Vanessa Guillen
U.S. Army, 2018-2020

Vanessa Guillen
U.S. Army, 2018-2020

Vanessa Guillen, from Houston, Texas, enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 2018 at the age of 18. She trained in small arms and artillery repair and was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas. Prior to her April 22, 2020, disappearance, Guillen told friends and family she was experiencing sexual harassment but had yet to report it due to concern over possible backlash.  A witness said Guillen left an arms room to confirm serial numbers with Specialist Aaron Robinson before disappearing. Thousands of soldiers searched Fort Hood and the surrounding area for Guillen, finding her remains several months later.  The U.S. Army announced Guillen died in the line of duty, allowing her family military benefits. In the wake of Specialist Guillen’s murder, a bipartisan bill called the “I Am Vanessa Guillen Act” was introduced in September 2020, which would have made sexual harassment a crime within the Uniform Code of Military Justice and move prosecution decisions of sexual assault and harassment cases out of the military chain of command.