Directorate of Prevention, Resilience and Readiness

Spoken Words of Pain: Army Officer, Male Survivor Shares Shattering Impact of Sexual Assault to Drive Culture Change

05/27/2021
At a time when commanders and noncommissioned officers across the Army are reckoning with the findings of the Fort Hood report, one officer is sharing his own story of how leadership, both good and bad, can make all the difference for Soldiers. In a stark video, 1st Lt. Rashan Legard uses spoken word poetry to recount his experience after he reported being sexually assaulted. Legard, an E-4 at his first duty station when the assault happened, said the leadership failures he encountered-from not being believed, to leadership turning a blind eye, to being painted as a bad Soldier-are what drove him to become an officer and leader himself.

3rd Chemical Brigade Hosts Resiliency Summit for Junior Soldiers and Their Families

05/26/2021
The 3rd Chemical Brigade’s Behavioral Health and Ready and Resilient teams hosted a recent Junior Soldier Resiliency Summit, bringing together agencies from across the installation to introduce their services and build relationships with the brigade’s youngest enlisted Soldiers and their Families.

Cold Steel Soldiers Use Their Knowledge to Escape

05/25/2021
Soldiers assigned to the 189th Infantry Brigade participated in Sexual Harassment and Assault Response Prevention (SHARP) training while navigating through an escape room. Sgt. 1st Class Toneka Raglin, the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, or SARC, created the event to give Soldiers a different take on SHARP training.

Army Places Limitations on the Use of Prescribed Medications

05/19/2021
The Army published new guidance on the use of prescribed medications and controlled substances on May 19. Army Directive 2021-21 implements a requirement for Commanders to ensure all Soldiers are aware of new limitations on the length of time they can use certain medications in the absence of a prescribed time frame. In accordance with the new directive, prescription medications will be considered expired and illegitimate for use six months after the most recent fill date, as indicated on the prescription label.

Department of Defense Releases Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military

05/13/2021
The Department of Defense released the Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military. This recurring annual report is published by DOD’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. FY2020 saw an increase of 1% in the number of reports of sexual assault received by the services compared to FY2019 totals. In addition, the Department’s Safe Helpline experienced a 35% increase in users seeking to connect with needed resources, information, and support.

DOD FY2020 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military

05/13/2021
The Department of Defense (DOD) has released the Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military. This recurring annual report is published by DOD’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office.

Members of DOD Must Work Together to Change Toxic Climates, Cultures

05/13/2021
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, Elizabeth P. Van Winkle, the executive director of DOD's Office of Force Resiliency, told lawmakers that policies are in place for a safe and inclusive workforce in the military, but all members of the Defense Department must embrace the values at the core of this for it to work.

4x4x48: Army Europe and Africa Community Participates in 'Ready and Resilient' Challenge

05/11/2021
United States Army Europe and Africa recently conducted the first annual Ready and Resilient 4x4x48 Challenge. Over 70 participants ran, walked, or rucked four miles every four hours for forty-eight hours, with 35 participants completing all twelve legs of the challenge throughout the month of April. The challenge, which could be completed alone or at one of the socially distant group events, was conducted by participants from all over Europe and the United States.

Army Announces Recipient of DOD Promoting Excellence in Prevention Award

05/10/2021
The Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia was named the Army recipient of the Department of Defense Promoting Excellence in Prevention Award. The Promoting Excellence in Prevention Award focuses on activities that support a comprehensive approach to prevent sexual assault. MCOE was recognized for their participation in the evidence-based process called “Getting to Outcomes,” which they volunteered for in October 2018.

SAPRO Director Addresses Progress in Sexual Assault Prevention, Victim Support

05/06/2021
The Defense Department has made strides in sexual assault prevention, awareness, and victim support over the past 15 to 20 years, but more work remains. Army Maj. Gen. Clement S. Coward, director of DOD's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, said he has seen growth in policy and programs from his former vantage point in the field. The Defense Department has empowered survivors with additional reporting options, specialized legal counsel, and a 24/7 confidential helpline. However, Coward says, the DOD must continue to be a "learning organization" and do more to stop sexual assault.

Army Announces CID Restructure and SHARP Policy Improvements

05/06/2021
Acting upon recommendations of the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee, the Army announced on May 6, 2021 that it will restructure the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command and immediately implement measures to better protect and inform victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Also signed was Army Directive 2021-16 which improves the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program by better protecting and informing victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment. The new directive immediately implements several SHARP-related findings and recommendations from the FHIRC report.

Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Week Takes Center Stage at Humphreys

05/04/2021
Soldiers and community members from across U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys and Eighth Army joined together to help raise awareness of the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program during the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) Sexual Assault Awareness Prevention Week (SAAPW). The week included numerous educational, discussion-based, and active events promoting SHARP.

Survivor of Sexual Assaults Speaks at USARPAC’s Teal Talk

05/03/2021
The U.S. Army Pacific Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention team hosted a virtual forum titled, “Teal Talk,” at Fort Shafter, Hawaii with guest speaker Heath Phillips, a Veteran and a survivor of sexual assaults in the military. Phillips shared his military sexual trauma experience and the effects it had on his mental health after being discharged from the U.S. Navy. “We do not realize that sexual assault does not only affect the victim,” Phillips said. “It affects everybody involved and not only does it affect everybody involved, it affects their Family and friends.”

Army Publishes Guidance on the Use of the Commander’s Risk Reduction Toolkit

05/03/2021
The Army recently published a Secretary of the Army Directive to guide Commanders on utilization of a new online application that helps them better “see” their units and understand when their Soldiers may be at risk. This directive prescribes use of the Commander’s Risk Reduction Toolkit (CRRT), establishes access requirements for CRRT users, and identifies data sources to be aggregated in the CRRT database.