Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Ashley Ellison | Utah National Guard service members load weighted sandbags into their rucksacks during the Survivor Strive event at Camp Williams, May 2, 2026, symbolizing the weight of life stressors carried by individuals. Survivor Strive is a resilience-based training event designed to increase awareness of trauma and reinforce the importance of teamwork and support. (Utah National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ashley Ellison) see less
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The Weight We Carry: Utah National Guard SAPR Program Hosts 2nd Annual Survivor Strive
CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah – The Utah National Guard’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program hosted its second annual Survivor Strive on May 2, 2026, at Camp Williams, Utah. More than 40 service members took part in a hands-on event focused on resilience, awareness, and support.
Eight teams of five UTNG members moved through the 5K course, stopping at four stations along the route. They started with empty rucks, added weighted sandbags representing various types of trauma, and took on team-based obstacles focused on trust, support, and the impact of suicide loss.
“We wanted to find a way to get more people engaged while also talking about the impact that traumas like sexual violence have on people,” said Jessica Siwick, Sexual Assault Response Coordinator with the UTNG’s SAPR Program.
This event goes beyond just one type of trauma.
“The Survivor Strive is an awareness of trauma as a whole,” said Andrew Kalinen, Principal SARC for the UTNG’s SAPR Program. “Whether it’s sexual assault, suicide, divorce, PTSD, or deployments, the event helps people understand trauma in general. And that’s why prevention matters.”
Now in its second year, Survivor Strive continues to grow as a way to build empathy, strengthen teams and relationships, and connect service members with support, reinforcing that readiness includes taking care of people, not just the mission.
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