WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio - Demonstrating their skilled and committed service to Airmen, the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team won the 2021 Department of the Air Force Exceptional SAPR Team award.
The team demonstrated its dedication to providing advocacy and knowledge to the installation of over 31,000 personnel. The Wright-Patterson SAPR team administers training and services across multiple units, including the 88th Air Base Wing, Air Force Materiel Command and several more including over 100 tenant units.
“This award is a huge win, not only for the team but for our community. This team has worked so hard under many difficult circumstances and really pulled together to support team Wright-Patt,” said Kelly Hebert, one of Wright-Patterson’s victim advocates. “We give it 110%, and getting this award really validates that our efforts made an impact. Having a team that works together so well benefits all of us but most importantly the population we serve.”
The WPAFB SAPR program continues to provide top-level support to WPAFB personnel by executing policies established by the Department of Defense and providing leadership and tools to effectively support victims of sexual assault. The team maintains that the main goal of their efforts is to make a positive change on the base.
“This award means we are on the right path to helping people and preventing sexual assault. “Now we have to keep marching on and continue to make a change,” said April Barrows, Wright-Patterson’s SAPR program manager and lead sexual assault response coordinator. “This award is not only earned by the five full-time staff members but also all of our volunteer victim advocates, the commanders we work with and our outstanding leadership.”
Further proving their commitment, through collaboration with the First Sergeants Council, the SAPR team executed a cookie drop and delivered over 2,000 homemade cookies to 400 dormitory residents October 29, 2020, raising morale and providing information to ensure members knew the SAPR team was available to them.
The team believes that although the award is an honor, the recognition isn’t a license to stop striving to provide even better care.
“Moving forward, we will continue to improve our ability to serve the Wright-Patt community. We will continue to educate ourselves, promote respect and maintain the trust our community has in us,” said Jazmyn Turner, SAPR victim advocate. “We are here for each of you, and we are happy to provide anything we can to help individuals overcome one of the hardest things someone can go through.”
To get 24-hr information or to report a sexual assault, call (937) 257-7272 or (937) 689-2154. You can also contact the DoD Safe Help Line at https://www.safehelpline.org/