FORT SILL, Okla. – The 75th Field Artillery Brigade held a series of events throughout April on Fort Sill to drive awareness of resources available to survivors of sexual harassment and assault.
The events were coordinated by Sgt. 1st Class John Spurlock, the brigade Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention (SHARP) Victim Advocate, in support of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM).
“Sexual harassment is one of the most toxic variables to any unit. If you can’t trust your battle buddies to your left and right, how can you trust them in a firefight,” said Spurlock. “Part of what SHARP does is try to build a cultural awareness that [we] are held to a higher standard to act professionally.”
The Diamond Brigade held two major events in support of SAAPM: the “Lifting the Burden” deadlift competition and the 100th Brigade Support Battalion’s “Ruck to Zero”.
Lifting the Burden
From April 1 through 25, Soldiers across the brigade competed to see who could deadlift and hold the most weight for three seconds. The event symbolized the Army community coming together to collectively lift the weight of sexual assault victims’ trauma, helping them to heal and thrive as a survivor.
Each battalion from the brigade conducted internal competitions to determine who would ultimately compete in the finals on April 25 at Goldner Gym. Competitors had to lift at least 400 lbs to qualify for the finals – Sgt. Larry Saddler, from 100th Brigade Support Battalion (100th BSB), won the competition after lifting 560 lbs.
“We have to hold each other accountable, especially when it comes down to SHARP,” said Saddler. “The best thing you can do is intervene. When you intervene, all our battle buddies are safe.”
100th BSB's "Ruck to Zero"
100th BSB’s “Ruck to Zero” at Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area on April 25 hammered home the importance of the Army SHARP program. 1st Lt Shannon Kennedy, the 100th BSB SHARP Victim Advocate, calculated the number of sexual assault cases reported in 2023 across the Department of Defense and converted the number into steps – 8,515 in total, roughly 4.26 miles. Soldiers from 100th BSB rucked the 4.26 miles in support of survivors of sexual assault, stopping at water stations and informational signs along the way explaining the severity of sexual harassment and assault and detailing the resources available to report an incident or seek help.
"The focus for SAAPM is prevention and building a good, healthy organization, making sure we don’t have any incidents within our organization," said Kenney. On the reason for translating the number of reported cases to miles, she said, “it gives service members a physical conceptualization of ‘this is a long distance, this is a lot of reports’. You might need to be that person that steps in.”
After the ruck, Soldiers gathered for a potluck, with additional briefs from the brigade SHARP team to share information on available resources for survivors and witnesses wishing to make a report.
Prevent, Report, Advocate
The Army’s theme for SAAPM 2025 is “Step Forward: Prevent, Report, Advocate”. The campaign is a call to action for all individuals to use their collective strength to advance meaningful change in preventing and responding to sexual violence. These efforts strive to create a culture of prevention, building a healthier, more positive Army climate.
The Fort Sill We Care app provides service members, Families, and civilians with resources and contact information to report an incident or contact victim advocates who can help start the healing process. For more information, download the Fort Sill We Care app, available on iOS and Android devices, or call the Fort Sill SHARP hotline at 580-917-4277.
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