SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras –
Soldiers from accompanying units, under the command of Joint Task Force-Bravo, kicked off Sexual Assault Awareness Prevention Month and attended the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response (SHARP) Victim Advocate certification training course held at Soto Cano Air Base, April 4 to 15, 2016.
The victim advocate certification course was instructed by Roger W. Dickerson, an Army North SHARP instructor from Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
"This was a great class; I really had fun," said Dickerson. "We had great discussions about the subject at hand. I got the chance to know a little bit about each and every one of (the participants) for the past couple of weeks and I think you guys are going to do some great things. We definitely got some great soldiers for this program."
The purpose of the SHARP course is to train, educate, evaluate and certify command-selected personnel as victim advocates. The class consisted of an 80-hour certification course, which included tests and capstones.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kenneth D. Terrell, JTF-Bravo Installation SHARP Victim Advocate, commented to the class, "You don't have to flip tables or throw chairs to get the message across, but what you do have to do is something."
After graduation was complete, soldiers were greeted by U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. James M. Trachier, Joint Task Force-Bravo chief of staff.
"Go forth. Do good. Be that visible force, be that visible sign, a visible reminder that sexual harassment and sexual assault is not tolerated," Trachier said.
Soldiers that graduated from the course will now take leadership in coordinating and managing the Joint Task Force-Bravo installation advocacy program while providing direct advocacy support to victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault.
JTF- Bravo also held a 5K SHARP run to promote awareness against sexual harassment and sexual assault for Sexual Assault Awareness Prevention Month.