{"id":45192,"date":"2021-05-14T00:15:59","date_gmt":"2021-05-14T00:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/05\/14\/senate-panel-likely-to-ok-1st-female-army-secretary\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:38:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:38:50","slug":"senate-panel-likely-to-ok-1st-female-army-secretary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2021\/05\/14\/senate-panel-likely-to-ok-1st-female-army-secretary\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate panel likely to OK 1st female Army secretary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The woman poised to be the first female secretary of the Army told Congress Thursday that combating sexual assault and harassment is a top priority, and said greater prevention is needed, including more training to encourage soldiers to step in when they see bad behavior by others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christine Wormuth, who led President Joe Biden\u2019s transition team at the Pentagon, got an overwhelmingly warm reception from members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. They suggested her nomination would be approved by the Senate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If confirmed, she would be one of the more powerful officials in a defense establishment long dominated by men, and she would be the second woman named to a top Pentagon role by Biden. The deputy secretary of defense is Kathleen Hicks<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wormuth addressed a wide array of issues at the hearing, but many of the questions focused on personnel and command climate problems that have plagued the service. The Army\u2019s handling of sexual assaults and other violence <\/a>has come under significant scrutiny in the aftermath of a series of crimes, including murders and suicides last year at Fort Hood, Texas. A review panel found that military leaders at the post were not adequately dealing with high rates of sexual assault and harassment and were utterly neglecting the sexual assault prevention program<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t