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Rep. Chu calls for hearings on military hazing
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) has seen the devastating impact of military hazing in her family, and now she’s calling for major changes in the way the military addresses it.
Chu, whose nephew Lance Cpl. Harry Lew committed suicide in Afghanistan last year after he was attacked by fellow Marines, called for a congressional hearing on military hazing Thursday, after one of Marines charged in her nephew’s case was not discharged from the military.
Lance Cpl. Jacob Jacoby, one of three Marines charged in the case, was sentenced Monday to a 30-days in jail and a reduction in rank.
“It was a slap in the face to the life of Harry Lew,” Chu said. “These numerous and violent hazing incidents and the lack justice in Harry’s case show that hazing is not taken seriously by the military.”
Chu had Lew’s sister Carmen Lew read a statement by phone.
Honda, who represents Lew’s family in Congress, said that Lew’s case and other recent high profile hazing incidents show the military’s system for combating the issue “does not work.”
Chu brought up the issue of hazing at a hearing last September on military suicides, which she sat in on, asking military officials in the services about their policy toward it. All said they condemned it and that hazing goes against the military’s core values.
Chu and the other House members sent a letter last week to the House Armed Services and Oversight and Government Reform Committees asking for hearings.
