JBSA-FORT SAM HOUSTON –
Rear Adm. Sean Buck, director of the 21st Century Sailor Office, spoke with staff and students at the Navy Medicine Training Support Center Feb. 19 about recent policy initiatives on resiliency and prevention activities in the Navy.
Along with sexual assault and suicide prevention, his office is also responsible for alcohol and drug abuse prevention, safety awareness, physical fitness readiness, promoting a culture of inclusion, stress management and providing transition support for service members preparing to separate or retire.
The admiral is spending the better part of this year visiting every location where Sailors are, whether on board ship or deployed overseas, to introduce himself and his programs while also garnering response from the fleet.
Buck was keenly interested in feedback from the audience of more than 300 as to the progress of prevention efforts and looking for suggestions and ideas on communicating with 18- to 24-year-old Sailors where, he said, the preponderance of suicides and sexual assaults occur.
"It's my intent to personally reach out and engage with every single Sailor in the United States Navy, if I can," he said.
Navy Seaman Recruit Aemoni Thomas thought the admiral's presentation was very informative.
"He seemed very focused on (Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program) and getting the information out about Navy Live, which I didn't know anything about, and consolidating everything in one place," said Thomas, who is from Portsmouth, Va.
"I was aware of the programs he is responsible for separately, but was never able to put a name behind all that. I thought it was very cool that he is responsible for so many programs," said Navy Seaman Apprentice Marius Wernecke, currently waiting for his classes in the Behavior Health Program to commence.
Wernecke was very impressed that Buck took time to speak with students.
"It was huge and it was cool to know that what we say goes straight up (the chain of command)."
"I think it was neat that the admiral actually came by, face-to-face, just to let us know that he is listening and likes to hear our input as well," agreed Navy Seaman Apprentice Chiara Tagliaferri, whose hometown is Tannersville, Pa.
"I know the Navy, like all branches of the military, takes sexual assault and harassment very seriously," Tagliaferri said, adding she is impressed with leadership's efforts to get Sailors the information they need to take care of themselves.
Buck stressed that prevention efforts were focused on regaining the trust and confidence of Sailors and creating a safe and dignified command climate.
If a Sailor is assaulted, he or she is encouraged to step forward, report the incident and seek help, Buck said; with the assurance that Navy leadership would take those reports seriously, and investigate and punish perpetrators.
He said as a result of these efforts over the last two years, he is seeing an increase in reporting and a change in command climate in which Sailors serve.
A Sailor in the audience suggested developing an app where the Navy SAPR could be accessed to seek help and report incidents.
"She mentioned that we advertise that phone number for Sailors very well on our installations and bases, but not so much out in public," Beck said.
"How could we make it available on a smart phone? I thought it was a very good idea and very easy to implement and execute."
Beck mused the Navy app might be modeled after the "Circle of 6" concept where six friends, family or trusted contacts are entered into a Smartphone and when the user taps twice, all six numbers are automatically dialed and those receiving the call are instructed to return the call or come help the user.
A geo-locater is included and the user can program emergency numbers such as 911 into in the app.
Wernecke thought the Navy app was a really good idea.
"Especially with our generation relying on phones so much - I have many apps that alert me to new information in the morning, whether I want it or not and it's very helpful," he said.
"I think it's a great idea. You can inform more than one person (of a problem or situation), your family and the police," Tagliaferri said.
Another Sailor suggested using resources such as "Vine Videos" where users post mini-videos lasting a few seconds instead of "Facebook," which is currently popular only with 35-year-olds and up.
Buck took his Sailors' suggestions to heart, saying that he does this job because he is a dad and recognizes how peer pressure can be the key to getting a message across to young Sailors.
"Showing their peers what right looks like encourages positive behavior," he said.
Buck finished his remarks touching on future uniform changes.
"The U.S. military is going to a common, digital camouflage uniform in 2018. It's law," Buck said, referring to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014.