FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
The U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School, U.S.
Army Health Readiness Center of Excellence
at Fort Sam Houston recently hosted a two-week Sexual Harassment/Assault
Response and Prevention team course for Joint Base San Antonio to certify
additional victim advocates and SHARP advisors for AMEDDC&S, HRCoE.
The training ensures AMEDDC&S HRCoE maintains a
sufficient number of victim advocates and SHARP advisors to assist command
teams with prevention and awareness, training and responding to reports of
sexual harassment and sexual assault.
AMEDDC&S, HRCoE Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew Rhoades spoke
to the class Sept. 25 in Willis Hall.
“As new graduates of the SHARP course, you have a huge
responsibility,” Rhoades said. “The biggest issue is prevention. I look to you
to educate your formations on everyone’s responsibilities when it comes to taking
care of each other in the prevention of sexual assault. You will need to keep
an eye out for predatory behaviors and potentially stop an incident before it
occurs. Sexual assault is devastating to a unit and degrades readiness and the
morale.”
The training focused on how to manage the Army’s SHARP
Program. Training objectives focus on sexual assault response coordinator,
victim advocate and SHARP advisor roles and responsibilities, and the
fundamental elements of sexual harassment and sexual assault oversight and case
management.