuals across all branches.”

Sexual assault and harassment ranked as one of nine factors negatively affecting retention in a March Government Accountability Office report, alongside other key concerns such as quality of life, job dissatisfaction, and dependent care.

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The reforms contained in the executive order will promote “dignity and respect for those who serve by better protecting our servicemembers and making the military safer and more just,” according to a White House statement in advance of the order.

The statement also outlines other work underway by DoD’s Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military (IRC), which include standardization of the military’s response to sexual assault, as well as improvements to its handling of domestic violence and sexual harassment. More information about the IRC’s efforts can be found at this link.