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Show 2 TIME S April 24, 2014 COMMENTARY Every Airman has a role in preventing sexual assault BY GEN. LARRY 0. SPENCER Air Force Vice Chief of Staff TIME Weekly Since 19 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Charles Horton Standard-Examiner publisher Mitch Shaw Hilltop Times Writer Sarah Stoll Hilltop Times Correspondent Dana Rimington Hilltop Times Correspondent Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the Friday prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items email75abw.pa@us.af.mil or call 801-777-1902. For Classified Advertising, call 801-625-4300. For Retail Advertising, call 801-625-4388. The Hilltop Times is published by Ogden Publishing Corp., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under, and in compliance with, a Memorandum of Understanding with Hill Air Force Base. The content of the Hilltop Times does not necessarily represent the views of, nor is it endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or Hill Air Force Base (collectively, the Government). The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Government of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Standard-Examiner, 332 Standard Way, Ogden, Utah, 84404. Additional editorial content is provided by various military and civilian wire services and Hill Air Force Base public affairs departments. Call 801-777-1902 with story ideas or comments, or email 75abw.pa@us.af.mil . Call 801-625-4300 for Classified Advertising or 801-6254388 for Retail Advertising. HAWC Nest Fitness Tip from the Health and Wellness Center Did you know that smokers lose more than 10 years of life from smoking, but it's never too late to gain back most of the years you may lose from smoking. Are you ready to quit? Call the HAWC at 777-1215 today ... YOU CAN AFFORD TO QUIT SMOKING. THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2014 DUls: 3 WASHINGTON — Every April we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month, using it as an opportunity to renew our commitment to treating each other with dignity and respect. I applaud and support the idea of a month focused on sexual assault prevention and response, or SAPR, but what we really need is everyone's focus on this critical issue every day. Sexual assault is a crime and impacts the very trust and respect that is integral to our profession. For our Air Force to be successful, we must trust each other. All it takes is one incident of assault to break that bond of trust, but it takes all of us to work together to solve the issue. In the past 18 months we've emphasized the importance of treating each other with dignity and respect, and we've made progress through a renewed emphasis on training and education. We've seen a real difference in areas like the Special Victims Counsel Program, which provides individual legal support to victims of sexual assault and now serves as a model for the Department of Defense. Reporting of sexual assault allegations has increased, which we believe is an indicator of increased trust and confidence in the reporting process. We've also seen an increase in the number of victims that convert to unrestricted reports, which we feel also indicates increased trust and confidence in our system. But, you won't find us "high-fiving" our success. With that success and pride comes the unquenchable need to do more. None of us should be comfortable with the fact that we have sexual assaults occurring in our Air Force. And none of us should rest until that crime is eliminated; it's everyone's responsibility. Sexual predators are determined to carry out this offense and will do so unless you and I step in and stop it. We need to be on the lookout for those among us who would commit such a horrible crime. You may be aware of a former wing commander who recently left our Air Force following a series of incidents involving the compromise of integrity. On his last day in command, he sent a very poignant note to his Airmen. I was struck by the sentence that read, "If only one person had stood up and did or said something, the situation would have ended differently." Sexual assault is no different. Bystander intervention can be a game changer. We need each of you to be that one Airman willing to step forward when a situation starts heading in a bad direction. We need you to be part of the solution. We know that takes courage, but we also know you possess it because we see it every day. As you participate in SAPR month activities I offer a few thoughts for reflection. First, this battle against sexual assault is a marathon, not a sprint. This is not a program or a campaign that will go away in a few months — consider it an enduring effort that serves to honor the dignity and respect of all Airmen. Second, be a good wingman and watch each other's back. Let those around you know that sexual assault will not be tolerated. Start by taking responsibility for your workplace and do not tolerate inappropriate or degrading remarks or the display of sexually explicit or suggestive materials. Thank you for all you do in service to our nation. As I have always said, every Airman counts, and I am relying on you. From the time you first put on your uniform until the time you leave the Air Force, I expect you to be committed to a culture of dignity and respect among all Airmen. We owe it to each other to honor the sacred bond of trust that unites us all as Airmen in our United States Air Force. Don't let each other down. Coming Forward: Finding light through darkness BY SENIOR AIRMAN DENNIS SLOAN Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs J OINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. — Keeping a secret that defines you, that has shaped your life for nearly three years now and is sure to shape the rest, a secret that you go to sleep with every night and wake to every morning is sometimes hard to keep trapped inside. I could probably go my entire life without revealing the sad truth that I was raped, but to stay silent is to allow individuals who prey upon the innocent to flourish. Exactly one day after photographing Airmen proudly marching through the streets of a city receiving joyous responses