Photo By Halle Thornton | A cake displays pictures of Paula Krause, Sexual Assault Response Coordinator and...... read more read more
“Click, click, click.”
You heard the sound of her heels coming down the hall before you even saw her.
Paula Krause, Sexual Assault Response Coordinator and program manager with the Schriever Air Force Base Sexual Assault Response and Prevention program, has been at Schriever since May 2010, and officially said farewell to the base March 5.
She began in the Family Advocacy Program, working there just over a year before she transitioned to the SAPR program.
She was excited to switch to the SAPR program because she would be dealing with victims more directly.
“I’m an outgoing person, but at times I also enjoy the one-on-one,” she said. “I love helping victims through that initial crisis and pairing them with strong victim advocates. This job had everything I could ever want.”
Staff Sgt. Carrie Tierney, non-commissioned officer in charge systems technician with Technology Squadron Launch Schriever and victim advocate, has worked with Krause for three years.
“Everyone on base knows who the SARC is,” she said. “She definitely makes everything better and fun. There is never a dull moment when you’re with her.”
Krause left her mark at Schriever, starting the annual dodgeball tournament for Sexual Assault Prevention Month in 2011.
Since then, other bases to include Vandenberg and Peterson Air Force Bases have adopted the event.
“The outreach and training has always been one of my favorite things about this job,” she said. “Plus, I could plan fun things and get the base involved.”
Staff Sgt. Shawn Tierney, non-commissioned officer in charge of cyber transport with the 1st Space Operations Squadron and victim advocate, began working with Krause six months ago.
“She’s really good at organizing things like base events,” he said. “She’s very uplifting, outgoing and fun 24/7.”
Krause has trained more than 60 victim advocates, including Shawn.
“It’s been amazing to be able to train and work with them,” Krause said.
Shawn wishes Krause good luck in her new position.
“It’ll be tough, but I have no doubt Paula will hold the position well,” he said.
Krause said she will miss working directly with victims and advocates the most.
“Those are the challenges but also the joys of the job,” she said. “Knowing you’ve touched that life, it might be a small way, and you might not know if you’ve touched a life or not but you’ve tried.”
In her new position, Krause will support the Air Force Space Command’s SARCs and Violence Prevention Integrators.
Krause aims to get people out of their shells and to build rapport with her coworkers on the headquarters staff.
Born and raised in a town of 400 people, while Krause is excited for this new chapter, she will miss the small town feel of Schriever AFB.
Cecilia Smith, sexual assault victim advocate with the SAPR program, and has been working with Krause in her home-away from home since her arrival; happening to run into Krause around base before working with her.
“We had a friendly relationship, and one of the reasons that I accepted the position was because of her personality. She is just a nice person,” she said.
Tech. Sgt. Melinda Woods, training manager with the 50th Force Support Squadron, has worked with Krause for six years.
“I felt a kindred spirit with her because she is full of life,” she said. “She is energetic and so caring. She truly cares about everyone who works with her and even people who don’t know her. She makes people very comfortable.”
Woods will miss Krause’s insight the most.
“She has so much experience, not just with the military but with the civilian side,” she said. “She’s well-travelled, and has helped out beyond anyone I’ve ever met.”
Although a new SARC has not been hired, Woods hopes they will run the program just as well as Krause did.
“I hope the person that does come to try and fill her shoes can be understanding and open minded,” she said. “They have some tall heels to fill.”
Devon Thomas, alternate SARC and management analyst with the 50th Plans and Programs, has worked with Krause four years.
“She’s been amazing from the first day I met her,” she said. “She is extremely knowledgeable about her job. I will miss her attitude and humor, the way she dresses and our day-to-day interactions.”
Smith admires Krause for her commitment to the program.
“It has been an exciting adventure working with Paula,” she said. “She really put herself out there to help others in any way she could. If there was an event on or off Schriever, we were there.”
Smith appreciates Krause’s ability to know when to take a step back from the job.
“She would say, ‘okay, let's get out of here and go have lunch. We need to take a break,’” she said. “Those step-away moments were where some of our best ideas came from, and I’m going to miss that.”
Smith will miss the partnership and their team effort the most.
“I know those relationships are hard to find and I know how lucky I was to have had that,” she said.
“Although I will miss working with Paula, she is right where she is supposed to be and I couldn't be happier for her. I’m excited to see how far she will go.”
Krause is optimistic the SAPR program will thrive even while she is gone.
“I’m just a phone call away, and part of my new job is to support them,” she said. “Schriever is a community, and the community will help you out if you ask for it.”
| Date Taken: | 03.14.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2018 09:56 |
| Story ID: | 269464 |
| Location: | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 55 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, SARC departs leaving ‘tall heels to fill’, by Halle Thornton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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