Mr. Chair and members of the Subcommittee:
My name is Rick Dwyer and I am the Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, an organization that supports the vast military and federal presence in our region. I am also a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and served over 20 years on active duty.
Our organization and the communities of Hampton Roads collectively support 18 military installations, all six branches of the military services, 120,000 active duty, reserve and civilian personnel, over 125,000 military dependents, and nearly 220,000 veterans. In 2023, the Department of Defense spent over $68.5 billion in Virginia and directly employed over 247,000 people. Needless to say, supporting the military and our national defense is part of who we are in Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth.
I am here today to express our support for House Bill 1882.
The military takes incidents of violence, abuse, sexual assault, and harassment seriously and is committed to a timely response regarding reports of violence. With military service members, often both civilian and military authorities are involved in addressing domestic violence cases. The impact of interpersonal violence extends beyond the individual victim, as it can also undermine the mission readiness of military units and compromise national security. A military family’s personal well-being is a critical factor when it comes to their ability to effectively serve the country.
This bill ensures civilian authorities treat the issuance of a military protective order (MPO) by a commanding officer as good cause to issue a preliminary protective order. It also ensures coordination between civilian law enforcement and military law enforcement when a civilian law enforcement officer has reason to believe a military member has violated a MPO. This ensures military commanders are made aware if one of their service members has violated an MPO and can take appropriate actions to maintain good order and discipline in their units.
This bill sends a clear signal that Virginia values its strong relationship with the military and is willing to continuously support efforts to make the Commonwealth the most military-friendly state in the country. We humbly request your support of HB1882.
Thank you.
Mr. Chair and members of the Subcommittee: My name is Rick Dwyer and I am the Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, an organization that supports the vast military and federal presence in our region. I am also a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and served over 20 years on active duty. Our organization and the communities of Hampton Roads collectively support 18 military installations, all six branches of the military services, 120,000 active duty, reserve and civilian personnel, over 125,000 military dependents, and nearly 220,000 veterans. In 2023, the Department of Defense spent over $68.5 billion in Virginia and directly employed over 247,000 people. Needless to say, supporting the military and our national defense is part of who we are in Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth. I am here today to express our support for House Bill 1882. The military takes incidents of violence, abuse, sexual assault, and harassment seriously and is committed to a timely response regarding reports of violence. With military service members, often both civilian and military authorities are involved in addressing domestic violence cases. The impact of interpersonal violence extends beyond the individual victim, as it can also undermine the mission readiness of military units and compromise national security. A military family’s personal well-being is a critical factor when it comes to their ability to effectively serve the country. This bill ensures civilian authorities treat the issuance of a military protective order (MPO) by a commanding officer as good cause to issue a preliminary protective order. It also ensures coordination between civilian law enforcement and military law enforcement when a civilian law enforcement officer has reason to believe a military member has violated a MPO. This ensures military commanders are made aware if one of their service members has violated an MPO and can take appropriate actions to maintain good order and discipline in their units. This bill sends a clear signal that Virginia values its strong relationship with the military and is willing to continuously support efforts to make the Commonwealth the most military-friendly state in the country. We humbly request your support of HB1882. Thank you.