FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY –Soldiers assigned to the Fort Campbell Soldier Recovery Unit stepped up to bring awareness to domestic and intimate partner violence with a two-mile-walk in solidarity and support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. Many recovering Soldiers, cadre, leadership and staff wore purple to support survivors.
“The Army Family Advocacy Program reported in 2022 that it received 15,479 reports of domestic abuse,” said SRU Chaplain Maj. Jeremiah Catlin. “It’s a lot. A lot more than we probably think about.”
After the one-mile mark, SRU Social Workers, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital Unit Ministry Team, Fort Campbell’s Army Family Advocacy Program, Military Family Life Counselor and Suicide Prevention Officer set up information tables at the Pratt Museum, where the SRU members stopped to interact and identify common life and relationship stressors that statistically are shown to lead to domestic violence. Topics included: financial stability, spirituality needs, substance abuse, sexual violence, and suicidal thoughts or ideations.
“Relationships are what matter,” Catlin said.
Catlin told Soldiers and SRU staff to remember their role in those relationships. He expressed by them paying attention to others, who may show signs of stressors, that they can help their peers navigate to the appropriate resources.
“Here, they have the information right in front of them, but this is about relationships and connections with others, knowing where to take your battle buddy when they have stress like this,” he said.
Catlin challenged the Soldiers to listen a little closer, ask the right questions, and notify the appropriate agency when a battle buddy may struggle with specific life stressors that lead to, or who exhibit signs of domestic violence.
In an address to the formation, Lt. Col. Clarissa Horton, SRU battalion commander, told recovering Soldiers that domestic violence isn’t just a topic for the month of October.
“Every day we should be focused on improving ourselves and improving our relationships,” she said.
Following the 2023 Domestic Violence Awareness Walk, Horton said leadership was notified of a possible domestic violence issue within the SRU ranks and was able to provide the appropriate resources and take appropriate action to ensure the safety of the family involved.
“We truly mean what we say when we tell you that we are here if you need to talk with somebody,” she said. “Relationships and people are too important to not talk about it; every single life is too important to keep everything bottled up inside.”
Horton said that cadre, leadership and staff are always on call for Soldiers who are struggling with any stressors, especially those that may lead to domestic violence.
“If you are with your family and you find yourself in a situation, take that time out, walk to another room, step outside the house, take a pause. Then, take a look at that person who you love, that person you chose to be with and who chose to be with you, or who you chose to bring into this world, and remember that ‘why;’ always go back to that ‘why,’” she said.
“Remember, that’s your child, your spouse, and find a way to effectively communicate. And if you can’t, remember that we have the resources here. Reach out for help. Because you are too important, they are too important.”
If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or Army Family Advocacy Program at 270-412-5500. If it is an emergency, contact 911.
| Date Taken: | 10.30.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.05.2024 18:55 |
| Story ID: | 486777 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 10 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, SRU Raises Awareness For Domestic Violence, by MSG Gina Vaile-Nelson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
