PA SAPR Program Leads The Charge For SAAPM 2025
April marks Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM), and the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Program is proud to host the below events aimed at education, empowerment, and advocacy across the force.
1. Start by Believing Day on April 2, encouraging a cultural shift in how we respond to disclosures of sexual violence, with belief, not doubt.
2. The Rise to Run 5K and 1K Walk on April 6, at Carlisle Barracks brings the community together to raise funds for the Carlisle YWCA and the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR), with food trucks, rock climbing, and more.
3. SAPR Annual Refresher Training Week on April 7, with guest speaker Nicole Snell, CEO of Empowerment Journeys, Inc., providing two training workshops at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., open to the public, Ft. Indiantown Gap (FTIG), bldg. 8-80. Snell is a world class educator on setting professional and personal boundaries.
4. Denim Day on April 30, the longest-running campaign against victim blaming, by wearing denim to show solidarity with survivors.
5. The 2nd Annual DoD SAAPM Joint Summit on April 30, FTIG, featuring guest speaker Marissa Cohen and interactive sessions like “Let’s Set Some Boundaries” and “Talk to Anyone.”
Soldiers and Airmen can also engage with the SAPR team over coffee at the Teal Bean Café, a traveling awareness initiative offered by request throughout April.
For questions or coordination, contact Pete Mielo at 717-821-3324 or Beth Lacy at 717-821-0051.
55th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade – Task Force District Support To The 60th Presidential Inauguration
Every four years on January 20 the President of the United States is inaugurated in Washington, D.C. Historically, U.S. National Guard units provide defense support to civil authorities for the Presidential Inauguration, the inaugural parade, and other related events. The Pennsylvania National Guard (PNG) provided such support for the 60th Presidential Inauguration, continuing a legacy that began in 1789 when U.S. militiamen escorted George Washington to the very first inauguration.
More than 750 Pennsylvania Army and Air National Guard service members supported the event from Jan. 16-23, 2025 as part of Task Force District (TF-District), based around the 55th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade headquartered in Scranton, Pa. TF-District fell under Joint Task Force-District of Columbia, comprised of about 8,000 National Guard service members from approximately 40 states and territories. TF-District, commanded by U.S. Army Col. Brad Pierson, was also comprised of elements from the Mississippi, New York, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Virginia National Guards, totaling approximately 2,300 service members. TF-District was responsible for assisting civil authorities with crowd management, cordon security, traffic control, and other security, support, and sustainment efforts for the Presidential Inauguration and its related events.
TF-District proved resilient and adaptable during its support to civil authorities. Due to inclement weather concerns leading up to Jan. 20, the inauguration ceremony and inaugural address, which would normally occur outside the U.S. Capitol, instead occurred inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Furthermore, the inaugural parade, which normally takes place along Pennsylvania Avenue, beginning at the Capitol and ending at the White House, was moved indoors to the Capitol One Arena. These factors necessitated adaptability in planning, as well as effective communication and synchronization between TF District and interagency partners to ensure successful completion of missions.
Ultimately, TF-District provided security and traffic control support for many events surrounding the Presidential Inauguration, including a dinner event at the National Gallery of Art Jan. 19, a Trump victory rally at the Capitol One Arena Jan. 19, a pre-inauguration candlelight dinner at the National Building Museum Jan. 19, several inaugural balls at the Walter Washington Convention Center and Union Station on Jan. 20, a National Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral On Jan. 21, and more.
By end of mission, TF-District executed nine individual missions in support of the Presidential Inauguration, totaling more than 275,000 manhours of support. This includes staffing 85 traffic control points throughout the duration of the mission. Many TF-District service members speak fondly of the positive interactions they had with interagency partners and members of the local public while on the streets of D.C. Every Pennsylvania National Guard service member returned home safely at end of the eight-day mission. It was an honor for members of the 55th MEB and its auxiliary elements to support an event with such deep-rooted National Guard history.
U.S. Army Spc. Kane Lesoine, a motor transport operator assigned to the 121st Transportation Company, 213th Regional Support Group, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, shakes hands with a D.C. Metropolitan Police Department official while providing traffic control in Washington, D.C. as part of Joint Task Force-District of Columbia in support of the 60th Presidential Inauguration, Jan. 19, 2025. Approximately 8,000 National Guard service members from approximately 40 states and territories comprised JTF-DC to support the 60th Presidential Inauguration, continuing a legacy that began in 1789 when their predecessors escorted George Washington to the first inauguration. At the request of civil authorities, these National Guard service members provide critical support such as crowd management, traffic control points, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) response, civil disturbance response and sustainment operations. Their expertise and seamless collaboration with interagency partners help ensure a safe and peaceful transition of power during this historic event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith)
U.S. Army Spc. Jolene Riley, assigned to the 1069th Military Police Company, 55th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, coordinates with D.C. firefighters during Joint Task Force-District of Columbia's (JTF-DC) support of the 60th Presidential Inauguration Jan. 19, 2025. Approximately 8,000 National Guard service members from approximately 40 states and territories comprise JTF-DC to support the 60th Presidential Inauguration, continuing a legacy that began in 1789 when their predecessors escorted George Washington to the first inauguration. At the request of civil authorities, these National Guard service members provide critical support such as crowd management, traffic control points, CBRN response, civil disturbance response and sustainment operations. Their expertise and seamless collaboration with interagency partners help ensure a safe and peaceful transition of power during this historic event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith)
U.S. Army Col. Brad Pierson, commander of the 55th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, recognizes Spc. Laura Cerrato, a New York Army National Guard member, with a command coin for her extraordinary support to Joint Task Force-District of Columbia (JTF-DC) in support of the 60th Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C., Jan. 21, 2025. Approximately 8,000 National Guard service members from approximately 40 states and territories comprise JTF-DC to support the 60th Presidential Inauguration, continuing a legacy that began in 1789 when their predecessors escorted George Washington to the first inauguration. At the request of civil authorities, these National Guard service members provide critical support such as crowd management, traffic control points, CBRN response, civil disturbance response and sustainment operations. Their expertise and seamless collaboration with interagency partners help ensure a safe and peaceful transition of power during this historic event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith)
Keystone Connections Readiness Training Program Helps Raise Suicide Awareness
The Keystone Connections Readiness Training (KCRT) is a new and innovative suicide prevention program that takes a different approach to a difficult topic than what service members are familiar with. Facilitator-led training allows participants to interact on a personal level with members in their unit who they normally might not associate with outside of a military environment.
The training aims to normalize the reality of suicide and reduce the stigma that creates an aversion to seeking help. Through shared stories and small group conversations, common ground is found among unit members with diverse backgrounds. These connections encourage and strengthen the foundations of unit cohesion which is critical during times of crisis.
Resources are available to talk with service members about available services that can mitigate stressors in their lives. The KCRT also brings in non-military affiliated counselors for confidential one-on-one conversations. While the resources reinforce tools available to service members, the purpose of the counselors is two-fold. First, they serve to provide service members with the unique experience of meeting with a clinical professional. Secondly, they provide service members with the opportunity to speak confidentially and receive additional resources.
The KCRT continues to evolve with each event, however its tenets of raising suicide awareness, reducing the stigma against help-seeking behavior, and fostering a resilient force through unit cohesion remain constant.