Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna has introduced legislation requiring monthly self-defense training for service members to address the rising number of sexual assaults within the military. The Pentagon, however, has voiced its opposition to the bill, arguing that such training could retraumatize victims, inadvertently teach perpetrators counter-tactics, and detract from healthy relationship development. Luna, a Republican, expressed strong disagreement with the Pentagon's stance, emphasizing the urgent need to equip military personnel with the skills to protect themselves.

Rep. Luna highlighted the concerning statistics from a 2021 Pentagon report revealing over 4,000 sexual assaults, a significant increase from the previous year. She criticized the Pentagon's response as prioritizing "wokeness" over practical solutions for protecting service members. The Pentagon's stated concerns about the bill include the potential for re-traumatization and the unintended consequence of providing perpetrators with knowledge of victim tactics.

Luna, backed by Democratic Congressman Jared Moskowitz and several Republican colleagues, introduced the bill (H.R. 1434) in March. The House Armed Services Committee is yet to vote on the legislation. Luna expressed her disappointment with the Pentagon's resistance to the bill, asserting the importance of empowering service members with self-defense skills. She questioned the Pentagon's priorities, suggesting they seemed more focused on avoiding offense than on addressing the serious issue of sexual assault in the military.

A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on the pending legislation. The debate highlights the ongoing tension between addressing the critical issue of sexual assault in the military and concerns about the potential impact of mandatory self-defense training.