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Show HILLTOP TIMES 8 TIMES December 18, 2008 Sexual assault victim advocates are Wingmen taking care of Wingmen BY CAPT. JOSE R. MILAN 75th Air Base Wing Sexual Assault Response coordinator P ictured here along with the 75th Air Base Wing Commander Col. Linda Medler, are the newest victim advocates for Hill Air Force Base. This month I will tell you why victim advocates are the core of the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator office and how they help. Why do they help? Well to start with, no crime is faceless. The crime of sexual assault is one that affects everyone! involved who is associated with the victim (survivor) and even with the perpetrator. Our very valuable victim advocates are the most important people the survivor will talk to because they are the link to all the possible resources the survivor, will need in order to start his cjf; her recovery process from one of the" most terrifying and long lasting crimes that can be committed against a person. Sexual assault victim advocates help survivors because they understand that no one person is entitled to take advantage of another in order to commit a sexual assault against them. They help because they understand that less than 10 percent of all sexual assaults are ever reported, so when a victim is courageous enough to report their sexual assault, it is of the highest importance that sexual assault victim advocates help him or her to take control of his or her life and become strong enough to bring the perpetrator of the crime against them to justice. Sexual assault victim advocates are the key in becoming a shoulder and a guide on which a survivor can lean on and count on to get help from medical professionals, Mental Health, chaplain services, the Employee Assistance Wright reports 210 retreat participants this last event, among them - Col. Calvin WilFrom page 1 liams and his wife, Linda, and their son, Cedric. tion in place while the service member is gone and also to help "It was fantastic," Williams families reinforce family ties said. "My 7-year-old thought it upon their return. was the best thing. The way it's Some communication "tools" put together meets the needs of the entire family." the AEF retreat presents help Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Treboth the deployed service member and those back at home. "At vino, noncommissioned officer the retreat we emphasize sevin charge of Hill AFB Chapel, eral different ways for families served as the leader of the reto keep in touch — for example, treat as he has done for the two retreats previous to the retreat teddybears with the military held in December. member's voice on a cassette tape, phone cards, etc.," the team Seventy-five percent of the gave as such examples. time spent at the retreat is unstructured so family members Word of mouth has been one can hang out and participate in of the best advertisements the outdoor activities,igiving them a Hill AFB chaplains have found chance to connect and reinforce for filling up the slots in the refamily relationships. treats. ..__'., RETREAT Courtesy photo Hill Air Force Base sexual assault victim advocates pose with Col. Linda Medler (third from left), 75th Air Base Wing commander, for a recent photo. (Left to right) they are: Mark Burton, Tech. Sgt. Terry Davis, (Col. Medler), Michael McKim, Barbara McFarland, Staff Sgt Nicole Greene and Linda Craig. Program, Military One Source, Security Forces, the Office Special Investigations and any other service that the survivor might need help from in order to start the recovery process. This holiday season, I ask you to take care of yourselves and to also take care of your Wingmen. Stay safe and we will "The owners (of the resort) go above and beyond to make sure our Airmen have time with their family prior to deployment," Williams said. The sessions dispensing specific support— C3or Command, Control and Communication — are very well-received and are packed with information and suggestions for the familes. At this most recent retreat, Maj. (select) Chaplain Daniel Waterman led the relationship sessions. Col. Williams described such activities he and his family participated in as sessions designed to reinforce the four pillars of wellness — emotional, social, physical and spiritual well-being. "No stone was left unturned in efforts to give back to oui^Airmen. They did an excellent job," Williams concluded. begin a better more productive year in 2009! If you are a Department of Defense employee or a military member in the rank of senior airman or above and are interested in becoming a sexual assault victim advocate, please contact the SARC office at 777-1964. (at the dance) is quite palpable!" "Most (of the participants) report that simply having the time to *be together as a family,' with no agenda is the most helpful thing about the retreats," Wright said. The chaplains add that they receive support from the Logistics Readiness Squadron, the Airman and Family Readiness Center and the Child Development Center, among others, contributing to the success of the retreats. "The biggest change (over the years) is this program evolved from a Chapel retreat to a Team Hill retreat," Wright points out. Williams encourages others who have participated and received the benefits of the retreat experience to volunteer and help out in the future. One comment about the sessions this last time among the comment cards turned in, was that the information was so good, some wished they had come better prepared with pens and paper to record what they had learned. The team of planners report that sometimes initial reactions vary as the retreats begin, but often those who were the most reluctant to attend because they thought it would be a "religious" experience, soon relax and enjoy their experience once they find out for themselves just what the retreat involves. Over the course of the weekend, and by the time of the big dinner dance, "We can see real change happen during the C3 sessions, but more during the course of the weekend," the team reports. 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