Washington ( CNN ) -- Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered two reviews of whether the military justice system is properly dispensing punishments and suitably protecting sexual assault victims , the Pentagon said Tuesday . The reviews were prompted by outrage from members of Congress over a case involving an Air Force officer found guilty last year in military court of sexual assault who was later cleared of the charges by his top commander . The judge presiding over the court-martial at Ramstein Air Base in Germany of Lt. Col. James Wilkerson sentenced him to a year in prison and kicked him out of the service . Air Force Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin , Wilkerson 's top commander in Europe , was the convening authority for the court-martial and reviewed the final case and sentence . Franklin overturned the decision , throwing out the charges and clearing Wilkerson 's military record . He was reinstated in the Air Force earlier this year . Hagel said Franklin reviewed the case over a three-week period and used his authority under Article 60 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice . `` He concluded that the entire body of evidence was insufficient to meet the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt , '' Hagel said in a letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer , a California Democrat who has been an outspoken critic of Franklin 's decision . `` I believe this case does raise a significant question whether it is necessary or appropriate to place the convening authority in the position of having the responsibility to review the findings and sentence of a court-martial , '' Hagel added . Pentagon officials told CNN last week that is rare for charges to be dismissed in this manner . U.S. law says the commander 's decision is final and can not be overturned by the service secretary or the secretary of defense , Hagel told Boxer . But Hagel said that he would review the legal authorization and ordered Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Pentagon Acting General Counsel Robert Taylor to review the case . Hagel asked that the review `` assess whether all aspects of the ( code of military justice ) were correctly applied and to make recommendations on how the convening authority 's decision in this case could be more transparent , '' Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters at a briefing . Little said the report to Hagel is due March 20 . In a second and broader review , Hagel ordered Taylor to examine military law covering the actions of the convening authority and to see whether changes should be made . That assessment is due a week later . `` Eliminating sexual assault in the military is one of his top priorities , '' Little said about Hagel 's commitment to members of Congress and military leaders . `` Sexual assault is a serious crime that has no place in the department and he will not tolerate it , '' Little added . `` Any member of the military that is convicted of sexual assault -- no matter his rank or position -- must be held appropriately accountable . '' Separately , a bipartisan proposal in the U.S House would strip military commanders of the unilateral power to overturn convictions or lessen sentences handed down by judges and juries at courts-martial . `` It is time to right an egregious wrong in our military justice system . The fact that one person can overturn a punishment determined by a judge or jury flies in the face of justice . We need a military justice system for the 21st century . The one we have now is primitive and is reminiscent of a time when punishments were decided by an autocrat , not by a judge or jury , '' said Rep. Jackie Speier , a California Democrat . Amanpour : Risking sexual assault to serve your country . Security Clearance : Sex assault at military academies underreported , survey finds .
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel seeks review of military justice in two areas . Hagel wants to know if punishments properly dispensed and if victims protected . Investigation prompted by congressional outrage over Air Force sex abuse case . Captain found guilty at court - martial , but case overturned by senior officers .