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U.S. Army Human Resources Command Soldiers and civilians joined others across the Army in April to raise awareness of sexual assault and harassment among the ranks.
Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month began at HRC March 29 with a combine and a proclamation signing by Maj. Gen. Thomas Drew and Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony McAdoo, the HRC command team.
Drew addressed the combine participants and those gathered for the proclamation signing ceremony and pointed their attention to the 2023 SAAPM theme – “Intervene. We Are a Team: There is US in TrUSt. Can They Trust in You?”
“Can I trust you?” he asked. “Think about those words and how you execute your day-to-day missions in the Army.”
Drew said it is the duty of everyone to uphold dignity and respect and challenged those assembled to intervene if they encounter transgressions that are counter to Army Values.
“Don’t be a bystander,” he said. “The standard is dignity and respect and there is not a place for sexual assault and harassment in our Army.”
During April, Soldiers and civilians wore teal each Tuesday to express their solidarity, they bowled together to raise awareness, went on an early morning run while some walked, joined in a trauma informed symposium to discuss to care for victims and self-care methods, some took part in a motorcycle ride and others wore denim to express their support, and lastly they took part in Darkness to Light, a candle lighting ceremony, all in an effort to recognize the negative impact sexual assault and harassment has on the Army.
You never know who may have been a victim or survivor of sexual assault or sexual harassment, or have a loved one who has, said Charles Lay, SHARP program manager. SAAPM events help not only to increase awareness but encourage people to get involved in prevention or intervene if they encounter inappropriate behaviors of a sexual nature.
These events also send a strong message to victims and survivors that there are people who believe and support them and will intervene on their behalf, Lay said. It also makes perpetrators or potential perpetrators aware that their behaviors will not be tolerated by HRC employees, others here at Fort Knox and across the Army.
“Sexual assault is a scourge that affects all of us regardless of gender, race, orientation or affiliation” said James Fry, HRC victim advocate, at the start of the proclamation signing ceremony. “In fiscal year 2021 there were 3,289 reports of sexual assault in the Army. We must continue our efforts and stand together to prevent sexual assault so that all team members are able to reach their full potential in a supportive and productive environment with dignity and respect.”
HRC SAAPM Combine
The HRC SAAPM Combine served as the kickoff event for the month and was fashioned after the NFL Combine. It was the first of its kind to bring a large group of Soldiers and civilians together in the HRC Quad since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Sgt. Chynna R. Basham, HRC Secretariate of the General Staff, or SGS, noncommissioned officer and organizer of the event.
“The overall goal of the HRC SAAPM Combine was to raise awareness for the Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program by fostering a climate to eliminate sexual assault and harassment and build esprit de corps through a challenging physical training competition,” Basham said.
Forty-two participants made up six teams from each HRC directorate took on the combine that featured a combination of challenging exercises including selections from the Army Combat Fitness Test and the NFL Combine as well as a station where competitors answered questions about sexual assault and harassment prevention. Each team was scored on their overall performance and the Talent Alignment and Development Directorate, or TADD, team came out on top.
HRC has 43 credentialed sexual assault victim advocates within the command who ensure survivors are aware of available local, regional and national support services. Some victim advocates served as graders for the combine, which provided an opportunity for participants to meet, interact and establish a sense of trust with one another.
Building that trust among the ranks is vital to the Army’s success said Sgt. Maj. Robert H. Atkinson, TADD , who was cheering on the competitors during the competition while many HRC employees showed their support as they watched from the windows facing the quad.
“Events like this ensure that we are working every single day to eradicate sexual assault and sexual harassment from the force,” Atkinson said.
“Acts like these take away from and degrade our professionalism and mission readiness. SAAPM beings to light that sexual assault and sexual harassment are still going on across the Army and asks the questions “What are we doing as an Army? What are we doing as an organization to bring light to these egregious acts? And what we can do to prevent them from happening?”
Also cheering on the competitors was Lay, who has worked in the SHARP program since 2008.
“I think this was a great way for Soldiers and civilians to get involved in SAAPM, and I applaud the SGS team for coming up with the idea of the combine,” he said. “The more different types of SAAPM events we have, the more likely it is that employees will find an event they want to get involved in.”
Bowling to strike out sexual assault
The Strike Out Sexual Assault Bowling Tournament held April 5 offered HRC Soldiers and civilians the opportunity to meet in person to support the SHARP Program.
Lay said SAAPM events build a collaborative network of like-minded individuals who want to get more involved in the program.
1st Lt. Daniel Cole, HRC IPPS-A plans team lead, Force Shaping Directorate, who is also a survivor, said he participated because he strongly supports the SHARP program.
“I went through a SHARP incident myself as a younger Soldier when I first enlisted and the people who helped me in that situation were extremely professional,” Cole said. “It was almost like somebody was enveloping me in big angel wings. They just treated me with so much respect. So now, wherever I go, I try to support the program and do whatever I can.”
