Press Release
☷CSM Corner when it comes to SAAPM the key word is prevention
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Apr 29,2022
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Command Sgt . Maj . Kristie Brady , U . S . Army Communications - Electronics Command ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND , Md . – April is sexual assault awareness and prevention month , and I want to close out the month with some final thoughts . Much of our focus is turned toward the resources offered to survivors of sexual assault . We stress that Soldiers who are survivors of sexual assault and harassment are to be treated with dignity and respect . The Army encourages reporting , and thoroughly investigates unrestricted reports of sexual assault and complaints of sexual harassment . We hold offenders accountable for their actions , and we offer resources to help victims with the wounds left by the act . There is one important word in the theme of the month that we must not overlook , however – Prevention . Our new SHARP Fusion Center is a hub of all resources for sexual assault . While the aftermath of a sexual assault or harassment incident can be difficult to navigate , the Army is piloting a program to make this process as simple as possible . The SHARP Fusion Center has all the resources in one place , from legal to counseling services , victims will no longer have to seek out assistance across the installation . Our trained victim advocates are standing by , ready to help . This year’s SAAPM theme is “Prevention starts with you . ” Prevention can be defined as “the act of stopping something or ensuring something never happens . ” While it is the responsibility of every member of the Army team – Soldier , Civilian , and contractor – to prevent sexual assault , harassment and associated retaliation , prevention must begin with our leaders . Leaders set the tone and culture of the entire organization , building an environment which breads accountability , trust , respect , and zero tolerance for any of these behaviors . I can recall a time when I arrived to an organization as the new battalion CSM and witnessed a senior NCO behave inappropriately with his colleagues . While he saw this behavior as a joke that his fellow Soldiers were a part of , I stepped in and helped him understand that how an action is perceived is just as important as the intent behind it . I knew it was up to me , as a leader , to set the tone for the culture and work environment . This month , and every day , I challenge you to focus on prevention . While it is important to support and empower survivors , we need to ensure we’re putting ample energy into preventing these terrible incidents from happening in the first place . What are you doing to help change the culture Every single one of us can help make a huge difference in keeping each other safe and moving forward together . From pointing out how a behavior could be perceived , to speaking up for those who may not be able to , there are simple steps we can take to help change the Army and make it a safer space for all our Army teammates . Normalize treating others with respect . The bottom line is trust . We must trust that we have each other’s backs , and that includes trusting that we will only treat one another with trust and respect . Every member of our team is someone’s child , sibling , and/or parent . We must treat our team like we do our family . Kristie Brady CECOM Command Sgt . Maj .
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