Photo By Maj. Malisa Hamper | Brig. Gen. Tammy Smith, the deputy chief of staff of the U.S. Army Reserve, addresses...... read more read more
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ATLANTA – Preventing and responding to sexual harassment and sexual assault remains one of the top five priorities of the U.S. Army Reserve. Over 50 military technicians and service members from different commands across the country attended the first ever working group for sexual assault response coordinators (SARC) and victim advocates (VA) in Atlanta on Tuesday in the Reserve’s effort to support this priority.
The working group was hosted by Lt. Col. Lynn Wood, the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Prevention (SHARP) Program manager for the U.S. Army Reserve Command.
“This is the first time we have all come together to network with each other and ask questions. We can only do so much during teleconferences,” said Wood.
In the past, the chief of the Army Reserve (CAR) held an annual SHARP forum where all of the command teams from each command headquarters came together.
“We decided to do a SARC and VA forum to get to know everyone. These are the subject matter experts; the ones out there doing the job on a day to day basis,” she said. “I wanted their input when it comes to helping us develop the standard operating procedures (SOPs), helping us put together the CAR’s next SHARP Summit, and getting to know what really happens at their level.”
SARCs and VAs have the difficult task of getting re-credentialed every two years with a total of 32 credentialing hours. Individuals have to find seminars or training events on their own, and take online classes to complete their 32 hours of credits.
“Attending this working group will give participants over 22 hours of continuing education credits,” explained Wood.
The working group compiled of 14 classes, which included Bystander Intervention training for Advocates, Ethics in Victim Services, and Line of Duty Investigations for Sexual Assault Victims in the Reserve, and Purchasing Policies for SHARP Program Operations.
Kristen Cox, a Mobile Training Team lead for the Coast Guard, facilitated the class on Bystander Intervention training for Advocates.
She asked, “What does it take to make a particularly efficient and effective training environment?”
“Hands on.”
“Realistic.”
“Group participation.”
The working group focused on discussion led training and participatory questions were encouraged. Attendees were given opportunities to talk with each other after each class.
Charity Albritton, the SARC at the 143rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, remarked on the importance of interacting with her peers saying, “Networking is very important in this line of work. We cannot get enough networking opportunities.”
“Our units are geographically scattered in the Reserves, which presents challenges we need to overcome,” said Albritton. “I’m hoping this working group will start bringing us together and bridging all of our gaps.”
Brig. Gen. Tammy Smith, the deputy chief of staff of the Army Reserve, also recognized the importance of holding this forum.
“What I ask is that you come together and you form these SOPs, and you form these procedures and you help improve our reporting procedures,” said Smith to the group.
The working group will end tomorrow with the collaboration of all attendees organizing the CAR’s upcoming SHARP Summit.
“I am confident that you will be able to achieve the goals we have set in place for you at this forum and that you will walk away with a network of people you can be open with and can share best practices with,” said Smith.
| Date Taken: | 03.17.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.19.2015 12:50 |
| Story ID: | 157501 |
| Location: | ATLANTA, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 254 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, US Army Reserve hosts first Sexual Assault Response Coordinator working group, by MAJ Malisa Hamper, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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