We must insist that as Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel would meet with military rape survivors, describe a zero tolerance plan and show the world how the Obama administration will combat -- and win -- the invisible war against military rape.

The mission of our military is to protect the American way of life and our freedoms, yet this very mission is compromised by leadership that allows, perpetrates and condones sexual assault on the very members of our armed services.

There is a crisis in our military and, while Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has done more than his predecessors in acknowledging the crisis, he is fundamentally failing to fix the problem. So today our veterans are going to our nation's capital to demand change.

America's troops deserve better than spin and half-hearted actions that fail to address core problems. They deserve real action. That means no longer hiding behind manipulated statistics and fundamentally reforming the way the military handles sexual assault and rape.

A recent survey shows 90% of military families believe that civilian communities do not understand their needs nor support the values and dignity that come with a military career. Short of returning to a draft, what is to be done?

Instead of "Mission Accomplished," President Obama should do what was not done when the war began -- call upon all Americans to join in "Shared Sacrifice."

Hopefully, in between the barbecues and the parades, our citizens will reflect on both the physical and emotional challenges that our service women have -- and continue -- to face.