R 211644Z AUG 13
UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 413/13
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MF(UC)/F002//
SUBJ/EXECUTION GUIDANCE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAMS//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/CAMPAIGN PLAN/YMD:20120620//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/MCO 1752.5B/YMD:20130301//
REF/C/MSGID:DOC/DODI 6495.02/YMD:20130328//
NARR/REF A IS THE SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE CAMPAIGN PLAN SIGNED 20 JUNE 2012. REF B IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 1752.5B, SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PROGRAM.  REF C IS DOD INSTRUCTION 6495.02, SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PROGRAM PROCEDURES//
POC/KIM MOBLEY/MAJ/UNIT:MFB/-/TEL:703-432-9100//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  PURPOSE. TO PROVIDE EXECUTION GUIDANCE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAMS (SART).  SARTS PROVIDE A COORDINATED, MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH, AND VICTIM-CENTERED RESPONSE TO ADDRESS SEXUAL ASSAULT. REFERENCE (A) ESTABLISHED THE REQUIREMENT FOR A SART AT EACH MARINE CORPS INSTALLATION.
2.  BACKGROUND. IN APRIL 2012, THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS (CMC) CONVENED AN OPERATIONAL PLANNING TEAM (OPT), COMPRISED OF SENIOR OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MARINES, TO DEVELOP A CORPS-WIDE CAMPAIGN PLAN FOCUSED ON REDUCING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MARINE CORPS.
3.  AS PART OF THE CAMPAIGN PLAN, THE OPT IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR A SART CAPABILITY AT EACH MARINE CORPS INSTALLATION.  THE SART SUPPORTS FIRST RESPONDERS AND VICTIMS AND PROVIDES A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TOWARDS EFFICIENT INVESTIGATIVE PRACTICES, FORENSIC EVIDENCE COLLECTION, AND VICTIM ADVOCACY AND CARE BY NESTING THE VARIOUS EXISTING FUNCTIONS INTO A FOCUSED AND DEDICATED TEAM DESIGNED TO EFFECTIVELY RESPOND TO SEXUAL ASSAULTS.  MOST IMPORTANTLY, MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND LEGAL ASSISTANCE ARE INTRODUCED EARLY IN VICTIM CARE.  BY ITS NATURE, THE SART'S EFFICIENCY IS GAINED BY PARTNERING FIRST RESPONDERS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FROM THE INITIAL INTERACTION WITH VICTIMS TO THE CONCLUSION OF CARE.
4.  THE INSTALLATION SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE COORDINATOR (SARC) WILL COORDINATE AND CHAIR THE SART.  SARTS WILL INCLUDE, AT A MINIMUM, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FOLLOWING AGENCIES/PERSONNEL:
A. NAVAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE (NCIS), PROVOST MARSHALS OFFICE (PMO)/MARINE CORPS POLICE DEPARTMENT (MCPD), SARC, VA, STAFF JUDGE ADVOCATE (SJA)/TRIAL COUNSEL, A MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REPRESENTATIVE (IF AVAILABLE), AND SEXUAL ASSAULT FORENSIC EXAMINER.
B. PARTICIPANTS IN THE SARTS SHALL BE INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN ADDRESS TRENDS AND PERSISTENT CHALLENGES AND WORK TO INSTITUTE CHANGES IDENTIFIED BY THE SART.
C. FOR THOSE INSTALLATIONS WHERE AN IMMEDIATE SART RESPONSE CAPABILITY IS NOT AVAILABLE, THE SART CAN INCLUDE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES INCLUDING: LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, RAPE CRISIS CENTERS, DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, FEDERAL TASK FORCES, EXISTING CIVILIAN SARTS, NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS SPECIALIZING IN SEXUAL ASSAULT, OR PERSONNEL FROM OTHER MILITARY SERVICES WHO PROVIDE RESPONSE CAPABILITY.  NOTE: INFORMATION FOUND IN THE PRIVACY ACT SYSTEM OF RECORDS MAY NOT BE DISCLOSED TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE DOD WITHOUT CONSENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNED.
D.  NCIS AND SJA THAT PROVIDE REGIONAL SUPPORT TO INSTALLATIONS WITHOUT IMMEDIATE RESPONSE CAPABILITIES SHALL ATTEND THOSE REMOTE INSTALLATION SART MEETINGS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, AT A MINIMUM.  PHYSICAL PRESENCE IS NOT REQUIRED AND VTC/TELECONFERENCE IS ACCEPTABLE.
