By Air Force Capt. Jennifer K. Proctor, 138th Fighter Wing
TULSA AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Okla., April 9, 2018 — Teal
ribbons adorned the lawn surrounding the Brig. Gen. Joseph W. Turner Complex
parking area here April 7, each signifying one of the 435 sexual assaults
reported within Air National Guard units throughout the United States in 2016.
“By seeing 435 ribbons, I hope to help airmen grasp the
damage that sexual assault has on the Air National Guard and our mission,” said
Air Force 2nd Lt Jennifer Carson, the 138th Fighter Wing’s sexual assault
response coordinator.
Carson and several other volunteers apparently were
successful in their sexual assault awareness and prevention campaign across the
wing. Air Force Senior Airman Shannan Hanson, a client systems technician in
the 138th Communications Flight, described the visualization as “overwhelming.”
“When you stop and think that each of those ribbons
represent an airman, it’s horrific,” Hanson said. “Each of them are a member of
our Guard family.”
Other airmen surveyed had similar feelings to Hanson’s, some
noting the trust in the program the airmen had shown by being confident enough
in the system to report a sexual assault without fear of retaliation.
Leaders’ Support
The wing’s leadership supports efforts to prevent and
eliminate sexual assault.
“Sexual assault has
no place within the Air National Guard,” Air Force Col. Raymond H. Siegfried
III, the 138th Fighter Wing commander, said. “We are a family, and we don’t
treat our family with anything but respect and dignity. Sexual assault is not
only a crime against the victim -- it degrades our readiness, relationships and
mission accomplishment. We are better than that.”
Carson said she hoped the display would lead to all of the
wing’s airmen taking a moment to consider how they can be involved in
eliminating sexual assault within the military.
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