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PHOENIX - April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual assault prevention and response is always one of the Arizona Army National Guard’s top priorities, but this is a good time for leaders and soldiers to review their training on sexual assault prevention and response and renew their efforts to stamp it out of the Guard for good.
Everybody’s problem
The Arizona Army National Guard has an extremely low rate of reported sexual assaults. However, leaders at all levels feel that more should be done to prevent sexual harassment and assault within the organization.
“The perception in the media is that there is an epidemic of sexual violence in the military. The reality in the Arizona Army National Guard is that sexual harassment and assault is at or below the civilian population,” Lt. Col. Thomas O’Sullivan, staff judge advocate for the Arizona Army National Guard, said. “However, even one incident is too many. It’s important for leaders at all levels to understand just how serious sexual misconduct is. It totally undermines our ability to do our job.”
Col. Leonard Dyer, Chief of Staff of the Arizona Army National Guard, agrees.
“We can’t achieve our goals as an organization, or be the best we can be, if personnel in our organization are preying on, or taking advantage of, other members of the Arizona Army National Guard,” Dyer said. “We must completely eliminate that from our ranks.”
Staff Sgt. Edgar Campbell is the full-time victim advocate coordinator for the Arizona Army National Guard and he says it is common for survivors to blame themselves, especially if they were involved in some sort of misconduct prior to a sexual assault. If he could say anything to victims it would be that it’s not their fault.
“The one thing I wish victims knew, is it’s not their fault!” Campbell said. “Despite drinking, despite clothing, despite the situation, it’s not your fault! And there’s always help!”
To report or not to report
According to O’Sullivan, soldiers who are victims of sexual crimes have the option to seek counseling, medical and legal assistance through the military whether an incident occurred on or off duty, regardless of whether the perpetrator was a military member or not. Soldiers are used to seeking help from their chain of command, but when a survivor reports a sexual assault it is important that they know the difference between filing restricted and unrestricted reports, O’Sullivan said. Restricted reports allow soldiers to seek care without notifying their chain of command or having the incident investigated. Unrestricted reports allow soldiers to seek the same level of care while notifying the chain of command so an assault can be investigated and perpetrators can be brought to justice and eliminated from the military.
“The only people who can take a restricted report are the chaplain, medical and mental health professionals, victim advocates, and sexual assault response coordinators,” O’Sullivan said. “Technically, even if a victim reports an assault to another service member it should be forwarded up the chain of command and investigated as an unrestricted report.”
Even soldiers who are attacked by someone who is not in the military can seek help through confidential military channels, O’Sullivan said. Restricted reports allow survivors to seek help without notifying commanders, who are duty-bound to investigate and prosecute perpetrators within the organization in order to protect the other members of the organization.
“We can’t have good order and discipline when a perpetrator is out there in our ranks,” Dyer said. “I know there is a whole range of emotion that someone goes through if they are attacked and that they can feel embarrassed about reporting an incident, whether male or female, or they may feel shame. But I would just encourage people to bring the incident to their chain of command when they are ready and we will do everything we can to seek justice for them.”
According to Master Sgt. Charles Danner, sexual assault response coordinator for the 198th Regional Support Group, victims can always have their restricted report converted to an unrestricted report after receiving care.
“There should be no stigma tied to getting help,” Danner said. “Soldiers need to take care of themselves physically, emotionally and mentally in order to perform their best.”
In 2013, the Army developed the Special Victims Counsel program to assign legal assistance to victims of sexual assault.
According to O’Sullivan, the program assigns a lawyer to the victim to represent him or her throughout the course of legal proceedings.
“The intermediary attorney assists the victim to eliminate collateral charges for misconduct, like drinking underage, that might prevent a person from reporting,” O’Sullivan said. “It also helps prevent the defense from attacking the victim’s character.”
According to O’Sullivan, the trend across the services is that more restricted reports are turning to unrestricted reports when a victim has their own attorney to protect them during the course of legal proceedings.
“Victims need to know they will be protected if they report,” O’Sullivan said. “And just because you said ‘yes’ once doesn’t mean you have to say ‘yes’ forever.”
Lifelong consequences
American soldiers rely heavily on each other in order to be successful in battle. When one member of a unit betrays his brothers and sisters in arms by committing a violent sexual act, that person damages the integrity of the whole unit.
“If we just live by the Soldier’s Creed, we won’t have these problems,” Dyer said. “That includes never leaving a fallen comrade, and being members of a team. We can’t be an effective team if we’re having any sort of violent behavior within the organization.”
