Posted on Apr 26, 2014
You will NEVER stamp out SHARP violations (and two other points)...thoughts?
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I had my interview to be the BN SHARP rep yesterday with my BDE CDR and told him these things. I won't put him on record with his responses because that's not my place to do so, but curious if you agree. Also when I say we or whatever, it doesn't mean my unit but the Army in general.
1) I think a lot of people are afraid to say it but it's true. You will never eliminate sexual harassment. EVER.
The American military is a subset of the population and you will always have people doing things they shouldn't be. The goal of SHARP is to minimize the "threat" as much as possible and educate people on the way to eliminate the threat by chapter, court martial, etc.
2) The current training for SHARP is horrible. It's boring and it loses Soldiers. We need to find better ways to keep the attention of the participants and train without just trying to meet the standard. Right now we have a lot of "oh crap it's the end of the quarter we need more training" type classes going on.
3) You can have the best SHARP program in the world, have the most knowledgeable SHARP reps on earth, and the best classes, but if people in the organization (especially SHARP reps) aren't approachable, the victims and witnesses aren't going to report. So they may know full well they witnessed something wrong, or were the victim of something wrong, but so what if they don't feel comfortable going to their reps/commanders/1SGs.
1) I think a lot of people are afraid to say it but it's true. You will never eliminate sexual harassment. EVER.
The American military is a subset of the population and you will always have people doing things they shouldn't be. The goal of SHARP is to minimize the "threat" as much as possible and educate people on the way to eliminate the threat by chapter, court martial, etc.
2) The current training for SHARP is horrible. It's boring and it loses Soldiers. We need to find better ways to keep the attention of the participants and train without just trying to meet the standard. Right now we have a lot of "oh crap it's the end of the quarter we need more training" type classes going on.
3) You can have the best SHARP program in the world, have the most knowledgeable SHARP reps on earth, and the best classes, but if people in the organization (especially SHARP reps) aren't approachable, the victims and witnesses aren't going to report. So they may know full well they witnessed something wrong, or were the victim of something wrong, but so what if they don't feel comfortable going to their reps/commanders/1SGs.
SHARP
UCMJ
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
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I've said it a million times before: leaders need to ask the millions of victims for ways to improve the SHARP Program and stop trying to come up with things that "make sense" to them and stop relying on things "working like they're suppose to".
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SSG V. Michelle Woods
MSG Quick
Victims are the ones who endure the anguish of when a commander hides the crime under the rug. Victims are the ones who know better than anyone that it has nothing to do with what they wear or how they speak. Victims are the ones who can tell those in charge of the SHARP Program what is and is not working.
I hope that answers your question and if not, I'll do my best to elaborate more.
Victims are the ones who endure the anguish of when a commander hides the crime under the rug. Victims are the ones who know better than anyone that it has nothing to do with what they wear or how they speak. Victims are the ones who can tell those in charge of the SHARP Program what is and is not working.
I hope that answers your question and if not, I'll do my best to elaborate more.
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Suspended Profile
MSG Quick,
Among many other reasons, engaging the subjects of sexual assault in proposing, reviewing, and/or approving new training, procedures, and sanctions moves them from a psychologically perceived position of helplessness to a position of relatively therapeutic empowerment.
Warmest Regards, Sandy
Among many other reasons, engaging the subjects of sexual assault in proposing, reviewing, and/or approving new training, procedures, and sanctions moves them from a psychologically perceived position of helplessness to a position of relatively therapeutic empowerment.
Warmest Regards, Sandy
Suspended Profile
Here is where I part company with the entire SHARP training and management concept.
While the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution requires us to make every effort to facilitate nondiscrimination in government and other employment, including fighting sexual harassment in the workplace, the real evil here is lumping criminal sexual assault (rape) into the same training and management program with harassment.
This leads to perception that criminal sexual assault is little more serious than sexual harassment therefore unlikely to result in any criminal charge.
We need to make an example of individuals who commit criminal sexual assault both within and well beyond their service to bring rape to an end.
The problem is too many officers have been treating SHARP violations like speeding tickets.
Whether we bring the death penalty back into the UCMJ or use extrajudicial means to terminate the desire, capacity, and ability of individuals to engage in this practice, we must end rape in the military.
While the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution requires us to make every effort to facilitate nondiscrimination in government and other employment, including fighting sexual harassment in the workplace, the real evil here is lumping criminal sexual assault (rape) into the same training and management program with harassment.
This leads to perception that criminal sexual assault is little more serious than sexual harassment therefore unlikely to result in any criminal charge.
We need to make an example of individuals who commit criminal sexual assault both within and well beyond their service to bring rape to an end.
The problem is too many officers have been treating SHARP violations like speeding tickets.
Whether we bring the death penalty back into the UCMJ or use extrajudicial means to terminate the desire, capacity, and ability of individuals to engage in this practice, we must end rape in the military.