and unanimous support for their sacrifice of service to the United States of America, I was sexually assaulted by a male Airman. That secret is one that took me nearly a year to even reveal to my mother and I have yet to reveal to the majority of my family or friends. The Airmen I serve alongside everyday have no idea that I'm a victim of sexual assault, until now Some people may wonder why I would reveal my story in such a public forum, and the truth is I hope this story reaches a person, a son, a friend or even an Airman who has been sexually assaulted and it allows them some peace in knowing they are not alone no matter how dark their day may seem. In my case, I reported my assault within a matter of days because I knew if I buried the truth it would overcome me and the result would be fatal. I initially filed a restricted report, but once I gained strength and understanding of my situation I then filed an unrestricted report. After being sexually assaulted, many victims, including myself, are very confused about the situation and blame themselves for what happened. Large amounts of alcohol, isolation and subduing played a huge factor in my sexual assault. You can imagine waking to this reality the next morning as if it were a nightmare, but this nightmare was real and would continue to play over and over again in my head for months following the assault. Filing an unrestricted report opened me up to a world of re-victimization. The Office of Special Investigations called me within hours of filing my unrestricted report to conduct an interview. The interview consisted of me recounting my sexual assault down to the minutest detail. I understood the interview must be done to gather evidence to potentially bring the perpetrator to justice, but no matter how many people warned me of that interview I could never have been prepared. I am not discouraging victims from filing an un- restricted report, but they shouldn't walk in blindly. Reliving one's experience is painful. Yet, by involving law enforcement, you just might prevent another sexual assault. There was a large amount of misunderstanding between me and my office. I was not willing to reveal my situation to them and in return it left them with little knowledge of why I was not performing as well, coming in late and almost not there, in a sense, even when I was. I struggled to find sleep every night and even when I did I would wake hourly from a dream relating to my sexual assault. When I would try and do my job my mind was always replaying the incident over and over again. I became isolated and constantly worried people knew about my situation, which caused me a great deal of anxiety. I cannot lie, I did think about suicide for some time, but it never came to that thankfully. One day while photographing the flying squadron at my base I had what I call a moment of clarity. I spent the majority of the day photographing Airmen fixing engines, marshalling aircraft and everything in-between. It wasn't until I returned to my dorm at night that I realized I had not thought once about my sexual assault or even the struggles in my office. I was free for a day. That day didn't last very long though. Once I laid my head down that night all of it came roaring back into my brain. A short amount of relief, but still it was a silence I had not heard in so long. That night I decided if I wasn't sure if I wanted to live, but knew I could not take my own life, that I would give myself to the one thing that silenced it all ... photography. I started slow and when I arrived at my new base, thanks to a humanitarian transfer, I still had some hurdles to overcome, but through counseling and a steady diet of photography I was moving forward for the first time in a long time. Even now, years after being sexually assaulted and dealing with being misunderstood, every time I raise the camera up to my right eye I feel peace, I hear nothing and see everything. Life is definitely different for me now When I devoted my life to photography nearly three years ago, I wasn't quite sure what that meant and still don't, but photography keeps me breathing, keeps me feeling, keeps me alive. I constantly search for the light that brings silence to my pain. Being a victim of sexual assault is not something that is easily described, but to put it into perspective, I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder not only from the assault, but the prolonged exposure to a hostile environment at my base that plagues me to this day. I still struggle to find sleep, struggle to communicate with others and most of all I struggle with the idea of sharing my life with another person. The person who raped me had no regard for how the assault would affect me. The crime he committed has little to do with passion and a lot to do with control, manipulation and taking power away from someone. Through this commentary I hope to regain some of that power and control he stripped from me and give other victims of sexual assault some as well. Very few men report being sexually assaulted and I believe that is because they fear how society will view them, how they'll be judged and how they even may be considered less of a man. So I ask everyone who reads this: I am a male and I was sexually assaulted — do you think less of me? The effects of my sexual assault, filing an unrestricted report and knowing the perpetrator was still at the base I lived on started to pour into my work. Less than six months prior to my assault I was chosen by my office to sit in front of the Below the Zone board with the intent to achieve the rank of senior airman well before others because of my dedication to service and my craft. You can imagine how strange it may seem to leadership that an Airman who was considered one of the best in an office could all of a sudden change. Hill's Last DUI: 7/1evre4 /6 Unit Involved: sgra Vicaareaciace 9iregA Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Call 777-1111 to request a ride anytime. Hours of operation: Fridays-Saturdays 10 p.m.- 6 a.m. Sundays 9 p.m.-midnight. Report suspicious activity via the AFOSI EAGLE EYES program Plat: 777-3056 / 3057/ 3058. 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