Rep. Jim Banks and Rep. Larry Bucshon sent a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, Chief of the National Guard Bureau General Daniel R. Hokanson, and Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs Denis R. McDonough out of concern regarding the personnel military records of Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer-Ruth Green, USAF, that were leaked to Politico.

 “Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer-Ruth Green risked her life overseas to defend our country. To see her military record illegally leaked for political gain is disturbing and sends a chilling message to every man and woman in uniform that the same thing could happen to them. This must be investigated, and anyone found of wrongdoing must be held accountable,” said Rep. Jim Banks.

“Existing federal law allows for public access to certain basic information about a veteran’s military service, such as dates of service, final rank, or assignments/geographic location, without their permission.  It is shameful that someone in the Executive Branch illegally obtained Jennifer-Ruth Green’s service records and made public details about her service that should have never been made public without her permission.  It doesn’t matter that Jennifer-Ruth Green is a political candidate, her service to our nation in uniform entitles her to the same protection of her service records that any other veteran should expect under the law.   This is a serious breach of federal law and a veteran’s privacy, and I expect the Biden Administration to swiftly and thoroughly investigate this situation and hold the person(s) who illegally obtained Jennifer-Ruth Green’s records accountable,” said Rep. Larry Bucshon.

“Lt Col Green’s official personnel records, including an account of a sexual assault, were leaked as an apparent attack against her congressional campaign. It is illegal for personnel records to be leaked, and we are concerned that the military has allowed a personal attack on a service member for political aims,” the letter reads.

Background: On October 7th, Adam Wren, a correspondent for Politico, published a profile piece on Jennifer-Ruth Green that included information obtained from Green’s military records that she was a victim of a sexual assault while serving in Iraq.

According to the National Archives website, the public can only access certain information from official military personnel files — including a veteran’s name, branch of service, dates of service, final rank, military education level, eligibility for awards and decorations, and court-martial transcripts — without violating living individuals’ privacy. The release of other information must be authorized by the veteran or their next of kin if they are dead.

Green is running against incumbent Democrat Frank Mrvan in the 1st Congressional District. ​