The military does not have trial-level standing courts, but the actual trial proceeding progresses independently and autonomously once a commander does convene a court-martial.
Sexual assault is a crime that does not pertain to military service, and thus should not be left in the hands of commanders, writes the author of this commentary.
America invaded Iraq in 2003, and at the peak point had more than 170,000 troops battling insurgents in the country and later working to train and advise Iraqi forces.
By Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press and Robert Burns, The Associated Press