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FORT DRUM, N.Y. - Nationally, every month is formally designed for certain groups or interests. Next month is Alcohol and Autism Awareness, Confederate History, Financial Literacy, Jazz Appreciation, Poetry, and Child Abuse Prevention Month.
April also is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Increasing awareness is a primary focus, especially for the Army community during April. The Sexual Harassment / Assault Response and Prevention team at Fort Drum helps raise awareness and empower the community to stop sexual harassment and sexual assault.
“SHARP is important all year, but in April, we have an opportunity to focus our attention on changing the culture,” said 1st Lt. Sara Moodt, SHARP deputy program manager. “We need people to realize they can make a difference.”
Moodt and the rest of the SHARP team have organized several events throughout April to raise awareness and empower the Fort Drum community to step up and make a change.
“We are hoping folks will come out to these events and leave with a sense of pride in this unit and this community, because we really can make a difference,” Moodt said while folding pamphlets to pass out during SAAM.
One of the most powerful ways to reach people is through survivor stories, so Moodt and her team arranged to have three survivors speak during two conferences held during SAAM.
The conferences, April 15-16, will feature presentations from Chimey Pelden, a former Fort Drum spouse and domestic violence survivor; Staff Sgt. Mary Valdez, a Warrior Leader Course instructor at the 10th Mountain Division’s Noncommissioned Officer Academy, who tells her story of sexual assault while stationed in Hawaii; and Spc. Jarett Wright, a Florida Army National Guard Soldier, who was hazed and sexually assaulted during a deployment to Afghanistan.
To kick off SAAM, there will be a four-mile run Wednesday at 7 a.m. that will start and end at Magrath Gym. There is no registration required. Opening remarks will be given at 6:50 a.m. The entire Fort Drum community is invited to participate; however, no pets will be allowed on the run route. Medals will be presented to the top three finishers in the following categories; male, female, children 5-12 and teens 13-17.
Conference seats are limited, but survivor stories will be posted on the Center for the Army Profession and Ethic website, http://cape.army.mil.
In addition to postwide events, each brigade will host its own events throughout SAAM.
For additional information, contact your brigade or battalion SHARP team.
| Date Taken: | 03.26.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 09.01.2015 12:03 |
| Story ID: | 174859 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 62 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fort Drum community will observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month, by MSG Kelly Simon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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