 Hello, shipmates. I wanted to chat with you about the month of April and sexual assault awareness month, a topic recognized around the world, both in civilian society as well as within many partner nation militaries. This year, the Department of Defense is following the theme, live our values, step up to stop sexual assault. Sexual assault prevention and response is a priority year round, but April brings special focused attention to the impact and scope of sexual assault, as well as renewed attention towards effective methods of prevention. I encourage all of you to take time this month and review where we've been over the past year. Just to name a few initiatives, we started a program called Victim Legal Counsel. These are JAGs in direct support of victims of sexual assault. We began hiring deployment resiliency counselors for our big deck ships in order to provide continuity of care for our deploying carrier and expeditionary strike groups. And we also instituted roving patrols in an attempt to curb the destructive behaviors happening on our bases. These initiatives are already making a positive difference. We're controlling what we own. Later in the month, I'd like you to sit down with your shipmates, your coworkers, and think ahead to the next year and dedicate yourself to be an active bystander, to step up and intervene in potentially destructive situations. Each of our installations and commands will highlight this month in their own way. Get out and participate in events, meet your local SARCs and victim advocates, and talk to your shipmates about bystander intervention. Help me raise awareness, promote prevention, and challenge existing social norms and beliefs. Step up to stop sexual assault.