Pegasus 6 Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Month Message

By U.S. ArmyMarch 31, 2015

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To the Troopers, and Families of the 1st Cavalry Division,

April is National Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Month which offers all of us the opportunity to focus our attention on the problem of sexual assault and harassment within our ranks.

As leaders, we should recognize the danger that sexual assaults pose within our organization. Each incident can harm the individual victim for the rest of their lifeand impact the morale, trust, and esprit de corps of the unit.

Trust is an essential part of our lives; trust in our leaders, trust in our subordinates, and trust in the men and women on our left and right. This trust allows us to undertake and accomplish the difficult and dangerous missions our nation asks of us. Sexual assault and sexual harassment within our organizations undermine this trust.

The prevention of sexual harassment and assault is the Army's number one priority and it is everyone's responsibility to prevent it within our ranks. All leaders will establish a positive climate within their organizations and stay engaged with their Troopers. Soldiers must look out for one another and extend that vigilance to family members, whether on duty or off. Respect for each other is paramount- one sexual assault is one too many.

Preventing sexual assault in our formation is everyone's mission. We must all do everything we can to prevent these assaults from happening, while also ensuring that we treat victims of sexual assault with the dignity, respect, and care that they deserve while maintaining the integrity of the military justice system.

This is a problem that we can solve and a mission we can accomplish. Contact your unit SHARP representative or visit our YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MTOFxbjGms for more information.