Photo By Douglas Stutz | Taking a stand… Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Joshua Vidito, assigned to Navy Medicine...... read more read more
The door is always open to meet with Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Joshua Vidito.
Vidito, Navy Medicine Readiness Training Unit Bangor leading petty officer, is a volunteer unit victim advocate for Naval Base Kitsap’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program.
“I want everyone to know they can come to us. We have an open-door policy. There’s no wrong door or closed door in our program. Anyone can come and ask questions and seek help. We will guide them in the right direction for resources whether it’s for themselves or a friend,” said Vidito.
With April designated as the Navy’s Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, the theme for 2026, ‘Step Forward. Prevent. Report. Advocate,’ is designed to create an appropriate environment to eliminate sexual assault with a personal commitment from all personnel.
Vidito is a testament to that individual obligation. When asked why he chose to take on such a challenging responsibility, he replied, “My mother was a civilian victim domestic and sexual assault advocate for a long time. Her positive impacts in the community had a profound positive impact on me to become a unit victim advocate.”
Vidito went through required 40-hour SAPR instructional training for the necessary skills and knowledge to provide support and treatment for someone who has experienced some form of sexual assault.
“The most important thing about being an advocate is being able to provide empathetic support while empowering and building trust. As an advocate, it is crucial to be able to positively engage and empower clients and survivors through the process and assist in navigating what can seem to be a complex resource system. The goal is to assist clients and survivors through a traumatic experience and ensure they are safe, heard, and believed,” explained Vidito, originally from Oregon, with 18 years of service in the Navy.
Vidito’s role as a UVA includes volunteering to be on Naval Base Kitsap Victim Advocate watch bill for any after hour emergency. He also takes a lead in promoting awareness throughout the clinic, such as prominently displaying the sizable teal ribbon as a visual reminder about SAAPM during the month of April. Just the small attention to a detail like that help reinforce the Navy commitment that sexual assault is a crime which erodes a command’s mission readiness.
As a hospital corpsman, Vidito knows of putting service before self in caring for patients. That standard is a seamless transition in his role as a unit victim advocate.
“Be patient, be kind, and be a good human,” stressed Vidito when describing how he approaches caring for someone in need.
“At some point, a victim advocate will be asked to help someone in their most vulnerable state after experiencing their worst day,” Vidito continued. “It’s normal to feel overwhelmed in the moment and to reach out for help to provide the best advocacy and support for clients and survivors.”
According to the U.S. Department of War Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, the Navy reported more than 2,000 sexual assault incidents.
For UVA’s like Vidito, that’s several thousand too many.
“While it’s a service you hope never to need, having someone like HM1 Vidito as a victim advocate is absolutely crucial. I truly admire his dedication to the SAPR Program. His willingness to step up is unmatched. I couldn't be prouder to serve alongside him,” shared Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Rose Lumoljo of Naval Hospital Bremerton, also a command victim advocate and qualified in the defense - sexual assault advocate certification program.
Lumoljo isn’t the only one who has noticed Vidito’s commitment to helping others as a UVA. He was also featured in NBK’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response C.A.R.E. [Command. Advocacy. Resources. Education] monthly newsletter, which provides important information on tools and services to help any client and assist SAPR victim advocates.
“HM1 Vidito is a stellar Sailor who continues to impress all of us. He is a thoughtful and empathetic person who is well suited for the role of a victim advocate,” stated Capt. Karla Lepore, Naval Hospital Bremerton director and NMRTC Bremerton commanding officer.
Vidito insists he’s just doing his assigned duty, dedicated to helping those in need.
“My passion for advocacy is propelled by a commitment to end sexual violence and to see that everyone is treated with dignity and respect,” said Vidito. “Being in a leadership position, I feel it also allows me to make meaningful differences in the command and community by fostering a culture of trust.”
According to Chief Hospital Corpsman (Fleet Marine Force warfare qualified) Jonathan Koeller, leading chief for Primary Care Services and D-SAACP Certified Advocate Level 1, NHB’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team has planned several command activities to help educate and remind staff on the harmful impact of sexual assault and sexual harassment, including a SAPR Victim Advocate Appreciation to honor the work of Vidito, Lumoljo and others.
As defined by official SAPR policy, active-duty personnel, their adult military dependents and DoD civilian employees have two reporting options: Unrestricted Reporting and Restricted Reporting:
Unrestricted reportsallow adult victims of sexual assault to report crimes without requesting confidentiality of their allegations. DoD law enforcement initiates an investigation, and the chain of command is notified. Unrestricted Reporting allows victims to receive healthcare (medical and mental health), advocacy services, legal support, and eligibility for Expedited Transfer. In addition, Unrestricted Reporting allows victims of sexual assault to report retaliation in the SAPR program.
Restricted reportsallow adult victims of sexual assault to confidentially report the crime to specified individuals without triggering an investigation. Information provided to the chain of command does not reveal personally identifying information about the victim or alleged offender. Restricted Reporting allows the victim to receive legal advice, healthcare (medical and mental health), and advocacy services.
Regardless of which reporting option is chosen, there arededicated personnelsuch as Vidito to help provide advocacy, information, and resources to any sexual assault victim.
3 Tier Hotline: 24/7 Uniformed Victim Advocate 360-340-7037 24/7 Civilian Victim Advocate 360-340-3004 24/7 Installation Sexual Assault Response Coordinator 360-340-7156
DoD Safe Helpline Call877-995-5247 Text 55247 Clicksafehelpline.org
NBK SAPR team mailto:NBKSAPR@us.navy.mil NBK SARCs mailto:NBKSARC@us.navy.mil
| Date Taken: | 04.14.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.14.2026 16:51 |
| Story ID: | 562712 |
| Location: | BREMERTON, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Meet SAPR Unit Victim Advocate HM1 Vidito of NMRTC Bremerton, by Douglas Stutz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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