69. CSM Marisa Saucedo: Yeah, I Fell…But I Got Back Up!

Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS

Being in the US Army Reserve requires discipline. And commitment. And top-notch performance. If you fail at any of these there can be serious consequences…including being discharged. One of the requirements is that during “battle assembly” (weekend training) you have to be there; if a Soldier fails to attend on a consistent basis, they can face that discharge. Such was the case of then Sergeant Marisa Saucedo. She failed to show up for battle assembly—a lot. So much so that almost a year had gone by, and Marisa hadn’t shown up for battle assembly. And eventually, she got called in to her commander’s office for a disciplinary review for her unsatisfactory attendance and performance. She was about to be kicked out of the Army Reserve. But fortunately, Marisa had an exemplary commander who asked her what she wanted from the Army…she explained that she wanted to serve her country and remain in the Reserves. Then she told her commander why she hadn’t been coming to battle assembly: that she was in an abusive relationship and that her significant other was forbidding her from attending battle assembly, but that she was going to get out of the relationship. Her commander gave Sgt. Saucedo a second, and final, chance. That was 20 years ago. Today Marisa is a Command Sergeant Major, the second highest rank for an enlisted Soldier. CSM Saucedo is an exemplary Soldier. And she is also a civilian who holds a career as an Army Reserve Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Program Director and an Army SARC (Sexual Assault Response Coordinator). Marisa feels like she has the best of both her military and civilian worlds. She loves and excels at her job.

Marisa is an extremely articulate and intelligent person…these qualities shine in this episode, and I feel extremely honored and privileged to have her on this show. Because Marisa not only explains what she does as a SARC and Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention SHARP Program Director, but she also was willing to tell us about her sexual assault and interpersonal violence experience, and about her healing journey. There’s much benefit to be gained in listening to this episode; I hope you listen to this, and that you Start by Believing; because we all know someone whose life has been affected by rape or sexual assault. And finally, please share this episode with everyone you know.

https://markel-consulting.com

https://startbybelieving.org

https://evawi.org

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