Lt. Andrea Kissner, Navy Victims’ Legal Counsel (VLC) Lemoore, received the 2018 Military Volunteer in Action Award from Soroptimist International of Hanford for her work in the community in April 2018.
The Military Volunteer in Action Award is a part of the "Women Helping Women Award," which honors women who have worked to improve the lives of women and girls through their professional and/or volunteer work. During her acceptance speech, Kissner thanked Soroptimist and recognized the other awardees, then gave a brief background of the Navy JAG Corps and the VLC Program. She closed by stating that she and her two sisters and were raised to believe they could do anything. Kissner added that by knowing our strength and getting an education to empower ourselves, women have an amazing ability to impact our communities. In honor of her award, Soroptimist provided a $500 donation to an organization of Kissner's selection. After the dinner and awards, Kissner met multiple community members who thanked her for her work and asked many questions about the VLC Program.
The Navy's VLC Program provides survivors of a sexual offense with a dedicated attorney to help victims understand the investigation and military justice process, guard their legal rights and interests and obtain additional support in accessing resources that may assist in their recovery. VLCs complement the care and support victims already receive through Sexual Assault Response Coordinators, Victim Advocates, and Family Advocacy Program personnel by providing legal counsel and advice on sexual offense reporting options as well as legal support during the investigation and disciplinary processing of those reports.