SFC (Join to see)
Ma'am, you said it best with "If anyone dared lay an unwanted hand on you, one of your brothers would take him aside and "counsel" him. If anyone dared to rape an american woman, he didn't survive long."
The SHARP program is developed for the more politically correct world that we live in. We (the Army) are becoming (and most likely have always been) a reflection of our society. The US is a nation that follows the "Rule of Law" and so does the Army. Unless we (the Army) revert to vigilante justice as was allowed in the yesteryears or embrace euthanasia, Sexual Assault will continue to ruin our culture.
No matter the system, the quickest way to ruin it...introduce a human.
The SHARP program is developed for the more politically correct world that we live in. We (the Army) are becoming (and most likely have always been) a reflection of our society. The US is a nation that follows the "Rule of Law" and so does the Army. Unless we (the Army) revert to vigilante justice as was allowed in the yesteryears or embrace euthanasia, Sexual Assault will continue to ruin our culture.
No matter the system, the quickest way to ruin it...introduce a human.
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Suspended Profile
Vietnam War: Battle of Con Thien - Documentary Film
Con Thien (Tiếng Việt: Cồn Tiên, meaning the "Hill of Angels"), was a United States Marine Corps combat base located near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone a...
SFC Richard E.
I wasn't suggesting any unsanctioned retaliatory vigilante action.
In Vietnam, people who strayed off the reservation were quietly reassigned to AOs far from civilization.
Some AOs were downright uncivilized (Con Thien DMZ Firebase).
It was well within command and/or troop discretion to voluntarily request reassignment to more active AOs.
Keep in mind rape of an Army Nurse Corps Officer was considered a capital offense under the UCMJ.
Reassignment was felt to be preferable to formal trial in the press.
Warmest Regards, Sandy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb1R7rZbFRQ
I wasn't suggesting any unsanctioned retaliatory vigilante action.
In Vietnam, people who strayed off the reservation were quietly reassigned to AOs far from civilization.
Some AOs were downright uncivilized (Con Thien DMZ Firebase).
It was well within command and/or troop discretion to voluntarily request reassignment to more active AOs.
Keep in mind rape of an Army Nurse Corps Officer was considered a capital offense under the UCMJ.
Reassignment was felt to be preferable to formal trial in the press.
Warmest Regards, Sandy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb1R7rZbFRQ
SFC (Join to see)
Ma'am, I forgot to put a "tongue-in-cheek" smiley in my post.
In my opinion reassignment, whether on an involuntary or voluntary basis, should only be done if it is to a penal institution. Otherwise, it is just another way to let someone get a "pass" on vulgar behavior. If a sexual assault is confirmed, at a bare minimum the perpetrator should be subjected to public humiliation. Maybe then others would think twice about not exhibiting self-control.
In my opinion reassignment, whether on an involuntary or voluntary basis, should only be done if it is to a penal institution. Otherwise, it is just another way to let someone get a "pass" on vulgar behavior. If a sexual assault is confirmed, at a bare minimum the perpetrator should be subjected to public humiliation. Maybe then others would think twice about not exhibiting self-control.
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Suspended Profile
SFC Richard,
I understand. But, he would have ended up at the LBJ Ranch ( Long Binh Jail ).
He had a far better opportunity to turn his life around and become a hero at Con Thien. Try Google "Con Thien"
I don't believe he felt he got a pass.
Warmest Regard, Sandy
p.s. What's a "tongue in cheek" smiley look like? I'm a bit new to this.
I understand. But, he would have ended up at the LBJ Ranch ( Long Binh Jail ).
He had a far better opportunity to turn his life around and become a hero at Con Thien. Try Google "Con Thien"
I don't believe he felt he got a pass.
Warmest Regard, Sandy
p.s. What's a "tongue in cheek" smiley look like? I'm a bit new to this.
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Great answers, I especially like the candor and honesty in your replies.
I am interested to know if you provided him options for fixing your second point recommendation of finding better ways to keep the attention of participants? If not, and you are selected, I expect he will expect you to provide fixes to the system.
I hate buzzwords, but we truly need to "get to the left of the incident". Many instances our at-risk population are newly arrived, young (very impressionable) Soldiers. You combine that with binge drinking and you have an extremely vulnerable person.
I am interested to know if you provided him options for fixing your second point recommendation of finding better ways to keep the attention of participants? If not, and you are selected, I expect he will expect you to provide fixes to the system.
I hate buzzwords, but we truly need to "get to the left of the incident". Many instances our at-risk population are newly arrived, young (very impressionable) Soldiers. You combine that with binge drinking and you have an extremely vulnerable person.
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CW2 (Join to see)
CSM,
I've never been to the training, so I was somewhat vague on what I'd do. I'd have to see the training material and then adapt it to my style.
I'm hoping my ~4 years of instructor time will help me make training a little more interesting.
I've never been to the training, so I was somewhat vague on what I'd do. I'd have to see the training material and then adapt it to my style.
I'm hoping my ~4 years of instructor time will help me make training a little more interesting.
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