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Leaders from the 21st Theater Sustainment Command officially marked the opening of the U.S. Army Europe Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Resource Center on Sembach Kaserne during a senior leader orientation and cake cutting ceremony Jan. 7.
The SHARP RC is a new partnership among USAREUR SHARP, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the Criminal Investigation Division and the office of the Staff Judge Advocate to create a one-stop resource center for victims of sexual assault.
“The purpose of the SHARP RC is to offer safe, comprehensive, victim-centered services to those within the Army family who have been victims of a SHARP incident,” said Maj. Gen. John R. O’Connor, commanding general of the 21st TSC. “It also serves as the center for SHARP training in the Kaiserslautern Military Community, and I am confident it will help to eradicate sexual assault and sexual harassment in our ranks.”
Lt. Col. Patricia K. Wright, commander of the TSC’s 21st Special Troops Battalion, said the major improvement and advantage is consolidating SHARP services under one roof.
“Anyone who needs these resources — survivors, family members, commanders — can find everything they need in one place,” she said. “They can have complete confidence all resources are available to them on-site. They won’t need to coordinate with a variety of facilities, make several trips or de-conflict appointment times, potentially at a traumatic point in their lives.”
Wright described the consolidation of the resource center under the special troops battalion as an ideal means of operationalizing O’Connor’s vision for combating sexual violence.
“Operationalizing this under a battalion was an ideal way not only to meet the CG’s strategic goals but to align our structure with business practices and priorities across the command,” she said. “He has made this one of his top priorities, and this approach made the best sense. It’s a leadership issue, not merely a staff process.”
The facility strives to ensure Soldiers are provided with the most up-to-date education and training in order to help meet the Army’s goal of eliminating sexual assault from its ranks.
“The resources center will staff professional and knowledgeable victim advocates for the purpose of victim advocacy services,” said Sgt. 1st Class James Watson, a sexual assault response coordinator with the 21st TSC. “Along with that, we will ensure that all units are trained with the most up-to-date curriculum to ensure prevention at the lowest level is the
focus.”
The facility employs a sexual assault response team consisting of various personnel capable of providing victims with a comprehensive, sensitive and coordinated system of intervention and care.
Those utilizing the SHARP RC have the ability to receive and have access to all these services at one location, Watson said.
“While victims will still be required to go to Landstuhl for medical treatment, all other services, such as CID, special victims counsel, behavioral health and victim advocacy services, can be completed at the new facility,” he said.
Watson added that though the facility’s main focus is the victims, it also can be used by other SARCs, victim advocates and tenant commands to gather information or resources for their individual programs.
“We can assist in providing trained instructors for unit-level required training as well as a training location when other venues are not available,” he said.
O’Connor said this center is important for the overall health of the Army family.
“There is no place for sexual assault or sexual harassment in the Army, or anywhere else for that matter,” he said.
Anyone wishing to receive the services provided by the SHARP RC can do so by visiting the facility on Sembach Kaserne, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, or by calling the 24-hour hotline at 0631-413-7280.