“In the military we tend to react to sexual assault vigorously, and the consequences are more severe,” said O’Sullivan. “If you are accused, you will be investigated. If there is sufficient evidence against you, you may face lifelong consequences.”
When a member of the Arizona Army National Guard is convicted of sexual assault the government will normally pursue an Other Than Honorable discharge, based on evidence, O’Sullivan said. But soldiers should be aware that life in prison is also possible under military and State of Arizona law depending on the particular circumstances and facts of the case.
“An Other Than Honorable discharge means the perpetrator loses all military benefits, for life,” O’Sullivan said. “That includes VA medical benefits for combat veterans injured in combat. We are talking about consequences they will deal with for the rest of their lives.”
“No one can come to drill on a regular basis and be a part of the team if they don’t feel safe, or can’t trust their command to do the right thing by holding perpetrators accountable,” Dyer said. “We will do everything we can to make sure our team is taken care of and do everything in our power to make sure perpetrators are held accountable for these heinous crimes,” Dyer said.
What can you do?
According to Danner, the best way to completely eliminate sexual assault in our ranks is to educate soldiers.
“If I could tell soldiers anything it would be to learn, ‘I.A.M. STRONG,’” Danner said. “I am strong means I am able to do something about a situation. If you are strong you can recognize sexual harassment and situations that might lead to sexual assault and step in as a battle buddy to prevent a situation from happening.”
Danner says there are numerous resources to help educate soldiers on identifying, responding to, and reporting sexual harassment and assault, whether it is happening to them, or someone they know. The Arizona Army National Guard provides annual Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) training on-line and in person.
“We have to educate our soldiers so they are comfortable seeking help,” Danner said.
Dyer says it’s important that soldiers pay close attention during these training opportunities so that if a situation arises they know immediately what to do.
“Live the Soldier’s Creed,” Dyer said. “Have the fortitude to step forward and do the right thing by intervening when a situation arises.”
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The Arizona Army National Guard is conducting a survey that allows soldiers to report incidents of sexual assault and harassment completely anonymously.
The survey closes April 14 and can be accessed at the following website https://www.deocs.net/user4/login/login.cfm. Soldiers should contact their chain of command to get an access code to the survey.
Resources
In addition to formal training opportunities, there are public and military hotlines and websites dedicated to providing education and response mechanisms that soldiers should know about.
The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) provides tips for reducing risk including: avoiding dangerous situations, safety planning, protecting children from sexual assault, computer safety, tips for men, and getting out of pressuring situations. RAINN also operates a national response hotline and has partnered with the Department of Defense to connect servicemembers to help on any base worldwide.
Arizona National Guard Sexual Assault Response coordinator
602-267-2449
Safe Helpline https://www.safehelpline.org/
1-877-995-5247
RAINN http://www.rainn.org/
1-800-656-HOPE
Fort Huachuca Sexual Assault Hotline
520-732-3736
The Army Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program
http://www.sexualassault.army.mil/
Maricopa County Sexual Assault Hotline
480-736-4949
Arizona Army National Guard victim advocates
Capt. Gary Ahrens - HHD, 158th Brigade Support Battalion
Sgt. 1st Class Kelly Burns - HHC, 1120th Transportation Battalion
Chief Warrant officer 2 Tanya Burton - Recruiting and Retention Command
Master Sgt. Charles Danner - HHD, 198th RSG
Capt. Sherri Gregoire - 2-285th Aviation Assault Battalion
Sgt. 1st Class John Hill - 222nd Transportation Company
Sgt. 1st Class Angelita Manygoats -HHC, 253rd Engineer Battalion
Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Milburn - HHC, 158th Maneuver Enhancement Bde.
Sgt. 1st Class Edele Myers - Regional Training Institute
Staff Sgt. Jason O'Danie l- 91st Civil Support Team
Staff Sgt. Andrea Sam - Joint Forces Headquarters
Staff Sgt. Ray Valles - 2-285th Aviation Assault Battalion
Staff Sgt. Nyamtaivan Tamir - HHD, 98th Aviation Troop Command
Staff Sgt. Edgar Campbell - HHD, 98th Aviation Troop Command
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 04.08.2014 19:17 |
| Story ID: | 124999 |
| Location: | PHOENIX, FLAGSTAFF, TUCSON, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 538 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Arizona Army National Guard steps up to stop sexual assault, by MAJ Amanda Hammond, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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