It's a drill that everyone who responded to hopes that they never have to. This particular exercise also included a notable variation.

The alleged victim - hesitant, tentative and subdued - showed up on the morning of April 1 at Naval Hospital Bremerton's Urgent Care Clinic. In a shaken voice, the injured party explained to the clerk about being sexually assaulted.

For this drill, the traumatized service member was male.

This was no April fool's joke, as the entire month is designated by the Navy as Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Month. The theme this year is "Eliminate sexual assault. Know your part. Do your part." That is exactly what NHB staff members did as the command's victim care protocols were immediately tested by Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) and Sexual Assault Forensic Examinations (SAFE) teams.

Joe was initially met by an admission clerk and brought directly to the back. As Lt. j.g. Justin Cisterino, Urgent Care Clinic nurse, conducted a clinical evaluation, the floodgates partially opened as Joe explained why he was there.

Troubles at home with his wife lead to a night that started at a local watering hole the previous Saturday. He met a guy that was also having similar issues with his wife. One beer led to multiple, shared pitchers of beer, and shots of whiskey. Hazy recollections of departing the bar, entering an apartment, waking unclothed with a dim sensation of being sexually assaulted surfaced. Finally, emotionally troubled and in physical pain, Joe sought the care and support he needed.

After being quickly triaged in a designated isolation room in the UCC, a victim advocate and SAFE examiner and assistant were paged. Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Andrea Arenas had just received her certification that same morning as a victim advocate. It was her first time to work such a case. Part of her duties included explaining how the Navy restricted and unrestricted reporting policy encourages victims to seek the medical treatment that is available to them without fear of reprisal or stigma.

"He was so convincing that I wasn't certain at first if this was a drill or real. I'm glad it was a drill. On my way down to answer the call I was trying to remember everything. I was nervous and I can see how it can be a very nerve-wracking experience for both victim and victim advocate. This was a definite learning experience," said Arenas, a Maryland native assigned to NHB's OB/GYN clinic and one of 15 victim advocates at the command, with three more in the pipeline and another five enrolled in the April training.

Being a victim advocate is not just a collateral duty for someone like Arenas.

"A victim advocate is an emotional commitment. They tend to volunteer for the duty because of some extreme personal reason. Conducting training like this is huge, because it is scary, not only for the victim. If there are errors to be made in following protocol, this is the time to do it. Things work better in a classroom than in real life which is why we need to go through these steps to work through those errors," said Chief Fire Controlman Joseph Reck, who played the role of the victim and has served as a victim advocate for eight years.

"I have personally known someone who had been sexually assaulted and didn't want to come forward. If there was someone like me or another trained victim advocate, we could have been there because it's just really scary to go through alone," Arenas said.

Having a male as the sexual assault victim for this drill was specifically planned on purpose.

The U.S. Government Accounting Office (GAO) released its report, Military Personnel: Actions Needed to Address Sexual Assaults of Male Service members on March 19, 2015, and stated that the Department of Defense (DOD) has taken steps to address sexual assaults of service members generally, but it has not used all of its data, such as analyses that show significantly fewer male service members than females reporting when they are sexually assaulted, to inform program decision making.

"A drill like this, not to mention the actual event, really takes people out of their comfort zone to try and handle one of the most uncomfortable situations; sexual assault, especially if it's male on male," said Reck, a California native and Washington resident.

In 2014, DOD data show that 1,180 males and 4,104 females reported a sexual assault to DOD.

GAO's analysis of sexual assault prevalence estimates using the results of a study conducted for DOD by the RAND Corporation shows that at most 13 percent of males reported their assaults, whereas at least 40 percent of females reported.

That means that for every male that reported such an assault, there were three or four who did not. Joe was the one who did.

According to Lt. Angela Sadosky, occupational therapist and SAPR program coordinator, this SAPR drill was intended to provide hands-on training to ensure command readiness for treatment of victims of sexual assault by incorporating a coordinated treatment approach for the victim, which includes medical, mental health, legal, investigative, security, chaplain, Fleet and Family Support Center, and civilian resources.

