ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), Shariese Demby, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland, played a leading role in ensuring the two-week Department of Defense-driven SHARP Foundation Course got underway smoothly June 19, 2017, at the Mallette Training Facility (MTF) on APG.
Demby welcomed the more than 20 Soldiers and DOD civilians to the intense course -- encouraging them to listen, learn and participate in the 80-hour training session. The SHARP Foundation Course provides instruction for military and civilian collateral duty SARC and VA (Victim Advocates) at the battalion level and below.
Invited to give the opening remarks, CECOM G3 Sgt. Maj. Adrian Borel, thanked the SHARP attendees for their commitment and added, "Whether or not you will be serving in the capacity of victims advocate; a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) for your organization, or a lead SHARP coordinator and or representative for your future organization, it's a huge responsibility and on behalf of the CECOM Commanding General and Command Sergeant Major, I thank you for what you are doing and will continue to do."
In laying the groundwork for the training course, as well as the SHARP demands and challenges ahead, Borel told the group that no one entity can do their job or accomplish the mission without the help of others. He told the diverse group that to be able to accomplish goals and objectives it is necessary to be able to rely on and trust those with whom they work and serve with.
"We build such a bond by ensuring that we are creating and fostering an environment that promotes professionalism, promotes respect for others and ensures that the environment that we are asking service members, DOD employees and contractors to enter, is an area where he or she does not have to worry about their personal safety," said Borel.
"We all understand that we are a part of a team of teams, and no one person or no one entity can do his job and or accomplish his mission on his own without having a supporting cast. Without having coordination between different organizations. Without having support agencies providing us with all the logistics, legal expertise, medical services, communications services…anything and everything needed for us to accomplish our mission, which is to defend America's interests across the globe."
Individuals attending the foundation course at APG will receive training from subject matter experts dedicated to ensuring course graduates are prepared to assist victims and train their units on SHARP functions, processes and procedures. A graduation ceremony will be held June 30, 2017 at the MTF.
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