 Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert discussed the severe impact of sexual assault on the fleet at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing June 4th. He said that service members deserve a safe environment in which to serve our nation and that sexual assault is incompatible with the Navy's core values. Admiral Greenert also talked about the important role that leadership plays in stopping sexual assaults. It is clear that preventing and responding to sexual assault is not just a legal issue. It is assuredly a leadership issue and fundamentally embedded in what we call the charge of command. The commanding officer is responsible and accountable for everything that happens in his or her ship, squadron or unit and we expect our commanders to create a safe environment founded on dignity and respect, one that reinforces our core values of honor, courage and commitment. Admiral Greenert said we need to dig into the root causes of sexual assault in the military and make sustained improvements. He told the committee how the Navy plans to tackle this issue. We remain committed to preventing these crimes, to weeding out perpetrators and to providing compassionate and coordinated support for sexual assault victims. To holding commanders accountable and to ensuring that sexual assault cases are processed through a fair, effective and efficient military justice system. Sexual assault prevention and response falls under the readiness area of the 21st Century Sailor and Marine Initiative. The 21st Century Sailor and Marine Initiative is a set of objectives and policies that maximizes each Sailor and Marine's personal readiness to hone the most combat effective force in the history of the Department of the Navy. From the Defense Media Activity, I'm Petty Officer Brandy Wills.