"My hope in holding this SAPR drill on April 1 is that it will raise command awareness of sexual assault protocols and drive home the message that anyone can be a victim of sexual assault. We want to break the stigma that sexual assault only happens to women," explained Sadosky. "It is extremely important to practice victim care protocols during these SAPR drills so that those who treat victims of sexual assault are ready to provide the most comprehensive medical and advocacy services to these victims."

Along with being contacted by the victim advocate, sexual assault forensic examinations are also part of the command's response ability in conjunction with the SAPR Program to prevent and eliminate sexual assault.

The SAFE examiner role was filled by Lt. Sarah Huley who further explained the step-by-step process she would handle if this was a real case, from conducting a physical examination to obtaining digital imagery for official documentation.

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Nathan Cole, NHB lead victim advocate, and Reck, both attest that it's vital that a victim advocate rely more on empathy and sympathy than their medical training in helping the sexual assault victim. The entire process can be daunting.

"The paperwork itself can be completely overwhelming. To process through so much information at such a time is almost impossible," Reck said.

"This drill gave us the chance to go detail by detail. HM3 Arenas did very good and now she's been through a great learning experience. It's hard to simulate handling emotions in a classroom. I'm glad she got this experience," added Cole.

After receiving their certification, victim advocates then have two years to recertify by completing 40 hours of training on-line or back in the classroom. A live drill helps to augment such training.

"When completing the SAPR drill today, the assigned victim advocate for the case was new. This drill allowed her and the SAFE examiner the experience to put into practice what they were trained to do in the sexual assault process. They gained knowledge in their strengths, as well as understanding weaknesses they can improve upon in their roles, so that victims of sexual assault receive the best support we can provide," Sadosky said.

The Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) directed military treatment facility like NHB two years ago to establish a multidisciplinary team to be able to handle any type of sexual assault case with a staff trained and ready to provide timely and appropriate medical care as soon as possible.

NHB's SAPR and SAFE are comprehensive programs that reinforce a culture of prevention, response, and accountability for the safety, dignity, and well-being of Sailors and Marines. The Department of the Navy does not tolerate sexual assault.

"We hope we never have to use this type of training that we did today. If we do, we will be prepared to provide the necessary medical and emotional help to any victim. SAPR and SAFE are important because we care for our own and will provide follow-up services and consults if needed," said Cmdr. Susan Toyama, NHB Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Training Facilitator and Quality Management department head.

There are two drills slated for this month at NHB to recognize Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness month.

Every Tuesday during April, victim advocates will pass out awareness (teal) ribbons to interested staff members to show their support in preventing sexual assault. In addition to the ribbons, staff will be asked to fill out a small questionnaire which prompts them to think about how they actually play a part in preventing sexual assault. There is also a 5K run to raise awareness of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention, and a SAPR Relay Race.

"We encourage participants of these events to wear teal in support of SAAP, and our SAPR team mission," said Sadosky.

On a regular basis, NHB ensures that sexual assault education is provided to every Sailor. In addition, there is a informational photo board on the first floor displaying the command's victim advocates, so staff as well as beneficiaries are aware of who they can turn to in case they have questions or need help. Additionally throughout the entire hospital, DoD Safe Helpline posters are affixed so everyone knows where to turn for increased professional help if needed.

NHB's SAPR program and SAFE capability provide a balance of focused education, comprehensive response, compassionate advocacy, and just adjudication in order to promote professionalism, respect, and trust, while preserving Navy mission readiness.

Sadosky notes that the SAPR drill was conducted in a very real way that allowed all of those involved to refresh their knowledge and skills on how to best care for a victim of sexual assault.

"I would like this drill to serve as a reminder that all who are associated with our command to always be prepared and ready to provide care and support to victims of sexual assault," said Sadosky, adding that NHB has a host of events throughout the month to continue sexual assault awareness and prevention month recognition.


For more news from Naval Hospital Bremerton, visit www.navy.mil/.