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    Pennsylvania National Guard Honors 25 Years Of Sexual Assault Awareness Month 

    This April, the Pennsylvania National Guard (PANG) joined the Department of War and communities nationwide in observing Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM).

    Marking its 25th anniversary, this year's national theme was, "25 Years Stronger: Looking Back, Moving Forward." This theme honors the critical progress made in victim advocacy over the last quarter-century, while also renewing our commitment to entirely eradicating sexual assault and harassment from our formations.

    Across the force, PANG’s strategy has fundamentally shifted from a reactive posture, to integrated primary prevention. The National Guard Bureau has prioritized deploying civilian experts and dedicated uniformed prevention specialists at the brigade and wing levels. This ensures that prevention training, resources and influence reach guardsmen directly where they drill. Furthermore, to eliminate the fear of retaliation and protect our force, victim advocates (VAs) and sexual assault response coordinators (SARCs) have been strategically aligned outside the immediate unit chain of command.

    Sexual assault and harassment are direct threats to unit readiness, cohesion and the well-being of our service members. As we move forward, PANG relies on every soldier and airman to intervene, support survivors and foster a climate of absolute dignity and respect.

    April 2026 Observances and Events:

    Pennsylvania National Guard (PANG) members actively participated in this year's awareness initiatives across the state:

    • April 7, Wear Teal Day: Service members and civilian staff wore teal ribbons to spark conversations about prevention and signal visible support for survivors.
    • April 11, Rise to Run Five-Kilometer Race: Held in Carlisle, PA this event brought together soldiers, airmen and community members to run in solidarity with survivors and raise awareness for sexual assault prevention programs across the force.
    • April 29, Denim Day: Originating from an international pushback against victim-blaming, Denim Day is a visual protest against misconceptions surrounding sexual assault. Personnel were encouraged to participate in command-approved Denim Day observances.

    If you or someone you know needs support, contact your local sexual assault response coordinators, Victim Advocate, or the Department of War Safe Helpline.