SAN ANTONIO — Army Specialist Vanessa Guillén was murdered in 2020. The tragedy of her death and her family's fight for justice continue to create change and bring awareness to sexual harassment in the military. Saturday, Texas representative Josey Garcia met with veterans at VFW Post 7108 to celebrate the first "Vanessa Guillén Day."
Guillén disappeared from Fort Hood, now Fort Cavazos, on April 22, 2020. After immense pressure from her family, a search effort discovered her remains on June, 30th of the same year. Investigators later learned that fellow solider Spc. Aaron Robinson killed Guillén with a hammer and stuffed her body into a large case while on post. Robinson's girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, confessed to investigators she knew about the murder and helped Robinson dismember the body. Robinson fled the Army post and later shot himself after search teams found what was left of the body.
Aguilar claims Robinson murdered Guillén because Guillén found out Aguilar and Robinson were dating. Aguilar was married to someone else at the time.
Regardless, another investigation discovered that Guillén had reported sexual harassment to a superior on Fort Hood and the claim was not passed up the chain of command. Since then, Guillen's death has highlighted the prevalence of sexual harassment in the military and led to the "I Am Vanessa Guillén Act" becoming law in 2021.
In 2023, Texas passed HB 2248 to designate September 30 as "Vanessa Guillén Day." The day is also Guillén's birthday. Bill author Josey Garcia, who represents Texas district 124, led a ceremony for Vanessa Guillén Day Saturday morning.
While the event was a celebration of Guillén's life, speakers continued speaking out against sexual harassment in the military.
"It is our duty, as veterans of the armed forces, to make sure that we stand up and protect our brothers and sisters in arms at all times," Garcia said. "This signifies the end of our silence and the beginning of raising our voices to ensure these traumas don't continue to happen or go unrecognized."
VFW National and State Legislative Chair Mitch Fuller said the problem of sexual harassment in the military is nothing new.
"I'm an Iraq war veteran and got out of the Army in 2012. I saw it. We've all seen it. We've all seen it ignored. It's a culture where the commander had too much power and finally, though we have a lot of work to do, we are moving forward," Fuller said. "No serviceman, man or woman, should feel like they are not safe while they are wearing the uniform of our country."
VFW Post Commander Stephen Starbuck said the VFW definitely has a role to play as more people speak out about their experience with sexual trauma or harassment.
"We need to make people more comfortable speaking it. So victims, people who are traumatized by these events, feel OK going and talking to someone about it," Starbuck said. "All I can say is that at the VFW, we are always here. It doesn't matter what post you go to, you can ask for help."
Representative Garcia told KENS 5 Vanessa Guillén Day would continue to be a call to action to help prevent soldiers from ending up afraid to report sexual harassment and trauma. Still, she said the fight is far from over.
"We have had significant improvements in response and reporting. We are still working really close to figure out where we can improve even more," Garcia said. "There is still a culture that needs to be addressed and sometimes it takes more than law to address that culture."
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