Defense Officials Tout Progress in Fight Against Sexual Assault

April 30, 2020 | BY JIM GARAMONE , DOD News

The Defense Department is making progress in combating sexual assault and harassment in the military, DOD officials said in announcing the release of the department's annual report on sexual assault in the military for fiscal year 2019.

Officials said they are encouraged because the rate of reporting sexual assaults has risen 3%. This may seem counterintutitive, but it does indicate progress, Nate Galbreath, the acting director of DOD's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, said.

In fiscal 2019, there were 6,236 reports from service members on sexual assaults, up from 6,053 in fiscal 2018. Still, Galbreath said, he cannot say that the rate of the crime dropped, because the department did not conduct a survey this year to assess the prevalence of sexual assault, and the crimes tend to be underreported. That survey is happening now.

"Sexual assault remains an underreported crime, both in the military and in the U.S. population writ large," he said. The department uses the 2018 data to estimate that just under 15,000 instances of sexual assault take place in the military over a year.

A service member who experiences a sexual assault and wants to report it has two options — a restricted report or an unrestricted report. "We generally view more reporting of the crime as a positive thing, because it helps us connect victims to services," Galbreath said. "It also helps us and gives us a chance to hold offenders appropriately accountable."

More reporting is good because it means more of the victims have confidence in the systems put in place, he added.

When surveyed, service members believe the situation is moving in the right direction, albeit slowly, he said. First responders — SAPRO professionals, law enforcement personnel and others surveyed for the first time — said that the impetus is coming from senior leaders. Now, they said, the effort needs to concentrate on midlevel enlisted personnel — those most closely allied with troops.

These young leaders need to model the correct behavior, because they are the individuals most likely to set expectations and foster a good unit climate, Galbreath said.

“Enlisted members in these grades are at a relatable age to younger members and are believed to exemplify desired standards of proficiency, knowledge and effectiveness," the report states. "Participants believed these individuals … are uniquely positioned to lead young, enlisted members due to their frequent workplace interaction."

Punishing the perpetrators is one aspect that needs to be pursued, but stopping the problem is the ultimate goal for DOD, the acting director said. "As we go into the world of prevention — and we really do build out a system of prevention in the Department of Defense — we need greater and more empowered workforce to be able to do that," he said. "And in addition to that, we need an additional set of metrics to ensure that we are … moving the needle on this problem."

DOD's focus is on military climate and culture. The shorthand is that good leaders make good units, officials said, noting that units that are respectful and healthy reduce the risk of sexual assault.

It is not an easy fix, and much needs to come together to get at this problem, Galbreath said. DOD addresses the bane of sexual assault holistically with prevention, prosecution, aid to victims and more as the integral parts of the solution, he added.

Navy Provides Medical Care to Sailors Aboard USS Kidd

April 30, 2020

As part of the Navy's aggressive response to the COVID-19 outbreak aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd, the ship arrived at Naval Base San Diego on April 28 to receive medical care for its sailors and to clean and disinfect the ship.

"Sailors have called San Diego home for many years, and we're especially thankful for that relationship now," Navy Vice Adm. Richard A. Brown, commander of Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, said. "Taking care of our sailors and cleaning this ship is a team effort, and we're fortunate that the partnership between the Navy and the city of San Diego is allowing us to focus on that mission."

USS Kidd was at sea participating in counternarcotics operations in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility, when several sailors began exhibiting influenza-like illness symptoms. One sailor was medically evacuated to the United States on April 22 after experiencing shortness of breath.

U.S. Pacific Fleet redirected the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island — with its robust medical facility that includes an intensive care unit, ventilators, and additional testing capability — to rendezvous with the Kidd. On April 23, eight medical personnel boarded the Kidd with an Abbott machine to begin testing the crew for COVID-19.

USS Kidd's executive officer, Navy Cmdr. Matt Noland, released a letter via social media to friends and family April 24. In it, Noland wrote, "The Navy pulled out all the stops — specialist doctors have already arrived from the United States to test and help care for our shipmates."

As Navy leadership solidified plans to return the ship to port, sailors who warranted closer observation were transported to Makin Island, out of caution for their health and the health of the sailors still aboard, while an additional sailor was medically evacuated to the United States. Meanwhile, the ship's crew began intensive cleaning efforts while still underway.

