SAPR hosts race to educate Airmen

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Cody Dowell
  • Altus Air Force Base Public Affairs

There are many different elements and organizations involved when it comes to reporting sexual assault. That is why the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) office held the Amazing SAPR Race scavenger hunt, April 19, 2019. The event encouraged members of the 97th Air Mobility Wing to use skill-building abilities while learning about the support agencies of the base.

The event was part of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM) that happens every April. The DoD’s goal is to achieve a culture free of sexual assault, through an environment of prevention, education and training, response capability, victim support, reporting procedures and appropriate accountability that enhances the safety and well-being of all persons covered by the directive. SAAPM runs through the month of April and is celebrated this year with the theme of, “Protecting our people, protects our mission.”

“Our primary mission is to respond to sexual assault reports and provide a voluntary specialty service to the victims in a confidential and respectful manner,” said Matt O’Dell, 97th Air Mobility Wing sexual assault response coordinator. “Then our secondary mission is going out and talking to people to promote awareness and reporting procedures.”

The scavenger hunt had teams of three to six members that visited to different agencies around the base, racing to be the first team to finish. The objective was to get clues on the next location by completing team tasks. The event allowed personnel to learn to work together and get a better understanding about the supporting agencies on base that help Airmen deal with sexual assault.

“As a whole we are moving away from prevention month and going toward skill building and education,” said O’Dell. “People come from all different upbringings, and acceptable behavior for one person is different for another, so it’s about making sure that everyone is on the correct page.”

Other units around the 97th AMW helped with the race including the Violence Prevention Integrator, Airmen and Family Readiness Center, Equal Opportunity, Drug Demand Reduction, Community Support Coordinator, Judge Advocate and the Chapel.

“We chose these agencies because they are the ones used when SAPR assists victims,” said O’Dell. “It’s good to know who they are dealing with and where they go in case they need their services or know somebody else who does.”

The SAPR office and SAAPM is a reminder that members of the armed forces are held to a higher standard and should treat others with that same standard.

“We are about dignity and respect and that can’t happen with sexual assault,” said O’Dell. “The goal is to eliminate sexual assault through every avenue we have possible.”