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Retired Air Force Leader and Survivor of Sexual Assault Backs Shaheen Amendment for Equality for Servicewomen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 31, 2012 Contact: standwithservicewomen@gmail.com

WASHINGTON – Stand with Servicewomen released a video today featuring a retired Air Force leader recounting her experiences with sexual assault in the military and urging the passage of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would reverse an unfair abortion ban affecting U.S. servicewomen.

Early in her career, Chief Master Sergeant Cindy McNally, USAF (Ret.), was sexually assaulted twice. The first time, two of her tech school instructors tried to assault her, and when she reported the incident to her commander, she was told to stand outside his office with both of her assaulters while he considered what to do. The experience was so unnerving that when she was assaulted a year later, she did not report it.

In Stand with Servicewomen's video, CMSgt McNally voices her support for the Shaheen Amendment, which was adopted last week by the Senate Armed Services Committee and would repeal a ban on insurance coverage of abortion care for military women and dependents in cases of rape and incest. The amendment will bring the military's health insurance policy in line with the policy that governs other federal programs, such as Medicaid and the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program.

"The Shaheen Amendment is a step to correct a problem that is an affront to all of us…" CMSgt McNally says in the video. "It is not a Republican issue. It is not a Democratic issue. It's an issue that affects the United States military and the women who serve in it."

The United States provides health care and insurance for members of the armed forces and their families through the Department of Defense's Military Health System. The department currently denies coverage for abortion care except when a pregnant woman's life is endangered. Unlike the other federal bans on abortion coverage, the military ban provides no exception for cases of rape and incest.

"Troops are troops," said CMSgt McNally. "You need to be able to look them in the eye and say 'I will take care of you.'"

A blog featuring CMSgt McNally's story and video can be found at www.standwithservicewomen.org.