FORT WORTH, Texas (Apr. 22, 2021) – A Full-Time Support staff member assigned at Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) New Orleans was recently selected as the sole recipient of the 2021 Exceptional Military Victim Advocate Award for outstanding contributions supporting service members and dependents.
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Patrick Kilcline, from Kokomo, Indiana, received the news of his selection by the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) Board of Directors and staff in a congratulatory letter earlier this month.
“I was surprised,” said Kilcline. “I really didn’t expect it. To be honest, I’d say I was just doing my job. I don’t think I’ve done anything extraordinary besides just staying current and competent.”
Kilcline also received an official invitation to attend, as a Guest of Honor, NOVA’s 47th Annual Training Event, scheduled for September 11-14, in Orlando, Florida. During the event, Kilcline will be formally recognized for his contributions as a military victim advocate.
“I would rank this as high, if not higher than any other award I have ever received,” said Kilcline. “This award tells me that I am doing my job. I am contributing to a cause greater than myself, and I am just honored to be part of the program.”
Having served as a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program victim advocate (SAPR VA) at Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base (NAS JRB) New Orleans for nearly three years, Kilcline reflected on what inspired him to become a qualified SAPR VA and the significance of his role in support of military service members.
“The SAPR program is such an invaluable resource,” said Kilcline. “You have members who have gone through, likely, the worst situation of their lives. So, to have these resources available where members know they can come get the assistance they need, and have the option to decide whether they’d like to make it a restricted or unrestricted report is crucial. I think in a lot of cases that’s what helps people make the initial contact, the fact that they can talk to somebody, receive the care they need, and it can be entirely confidential.”
Kilcline continued, sharing his perspective on the importance and overall impact of the SAPR program.
“It ties into readiness,” he said. “But, on a deeper level, I think the program’s intended purpose is to help ensure a person’s well-being. I mean that’s somebody’s son or daughter, someone’s mother or father. That’s what’s most important. They are someone in need of assistance. And, that’s my job, to ensure they receive access to all of the available resources.”
As stated on the Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) website, the Navy’s SAPR program “services are available to victims regardless of whether the victim knows the offender, and regardless of where and when the assault took place.” The program’s mission is to “prevent and respond to sexual assault, eliminating it from our ranks through a balance of focused education, comprehensive response, compassionate advocacy, and just adjudication in order to promote professionalism, respect, and trust while preserving Navy mission readiness.”
According to his award nomination write up, Kilcline’s actions have been the epitome of that mission.
NAS JRB New Orleans Sexual Assault Response Coordinator Melissa Nauss wrote to the NOVA Board of Directors, “One thing that stood out to me most, is that on the anniversary of an assault, Kilcline made it a point to provide additional support, contact and care. The fact that Kilcline not only remembered this day, but also reached out to the client and provided additional support, is impressive. This innate ability to meet the client’s needs, by intuitively supporting the client in the same way that the advocate would want to be supported or the same way the advocate would want a family member supported, speaks volumes for HM1 Kilcline’s character.”
If you are the victim of sexual assault, immediate assistance is available by contacting your command’s designated SAPR program victim advocates or by calling the DoD Safe Helpline at 1-877-995-5247.