'No Zebras, No Excuses' Bring Sexual Assault Awareness to Naval Base San Diego

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eddie Harrison, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- More than 500 Sailors at Naval Base San Diego attended a live performance, Aug. 14, in the base theater, to raise awareness about sexual assault and how to prevent it.

Performing on stage were students from the Central Michigan University (CMU) 'No Zebras, No Excuses' performance group, which acted out a variety of vignettes to address and recognize forms of assault and ask the audience questions such as: What will you do when it occurs? How would you make a difference?

"Our acts portray different areas of sexual aggression," said cast member Paul Carbini. "In between the vignettes, there is an explanation on what the audience saw and how to interpret and intervene on that situation. The training is not sugar-coated; we put it right in the audience's face."

The acts featured scenarios ranging from situations at parties to predators using alcohol and drugs to target individuals.

According to Stephen Thompson, CMU faculty member and sexual aggression services director, these situations are taken from hundreds of real life experiences.

"What if you or someone you loved were in a situation dealing with sexual assault?" Thompson asked. "What would you want done? These situations point out behaviors that cause a reasonable person to be uncomfortable, threatened, offended, intimidated and afraid."

"These incidents do not happen in a vacuum," said Thompson. "Other people know, but they just don't know what to do about it and that's why we are here. The first thing you have to do is notice behavior."

"Doing nothing is the zebra," said Thompson, referring to an earlier analogy of bystanders being similar to a herd of zebras. "You can't change what you were before you walked in those doors. You can change what you are now and what you are going to be after today. Choose not to be a zebra."

Some of the acts incorporated comedy and emotion to keep the audience members engaged.

"A lot of times I do training that sounds very scripted and people fade out," said Ensign Kelli Gardner, attendee and sexual assault prevention and response representative for USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49). "This seems like a way to engage people more, a better way to present situations."

As the performance came to a close the 12-member cast encompassed the entire theater and expressed messages ranging from sexual assault statistics to living up to the Navy's Core Values. But the final message asked the audience: Now that you know, what are you going to do?

Other stops along the Zebras' tour include USS Boxer (LHD 4), Aug. 15; and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Aug. 16-17.

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response is an element of the 21st Century Sailor and Marine initiative which consolidates a set of objectives and policies, to maximize Sailor and Marine personal readiness, build resiliency and hone the most combat-effective force in the history of the Navy and Marine Corps. The Department of the Navy is working aggressively to prevent sexual assaults, support sexual assault victims, and hold offenders accountable.

Help raise awareness by joining the conversation on social media using #SAAM.

This Day in Naval History - Aug. 29

From the Navy News Service

1861 - U.S. squadron captures forts at Hatteras Inlet, N.C.

1862 - Union gunboat Pittsburgh supports Army troops in landing at Eunice, Arkansas. (Check out these American Civil War books written by military authors!)

1915 - Navy salvage divers raise F-4, first U.S. submarine sunk in accident.

1916 - Congress passes act for expansion of Navy but most ships not completed until after World War I.

1964 - USS Boxer (LPD 4) and two LSDs arrive off coast of Hispaniola to give medical aid to Haiti and Dominican Republic, which were badly damaged by Hurricane Cleo.

This Day in Naval History - March 10

From the Navy News Service

1783 - USS Alliance, commanded by Capt. John Barry, defeats HMS Sybil in the final naval action of the American Revolution in West Indies waters.

1933 - The Pacific Fleet provides assistance after an earthquake at Long Beach, Calif.

1945 - Navy and civilian nurses interned at Los Banos, Philippines, are flown back to the United States. The Navy nurses are each awarded a Bronze Star.

1948 - First use of jets assigned to operational squadron (VF-5A) aboard a carrier - USS Boxer (CV 21).

Boxer Amphibious Ready Group Enters 7th Fleet

By Lt. Chad A. Dulac, USS Boxer Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (BOXARG) entered the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility on March 6, as part of the ship's Western Pacific deployment.

BOXARG arrived in 7th Fleet in support of the Navy's maritime strategy, which includes maritime interdiction operations, counter piracy, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and to promote peace and stability in the region.

"We are entering the Western Pacific area of operation on our transit west with all of our mission capabilities at the ready to support U.S. forces and our regional partners," said Commander, Amphibious Squadron 1 Capt. J. Curtis Shaub. "Our Sailors and Marines continue to train during our passage through 7th Fleet, maintaining their already superb level of proficiency."

The ready group consists of the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4), amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20) and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45). The ARG is comprised of more than 4,000 personnel with approximately 1,800 Sailors and 2,200 embarked Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

"The world is seeing a high amount of unrest in multiple locations, and with the enduring sea-based assets of our Navy/Marine Team, deployable to over 80 percent of the earth, we can deliver a multitude of capabilities across the spectrum of kinetic and humanitarian mission sets," said Shaub. "We also partner with nations, training and exercising, to lend additional stability and learn from our global friends, neighbors and allies."

Other elements of the BOXARG include the Fleet Surgical Team 3; Tactical Air Control Squadron 11; Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23, Det. 5; Assault Craft Unit 1, Det. C; Assault Craft Unit 5, Det. C and Beach Master Unit 1, Det. E.

The 7th Fleet area of responsibility includes more than 48 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean, running from the international date line to the eastern coast of Africa, and from the Antarctic to the Kuril Islands, Northeast of Japan. It contains more than half of the world's population.

U.S. 7th Fleet units take part in as many as 100 bilateral and multilateral exercises each year. In addition to these exercises, ships deployed to the 7th Fleet conduct more than 250 port visits every year, as ambassadors of the United States of America.