By Stacy Bannerman, World BEYOND War, May 14, 2025
Yellow Ribbon Casualty Campaign Calls on Congress to hold the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs accountable for the cover-up of service-related domestic violence.
HILLSVILLE, VA – The first national campaign to hold the Pentagon and the VA accountable for their lack of transparency and breach of legal responsibilities that has left thousands of military spouses, children, caregivers, parents, partners, and veterans dead, injured, suffering emotional distress, damages, and real property losses is coming to Capitol Hill May 20, 2025. The Yellow Ribbon Casualty Campaign (YRCC) is fighting for justice for military/veteran families who have suffered domestic violence stemming from combat-related trauma. The initial Claims for Damage, Injury, or Death (Government Form SF95-07a) will be filed with federal agencies and delivered to Congress for the purpose of initiating a class action lawsuit. The Department of Defense (DoD) and the VA have long known about the significantly increased risk of domestic violence among combat-exposed troops and veterans, yet they have failed to properly inform servicemembers and their families and violated Mandatory Reporting laws and policies. According to OSHA regulations, Duty to Inform includes:
- Ensuring the health, safety and welfare of employees and others who may be affected by the work.
- Being liable for the actions of their staff and managers.
“We knew they’d be different. We didn’t know they’d be dangerous,” said Kate Hudgens, a former civilian military contractor and a survivor of military domestic violence. “Despite the government’s established knowledge of the link between combat-specific PTSD and increased risk of domestic violence, we were never warned or provided with preventative support.” Civilian courts and courts martial have also failed to protect victims of military domestic violence. Hudgens filed an unrestricted report of her husband’s ongoing abuse with Fort Campbell personnel. Megan Santiago also filed an unrestricted report of domestic violence before she was murdered by her Army husband stationed at Fort Campbell. Santiago found guilty of murdering pregnant wife, injury to unborn child, in Fort Campbell trial – ClarksvilleNow.com
“The military has a domestic violence problem like the Church has a sexual abuse problem. But the Pentagon and VA have acted like they’re above the law. Congress and the courts have turned a blind eye. So the victims and survivors are speaking out,” said Campaign Creator, Stacy Bannerman, author of HOMEFRONT 911 | Kirkus Reviews who will be joined on the Hill by other post-9/11 Military Families & Families of Veterans fighting for justice.
This is more than a lawsuit – it’s a movement to protect the families and loved ones of servicemembers and veterans. The VA and the DoD provide suicide prevention protocols and intervention safety trainings. They have failed to exercise a commensurate level of reasonable care to prevent and address domestic violence, although it’s far more prevalent. Decades of studies, plans, and policies have failed to address it, much less reduce it. This is a widespread, lethal problem and a public health issue, according to a 2023 RAND National Defense Research Institute Report. The public needs to know. Their tax dollars financed the epidemic.
To learn more about the campaign launch, visit Yellow Ribbon Casualty Campaign – World BEYOND War.
