Since the program began in June 2014, it has grown to an average participation of nearly 250 student Airmen each weekend it is held. Of those, 70 to 85 percent finish in the top 10 percent of their class, said Tony Wyatt, Sheppard’s Sexual Assault and Response Coordinator. For some of the Airmen, the drive to participate is rooted in personal experience in overcoming hardship with a desire to develop that experience into a way to effectively lead others. “I’ve been a victim of crime,” said Airman 1st Class Richie Thammavongsa, an F-15 crew chief student. “I’ve been in a very negative place and I’ve dug myself out of it. So, I know nothing is permanent and I want to help people realize that.” (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Brittany Curry)