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    Everyone deserves an equal opportunity

    Everyone deserves an equal opportunity

    Courtesy Photo | The 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, conducts a...... read more read more

    PYEONGTAEK, 41, SOUTH KOREA

    07.30.2015

    Story by Sgt. Jesse Smith 

    2nd Combat Aviation Brigade

    CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – The water is a deep blue and the waves are crashing against the raft like bumper cars slamming into each other. You stare out as far as you can see but with no purpose as there is not an object within hundreds of miles. You look around the raft at each of the other four people’s faces and begin to make assumptions about them before anyone even says a word. You realize the raft is taking on water, and if someone doesn’t get off you will all sink to the bottom of the abyss. Who do you get rid of?

    This was a situation Sgt. 1st Class Spencer Howell, the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade equal opportunity representative, said he gives to Soldiers from different units from the brigade on ‘Talon Talk’, a brigade command information radio show, on July 29 at the Armed Forces Network station on the Osan Air Base in the Republic of Korea.

    “It brings the team together,” Howell said. “It gives them what each other’s perceptions are when it comes to gender, age, race and other discriminatory subjects.”

    The life raft exercise is one of many tools the 2nd CAB equal opportunity team uses to educate Soldiers and units about the program. Howell said he also wants people to understand what the program really is.

    “The EO program is a leadership program,” he said. “It ensures people are not discriminated against in the workplace.”

    The EO program also uses command climate surveys to make sure the environment in different units promotes an atmosphere that provides equal and fair treatment to all and that Soldiers have a chance to have their opinions about the work environment heard.

    “Climate surveys give us a real time measure of what’s going on,” Howell said. “It gives the Soldiers a voice as well.”

    Another way the EO program helps educate Soldiers about different discriminatory subjects is by holding a multitude of special observances.

    “This month we are having a women’s equality seminar,” Howell said. “It will be an educational day stating the struggles women have gone through and earning their equality.”

    Howell said he believes EO is an extremely important program, and he aims to improve upon it and make every Soldier aware of the problems discrimination can cause in the Army. If one person is affected by it, then everyone is.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 07.30.2015
    Date Posted: 07.30.2015 02:25
    Story ID: 171518
    Location: PYEONGTAEK, 41, KR

    Web Views: 151
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN