JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO - FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
Senior officers representing the five military services in San Antonio gathered April 1 for the annual Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month 2015 proclamation signing ceremony at the Medical Education and Training Campus Academic Center on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.
The five leaders signed a proclamation on behalf of their respective military service branch to pledge to do their part to combat the issue of sexual assault year-round.
The ceremony included remarks from Lt. Gen. Perry L. Wiggins, commanding general of U.S. Army North (Fifth Army) and the senior Army commander of JBSA-Fort Sam Houston and JBSA-Camp Bullis; Rear Adm. Rebecca McCormick-Boyle, commander, Navy Medicine Education and Training Command; Brig. Gen. Robert Miller, commandant, Medicine Education and Training Campus, who represented the Air Force; Lt. Col. Eric Dill, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion and 4th Marine Division commanding officer, representing the Marine Corps; and Cmdr. Benjamin Golightly, Coast Guard Crytologic Unit Texas commanding officer, representing the Coast Guard.
"While this is an annual proclamation, our actions must demonstrate a daily affirmation," McCormick-Boyle said. "We must forcefully, deliberately and preemptively take action to prevent sexual assault, swiftly intervene when it does occur to care for those victimized and vigorously pursue justice for perpetrators.
"It is an abhorrent act of violence that goes against our core values as Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen," McCormick-Boyle added.
Those attending also had the opportunity to hear from Army Capt. Jacqueline Just, who shared both good and bad first-hand experiences as a victim.
"I'm thankful for the support of the hospital commander, my supervisor and my Sexual Harassment and Assault Response Prevention advocates for helping me get through this storm," said Just, who claimed to have felt like she was being punished at her last command after coming forward to report her commander for sexually assaulting her and her friend.
Now she urges others who might be in similar situations to not be afraid and come forward. "If you are a victim of sexual assault, seek help," she said.
Just's negative experiences and those of other victims like her are awakening leaders to the need to get more involved and in turn push their units or commands to be more aware of what's going on around them.
"We have no room to talk about one gender or another," Wiggins said. "We have no room to have someone take advantage of someone else based on rank, demographic or race. No place for any of it.
"When you put on the uniform of the United States service member, you are bigger and better than society," Wiggins added. "If society can't solve it, I get it. But in our formations, we're bigger than that. You represent an institution that we cannot afford to tarnish."
JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, JBSA-Lackland and JBSA-Randolph will all be doing their part to raise awareness by hosting special events and public education opportunities throughout April, including a tri-service talent show, a golf tournament, a 5K run and a self-defense class. For more information about these events and others, contact your SAPR/SHARP office.
To report a sexual assault or speak confidentially to a victim advocate, call the Department of Defense Safe Helpline at 877-995-5247 or contact your local SARC or victim advocate.