5.  SARTS ARE INSTALLATION ASSETS THAT SUPPORT COMMANDERS BY COORDINATING RESPONSE EFFORTS AND VICTIM ADVOCACY IN ALL CASES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.  SARTS CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING CAPABILITIES ACROSS INSTALLATIONS.  IN CASES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT THAT DO NOT OCCUR ON A MARINE CORPS INSTALLATION OR WHERE VICTIMS RECEIVE MEDICAL CARE FROM A LOCAL PROVIDER, THE SART MAY NOT BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH INITIAL RESPONSE, BUT STILL MAINTAINS RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE CASE MANAGEMENT GROUP (CMG) AND FOLLOW-UP VICTIM CARE.
6.  INSTALLATIONS WITH MEDICAL CLINICS, VERSUS 24/7 MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES, SHALL FORM SARTS IN COORDINATION WITH THE NEAREST NAVAL MEDICAL FACILITY OR NEAREST MILITARY INSTALLATION WHERE SEXUAL ASSAULT FORENSIC EXAMINATIONS (SAFES) ARE CONDUCTED. THOSE FACILITIES THAT DO NOT HAVE 24/7 CAPABILITY, MAY FORM A SART WITH LOCAL CIVILIAN FACILITIES WHERE SAFES ARE CONDUCTED. THE SART IS AN INSTALLATION LEVEL REQUIREMENT AND IS NOT REQUIRED FOR EACH MEDICAL FACILITY.
7.   WHEN APPROPRIATE, COLLABORATION SHOULD OCCUR AMONG THOSE INSTALLATIONS WHERE 24/7 MEDICAL CARE IS NOT AVAILABLE ON THAT INSTALLATION, BUT IS PROVIDED AT A NEARBY (WITHIN A 50 MILE RADIUS) INSTALLATION.  IF THIS IS NOT FEASIBLE, PER REFERENCE (B), MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING (MOUS) OR MEMORANDUMS OF AGREEMENT(MOAS) SHALL BE ESTABLISHED WITH LOCAL CIVILIAN MEDICAL FACILITIES TO PROVIDE DOD-REIMBURSABLE HEALTHCARE (TO INCLUDE PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE) AND FORENSIC EXAMINATIONS FOR SERVICE MEMBERS AND TRICARE ELIGIBLE SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS.
8.  PER REFERENCE (C), HQMC MFB SHALL ESTABLISH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY SEXUAL ASSAULT ADVISORY GROUP (SAAG).  THE SAAG SHALL BE COMPOSED OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS, TO INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:  NCIS, FAMILY ADVOCACY PROGRAM (FAP), RELIGIOUS MINISTRIES (REL), PLANS, POLICIES, AND OPERATIONS (PP&O), MANPOWER POLICY FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY (MPE), TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMAND (TECOM), THE NAVY BUREAU OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY (BUMED), JUDGE ADVOCATE DIVISION (JAD), BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND HEALTH SERVICES (HS).  TRENDS AND ISSUES IDENTIFIED AT THE INSTALLATION SART THAT CANNOT BE ADDRESSED OR RESOLVED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL CAN BE ELEVATED TO THE HQMC SAAG TO BE CONSIDERED AS A TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION.
9.  MARINE CORPS PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SART HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BY HQMC MFB, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NCIS, BUMED, JAD, AND PP&O.  THESE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES WILL BE PROVIDED TO INSTALLATION SARCS AND CHIEFS OF STAFF.  TRAINING ON SART PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES WILL BE PROVIDED TO INSTALLATION SARCS DURING THE SARC TRAINING AT MARINE CORPS BASE, QUANTICO IN AUGUST 2013.
10.  EVERY INSTALLATION SHALL PARTICIPATE IN A SART NO LATER THAN 30 SEPTEMBER 2013.  THIS REQUIREMENT WILL BE ADDED TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FUNCTIONAL AREA CHECKLIST BEGINNING 1ST QUARTER FY 2014.
11.  POLICY REQUIRING SARTS WILL BE REFLECTED IN AN UPCOMING CHANGE TO REFERENCE (B).
12.  RELEASED AUTHORIZED BY BRIGADIER GENERAL R. A. C. SANBORN, DIRECTOR, MARINE AND FAMILY PROGRAMS DIVISION.//