First-time event recognizes awareness month

Master Sergeant Sandra Gaston has been a runner since joining the Army 20 years ago. She's participated in runs that have recognized everything from domestic violence awareness to St. Patrick's Day.

When the chance came to promote a threefold awareness month - sexual abuse, domestic violence and Month of the Military Child - she jumped at the opportunity to suggest a fun run.

"It's exercise, but it's also about learning what to do should something happen to you," Gaston explained.

In addition to her duties as Army Material Command's equal opportunity program manager, Gaston is the unit victim advocate with AMC and interacts with Army Community Service's victim advocate and sexual assault response coordinator, Robin White, to make sure her unit stays current on the dangers of sexual assault.

Throughout the month of April, she helps put on events to highlight the importance of sexual abuse prevention and awareness, including self-defense training and informative brochures.

The idea for a run seemed natural to Gaston.

"At other installations, it seemed like almost every month, there was a run for something," she said. "There's not a lot of that here at Belvoir. I hope this is the start of more."
According to White, unit victim advocates are required to organize some sort of awareness function for the month. Gaston's idea, she said, was a great one.

"She took the lead and ran with it, literally," White said. "I wasn't well-versed on how to put something like that together, but she was used to it. She kept me abreast of everything and ran everything by me. It's her baby and she did an excellent job."

White offered kudos to Gaston for initiating such a huge undertaking on top of her regular duties. "It takes a lot of time and energy. [ACS will] be there in support of it."
More runs at Fort Belvoir would help camaraderie among participants and keep participants close to home, Gaston said.

"It's great for the Soldiers," she said. "You don't have to head off-post or downtown to D.C. You just say, 'Hey, it's right here at Belvoir. Let's do it.'"

Gaston said she hopes the recognition that comes with an accomplishment like a run might be enough to push more people to participate. Most people enjoy incentives such as medals and awards, she said, and would jump at the chance to receive them.

Whether runners decide to get out there for the exercise, the training opportunity or just to enjoy a local run in the spring weather, the most important thing is to remember what the run is about.

"Whether it's sexual assault, domestic violence, military children or whatever else, everyone should treat this with fair and equal importance," she said.