Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Alejandro Sias | The 5th Armored Brigade’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Program training was...... read more read more
McGREGOR RANGE, N.M. - The Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Program training conducted by 5th Armored Brigade “Dagger,” here Aug. 10 is of significant importance to the Army as it builds on its cultural change; continually improving its working environment.
Sgt. 1st Class Milton Collins, SHARP specialist for the “Dagger” Brigade, communicated the message to its members and had a video presentation in his class that had an effect on all the Soldiers.
“There are many times, you would be surprised how many we have [during the training] that have been affected in some form or shape by sexual harassment or sexual assault,” said Collins. “There are people who have family members out there who are dealing with this issue every day.”
On April 4, it became mandatory for SHARP training to be conducted Army-wide. Commanders of all Army units must ensure they have completed this training no later than Sept. 30.
Chances are you may have attended the SHARP training already and learned how 1 in 6 women will be assaulted in their lifetime; 1 in 33 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime; 73 percent of victims know who their assailants are; and 39 percent of victims have been raped more than once.
According to the “Department of Defense Annual Report on Sexual Assault In The Military,” released in March, there were 1614 cases of unrestricted reports on sexual assault during fiscal year 2010. A total of 1,358 of those cases were reports involving allegations of service member on service member type sexual assault cases. In the report, it involves all ranks and age groups in our military, males and females alike.
The SHARP program and the framework the Army has for building its campaign on cultural change to improve its working environment includes the “I.A.M. Strong campaign,” which is to Intervene, Act, and Motivate. I.A.M. Strong is the Army’s campaign to combat sexual assaults by engaging all Soldiers and civilians in preventing sexual assaults before they occur.
The Army campaign began in the summer of 2008, comes in four phases, and continues to increase the emphasis in changing the culture in the Army, the military, and our country for addressing the problem of sexual harassment and sexual assault.
“Our cultural change within the Department of Defense and the Army is … on phase I training, which is total Army-wide leadership conviction,” said Collins, referring to the multiple phases in the delivery of the SHARP training.
As with all unit SHARP specialists, Collin’s duties for the brigade include, but are not limited to: coordinating medical assistance for the victim, coordinating chaplain’s assistance for the victim, proper notification procedures, proper reporting procedures, and of course, training. He also must be available to act at any given time for those in need, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The SHARP and the I.A.M. Strong campaign has a vision to eliminate sexual harassment and assault by creating a culture where soldiers believe that failure to prevent sexual harassment and assault is incompatible with Army Values and the Warrior Ethos.
| Date Taken: | 08.10.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 08.23.2011 15:20 |
| Story ID: | 75799 |
| Location: | MCGREGOR RANGE, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Web Views: | 120 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
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