All sailors will be isolated off-ship with medical screenings conducted twice a day. Crew members who have tested negative will enter a period of quarantine to be monitored by military health professionals for symptoms. Finally, a small contingent of negative tested sailors will remain on the ship for essential services and deep-cleaning. These sailors will be outfitted with appropriate personal protective equipment, and will maintain social distancing in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidance.

"San Diego may not be USS Kidd's home port, but we are definitely being made to feel at home," Navy Cmdr. Nathan Wemett, the ship's commanding officer, said. "I am personally grateful to know that we have such a strong bond with our Navy communities. It's the strength of those bonds that helps us work together in challenging situations."

In addition to caring for the sailors' physical health, the Navy is providing a resilience counselor and a team of chaplains and psychologists to care for the mental and spiritual health of the sailors in isolation and quarantine. The Navy has also established a 24-hour roving patrol to ensure that sailors who are sequestered off-ship are adhering to all public health and safety policies.

USS Kidd sailors have been instructed to immediately report any influenza-like illness symptoms to help prevent spread of the virus — an important lesson the Navy learned from USS Theodore Roosevelt sailors who were quarantined in Guam. Sailors who were screened for quarantine were asymptomatic, with several initially testing negative. Upon later developing symptoms, those sailors were able to be isolated and treated appropriately.

While in San Diego, the ship will undergo a strategic deep-cleaning regimen that balances decontamination while preventing damage to the ship's critical systems. The cleaning process begins with spaces being vacated for seven days — four days longer than the minimum recommended by the CDC. The ship will be cleaned room by room, with access to each space restricted. The process is expected to take about two weeks, at which time the confirmed healthy sailors will return to the ship, and the off-going sailors will begin their quarantine.

(Courtesy of Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.)

Certain Victory: A-10 Pilots Persevere During COVID-19

April 30, 2020 | BY AIR FORCE STAFF SGT. GREG NASH

Since the early days of World War II, the will to win has been an unmatched factor for the pilots of the 25th Fighter Squadron. Whether flying over the Himalayan Mountains in the 1940s or staying mission-ready today, the Korean Peninsula's premier close air support fighter squadron known as the ''Assam Draggins'' carry on a legacy that epitomizes their Korean motto, ''Pil Sung,'' or ''Certain Victory.''

Now, the Sons of Pil Sung look to add another victory to the win column by persevering through the COVID-19 global pandemic. With COVID-19 mitigation measures affecting many things, they have not stopped the squadron from being ''Fight Tonight'' ready.

''The 'always ready' mindset reminds us that no matter what is going on, we must always be ready to perform our job and 'Attack!''' said Air Force 1st Lt. Matthew Dorsey,  a pilot with the 25th Fighter Squadron. ''It also emphasizes the importance of following the applicable mitigation measures to ensure that we keep ourselves healthy, and everyone we come in contact with is safe.

''The biggest reward of our sustained operations through COVID-19 has been taking the A-10s to the Pil Sung range and shooting the gun,'' Dorsey continued. ''There isn't a better sound than hearing the A-10 cannon's 'Brrrrrtttttt' after you spent all weekend social distancing. The professionalism and expertise in the squadron has sustained our operations and allowed us to be flexible. Flexibility is the key to airpower.''

The squadron embraces this flexibility, but with a twist. While balancing risk mitigation with maintaining the ''Fight Tonight'' attitude, members of the squadron follow the strict guidelines set by U.S. Forces Korea and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by greeting each other with elbow bumps and encouraging ''25 Pil Sung-second'' hand washing techniques.

Within the Draggins, Dorsey explained, finding ways to insert the squadron's number, 25, into normal conversation and activities is considered a demonstration of witty intelligence. Failure to use them in any circumstance is lightheartedly considered poor form.

Whether huddling during weather briefs, stepping to their jets or strafing over the Pil Sung Range, the Draggins never miss an opportunity to sustain their identity, vision, and commitment toward continually claiming certain victory.

(Air Force Staff Sgt. Greg Nash is assigned to the 51st Fighter Wing.)