• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DoN Kicks Off First SARC Summit

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100322-12
Release Date: 3/22/2010 8:03:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Rachael L. Leslie, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East

NEW ORLEANS (NNS) -- The Department of the Navy (DoN) kicked off the first Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) Summit in New Orleans March 22.

SARC representatives, as well as sexual assault support members from the Navy and Marine Corps medical, legal and chaplain communities, traveled from around the country to attend the five-day conference.

"As a result of my determination to combat sexual assault within the Navy and Marine Corps and promote better department-wide coordination, in September 2009 I established the DoN Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office," said Ray Mabus, secretary of the Navy, in a message released in support of the summit. "It is through their leadership this summit is possible, bringing together Navy and Marine Corps leaders, our SARCs and experts in sexual assault prevention and response."

During the summit, more than 200 representatives attended presentations, training and open discussions, all designed to train responders how to best care for victims and to encourage them to think about sexual assault prevention in new and inventive ways.

"You are on the front lines of this problem, and we want to show you that we are here to support you," said Robert O. Work, under secretary of the Navy, during the summit. "We will do everything we can to get over this problem. We have proven we can do this, and today is a good start."

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick West and Marine Corps Gen. James Amos, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, also delivered important messages about sexual assault prevention and response programs during the first day of the summit.

"The message I'm bringing to the SARCs is that you're not alone. You have leadership out there to support you," said West. "It's important we ensure our young Sailors know what programs are out there, such as the Fleet and Family Support Centers."

Rear Adm. Daniel P. Holloway, director of Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education, also spoke to the group about the importance of refining current sexual assault response programs to better care for the victims.

"We know what we need to change, and what we need to do," said Holloway. "We are raising the bar. We're going to empower each and every one of us."

Following Holloway's remarks, the group heard first-hand, the moving story and very personal experiences of one Sailor who was the victim of a sexual assault.

"In those few minutes, my life as I knew it was over," said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Summer Kimmel, a victim and Sexual Assault Victim Intervention (SAVI) representative. "The [SAVI] advocate is often a lifeline for the victim. No advocate should ever, ever be sent to a victim without proper training."

Capt. Chuck Hollingsworth, deputy commander for the Center for Personal and Professional Development, addressed questions about the current training program within the Navy.

"As we look at the entire continuum of training, what we're looking at now is who needs what at what point in their career," said Hollingsworth.

The summit will run from March 22-26. Those in attendance will meet in one large group for the next two days, and then break into smaller working groups for the remaining two days to allow for more specialized training for both the SARCs and non-SARC personnel.