Sreya Kanugula
Fort Bliss officials court-martialled a soldier of private first-class rank, who’s been accused of sexually assaulting a soldier of the same rank. The soldier, Asia Graham, who reported the assault was discovered dead on the eve of New Year’s.
On December 31, 2020, the 19-year-old Pfc. Asia Graham was discovered in her garrison unresponsive, is the official issued statement released to the press by Fort Bliss on January 2, 2021. No foul play is suspected to be a part of her death by any special agents working for the Criminal Investigation Command under the branch of the U.S. Army, was also mentioned.
At Fort Bliss, an allegation of sexual assault was made by Graham against a comrade soldier on June 1, 2020. She reported that the assault took place around the time of December in 2019 and charges were approved on the accused along with the specified sexual assault charge in relation to soldier Graham. This was done so on the 22nd of October in 2020. All of this was part of the released statement given by Lt. Colonel Allie Payne, a soldier of 1st Armored Division as well as the Public Affairs Officer of Fort Bliss.
On January 8, 2021, Major General Sean C. Bernabe, the commander of the 1st Armored Division made a personal order of charges referred against the accused. This was done so to a general court-martial as mentioned in the statement made by Payne.
The statement also noted that a military judge is going to be given the case details to arrange the accused soldier’s arraignment and to docket the date for his trial. Additional information will be made available at arraignment.
Payne’s release mentioned that, before joining the U.S. Army in July of 2019, private first-class Graham worked as an HR Specialist. She’s from Cherryville located in North Carolina and her first station of duty was at Fort Bliss. After she made her report in June 2020, an investigation was launched by the base command. Military order of protection was placed to make sure the accused offender and Graham didn’t live or work in the same range.
The Army Service ribbon, along with the medals for National Defense Service and the Global War on Terrorism Service, is part of the awards that Graham was decorated with during her time of service.