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Gen. Mike Minihan, Commander of Air Mobility Command, visits the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station June 8, 2024.

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Niagara holds training classes for April's Sexual Assault Awareness Month

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Andrew Caya
  • 914th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. --  This month, the 914th Airlift Wing is slated to implement new activities for Sexual Assault Awareness Month training designed to educate Niagara Airmen on sexual assault.

Senior Airman Dillon Pinkham a 914th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintenance technician hosted a training session in support of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, but it's not a briefing or a slideshow. Are you ready to throw some punches?

Pinkham earned a second-degree black belt in Judo, first-degree in Traditional Jujitsu as well as a Green Belt in Kenpo Karate. He said he is willing to teach people how to defend themselves if they get into a less-than desirable situation.

"This type of training is needed," said Pinkham. "There are physical and sexual assaults often reported on the television, internet and other media, so there needs to be a mentality of not allowing yourself to be a victim," he added.

The classes entailed a general safety brief as well as a hands-on demonstration and were held April 7 and 8 in the base Community Activity Center.

The self defense training was just one of the events planned for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, said Nikki Slaughter, the wing's Sexual Assault Response Coordinator and Behavioral Health Support Coordinator.

Slaughter stated the wing is supporting other events in the community such as The Western New York Resource Summit of Female Veterans and Servicemembers held on April 13 from 10:00 to 14:00 at Medaille College, The Clothesline Project April 18 from 11:30 to 13:00 at the CAC on base, Jeans for Justice Day on April 24th for all civilians who work on base, and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes held on April 27 at the Crisis Services - 2969 Main St. Buffalo, NY.

In addition to supporting agencies and functions such as the SAPR office, victim advocates, or the chapel, to name a few, Airmen interested in learning more about the SAPR program can visit the Air Force's SAPR website. Resources there include links to Military One Source, videos, data, and mobile apps designed to combat sexual assault in the Air Force.

For more information on these events as well as general questions contact the 914th Airlift Wing SARC at 716-236-2576 or tamekia.slaughter@us.af.mil.

For a schedule of this month's events click here.