Over the past 10 years, Cole has served as a battalion level SHARP representative at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and a small group leader for survivor groups at Fort Lewis, Washington. Most recently he worked with I CORPS as an adviser to the commanding general regarding possible changes and implementations to ICORPS SHARP program.
“Raise the Bars,” Motorcycle ride
Approximately 55 Fort Knox Soldiers, Family members, civilians and members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars participated April 26 in the Eighth Annual Raise the Bars Motorcycle Ride.
“Sexual assault and harassment are enemies the Army fights. They are enemies individuals must be aware of every day and they should act to prevent it from happening if they see it occurring”, said Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony McAdoo, HRC senior enlisted adviser, while addressing the motorcycle ride participants.
Keynote speaker, Radcliff, Kentucky, Councilwoman Michelle Mitchell, and survivor, talked about how she was sexually assaulted by two of her adopted brothers when she was between the ages of 4 and 9, but later found the strength to stand up to her perpetrators.
“When I turned 11, a situation occurred when one of my assailants went after my special needs sister, and on that day a boldness rose up in me that only God could have given,” Mitchell said. “I stood in front of the door and said, ‘You will not touch her.’ That night I stayed in the room with her, her guard.
“It was a life changing day for me to realize that saying something and using my voice could actually change a negative [situation].
Wearing jeans in support of Denim Day and the color teal, the official color of SAAPM, the parade of motorcycles departed at 1:30 p.m., for Silverleaf Sexual Trauma Recovery Services in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
Silverleaf is one of the local agencies where survivors of sexual assault and abuse can seek support and services that include crisis intervention, medical examinations, counseling and education. The agency has been instrumental in working with HRC and other commands on post in providing trauma response services and advocacy support.
Rider and HRC employee Daniele Bradford experienced sexual harassment in the workplace on a regular basis while on active duty in the late 1980s and early 1990s before the SHARP program existed. She said it’s important to take part in awareness raising events such as this.
“Events like Raise the Bars make a difference by keeping the topic of sexual assault prevention in the forefront of our minds and keeping the conversation alive in our workplace every day, not just during our annual SHARP training requirement day,” Bradford said. “I greatly appreciate the programs that now exist to combat the toxic atmosphere that I was forced to endure 30 years ago. It is very helpful for everyone to know about the reporting and victim advocate programs that are now available to all in our DOD workforce.”
Teal Tuesday
Like all the events HRC hosted throughout its month-long observance of SAAPM, Teal Tuesday raised awareness about sexual violence, how to prevent it and how to support survivors.
As part of Teal Tuesday, the SHARP team hosted an exhibit that was displayed 7-9:30 a.m. every Tuesday in different locations throughout the Maude Complex.
“This gives us the opportunity to engage with workforce as they’re coming into work throughout the month, talk to them about the SHARP program and resources and make sure they’re aware of any recent changes to the program,” Lay said.
The presence also is helpful in reassuring survivors that help is available when and if they decide to reach out for help with healing and recovery, he said.
Reminder to stay vigilant
HRC closed out it’s monthlong observance of SAAPM April 28, with the annual Darkness to Light, a candle lighting ceremony, that serves as a reminder for individuals to stay vigilant against sexual assault and harassment throughout the year. A moment of silence to recognize survivors, including those who have not come forward, was observed after HRC Deputy Chief of Staff Col. Chad Price and Radcliff Council member Terry Owens lit the candle, which symbolizes a guide to help survivors along their path to healing.
While the purpose of this ceremony marks the conclusion of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, it’s more than that, Price said.
“This event is an affirmation that we are committed to prevention, to be in a team of trust for the human resources command. Closing this month does not mean we are done, we are reinitiating a beginning,” Price said.
Quoting Army Chief of Chief Gen. James McConville, Price added, “Sexual assault and sexual harassment violate everything we stand for as Soldiers. It is our responsibility as one Army to take care of one another and not tolerate these violations. It’s your responsibility and it’s my responsibility, and we have to make this a priority.”
Resources for survivors:
- HRC SHARP office: 502-613-5167.
- HRC SHARP Helpline: 502-615-5360 available 24 hours a day.
- Fort Knox SHARP Hotline: 502-851-3779 available 24 hours a day.
- DoD Safe Helpline: 877-995-5247 available 24 hours a day or visit safehelpline.org.
- Survivors can chat by going to http://www.safehelpline.org or texting *55-247.
- Survivors in the Fort Knox area who do not desire to seek assistance through the military may reach out to Silverleaf Sexual Trauma Recovery - Services at 270-234-9236 or in person at 751 South Provident Way, Elizabethtown. Survivor may also visit silverleafky.org to contact center through chat.
- Survivors outside of the Fort Knox area can reach out to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, or RAINN, at rainn.org or by calling 800-656-4673 to speak with crisis counselors by telephone or chat.
| Date Taken: | 05.03.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 05.03.2023 09:43 |
| Story ID: | 443896 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KY, US |
| Web Views: | 548 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, HRC Soldiers, civilians focus on sexual assault, harassment awareness, prevention, by Fonda Bock and Maria McClure, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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