The United States military has been one of the most powerful and respected fighting forces in the world; it is also a hotbed of sexual assault. Every year, thousands of men and women take an oath to serve and protect their country and every one of thousands of service members are sexually assaulted. “Earlier this week, Pentagon officials released a new report estimating that more than 70 sexual assaults occur every day in the military. » (Shane III) Fear of retaliation, both personal and professional, and humiliation prevent many service members from reporting sexual assault. . The few people who make the bold choice to report incidents of sexual assault often find themselves disappointed by the outcome; Assaults that are reported have an incredibly low conviction rate of the offender. The US military has proven over time that it is incapable of effectively dealing with the sexual assault problem it faces. "The total number of sexual assault reports is up 11 percent from the previous year and 70 percent from 2012, but officials said the increase in reports is a sign of a better confidence in the system. » (Hlad) The US military has created an environment that allows those who commit sexual assault to move freely without any real fear of legal consequences; this can only be stopped if a civilian court is allowed to hear and handle all US military sexual assault cases. The U.S. military has a long and blasé history when it comes to sexual assault. The number of women sexually assaulted in the US military is 5% higher than that of women in the civilian population; it is estimated that there are approximately 20,000 sexual assaults against female service members each year. This is not, however, a strictly female problem; it is estimated that nearly half of these predators will be returned to the civilian population and with no criminal record for sexual assault, they will pose a risk to many Americans. Every year, thousands of people raise their right hands and take an oath to serve and protect this country; they promise to lay down their lives if that is what they are called to do. Every year, thousands of these same people see their fundamental rights violated and those responsible fail to take the necessary measures to ensure justice is done. The US military and its chain of command have had years to fix their broken system and have failed to do so. It is time for the U.S. military to hand over the reins and grant civilian courts the right to address and punish cases of sexual assault that occur in the military. This is the only way to ensure that those who serve our country can get the justice they deserve..