SHARP. What would you do if you were in charge?

2015-02-28T03:33:08-05:00

Yes, I know, I'm beating a dead horse here. But, I promise that I will stop when there are no longer any incidents of sexual assault in our ranks. Fair?

On a more serious note. Leaders, every single one of us are leaders. Somewhere, someone is looking up to you. Unfortunately, some of us haven't realized this yet.

Ok, let's talk about SHARP...change the culture, bystander intervention, no means no, equality, and consent. Do we all agree? I sure hope so. The Chief of Staff of the Army, along with the Secretary of Defense and the President of the United States have made it clear that sexual assault in our Services will not be tolerated.

Before anyone jumps down my throat, or worse "down-vote my" post ; )...I'm going to address two groups of Leaders with one or two simple questions. The questions are for the sole purpose of research and understanding, nothing more.

This first series of questions are directed to the group of Leaders that agree with the SHARP program. What are you doing to raise awareness? Do you know your part? Are you doing your part? What can you improve?

Ok, now to the rebels(just a joke). What makes the program so ineffective? What would you suggest, so that we can make the program more effective? How are you helping create a sexual assault and sexual harassment free environment? Is it working? If so, would you be willing to share your strategies?

If anyone would like to speak offline, you can email me at [login to see]

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2015 10:06 AM

2015-02-28T10:06:44-05:00

Sexual Harassment Prevention can't be regulated, much like morality can't be legislated.
It must be incorporated into the psyche by individual choice and decision to do the right thing. If an individual doesn't know what the right thing is, then we have a problem in society.

I don't like the acronym SHARP because it simplifies the issue into a trite set of letters that when spoken make a word. Spell it out!

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2015 10:23 AM

2015-02-28T10:23:03-05:00

The problem that I see is a conflict in information that is provided. Sexual assault is a crime and needs to be treated as one in my opinion. The problem specifically that I run across is that I am lawfully bound to report incidents but I am told to take care of the service member first. Fortunately I have never been in this situation and hope to never be. My worst fear is that I have a troop that comes to me for help and I fail to report the crime first and try to comfort them, is that later a conviction or something cannot be done because of my actions. I absolutely believe in prevention and hope to stomp this virus out of not only our service but society. One of the problems I see is that it has now become a joke to people, like individuals that roll their eyes during a DUI briefing. We all know the rules and that this destroys lives but unfortunately it still happens. I will continue to support the program as it is and create an environment where this is unacceptable but I have to rely on the law enforcement officials to truly combat the problem. With that said, the more tools that can be provided at a lower level will assist in combating this plague.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2015 10:37 AM

2015-02-28T10:37:39-05:00

On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, which ended the practice of segregating the military services by race. That same year, the Army allowed women to join the services on an equal basis with men. Both of these steps preceded (and perhaps helped precipitate) the larger societal changes that allowed fully equal treatment of all types of American citizens in military service. And just over 2 years ago, Congress repealed the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, allowing for gays and lesbians to take their place openly in the military. West Point fully integrated women nearly 40 years ago, with the class of 1980. Since that time, our procedures and policies for successful gender integration have grown and evolved. Of course, we have a long way to go, but one of the hallmarks of a profession is its continued efforts to improve. To that end, this monograph shares a few of the lessons West Point has learned on the prevention of sexual harassment and assault. We share five “Principles” for leaders and commanders, as well as associated “Tips” for implementation. Principle 1: Leaders identify and break chains of circumstance. In this principle, we lay out the concept of “chain of circumstance” and argue that leaders must be alert to them as they develop. By doing so, they can break those chains before they culminate in a sexual harassment or assault incident. Principle 2: Education is preferable to litigation. In this principle, we argue that most soldiers and cadets are basically good people and that the proper approach to most issues of SHARP is to promote dialogue and learning rather than rush to punishment. Ironically, severe punishment can drive bad behaviors underground rather than prevent them. Principle 3: What is electronic is public. As leaders assess the culture of their units, they ought to pay attention to social networks and other behaviors conducted on line. Unfortunately, much bullying and inappropriate behavior takes place on line, and these networks can serve as an invaluable window into unit cultures. Principle 4: Do not ignore pornography. Rampant use of pornography has been linked (controversially) to all kinds of negative behaviors and attitudes. Here, we argue that leaders should research the impact of pornography on behavior and attitudes, and alert their subordinates of these findings. Principle 5: Unit climate is the commander’s responsibility. We argue that senior commanders should hold junior commanders responsible for their unit climates when evidence exists that bad unit climates have led to sexual assault or harassment incidents. To that end, commanders should personally lead some of this training and not be afraid to treat all unit functions as opportunities to promote positive cultures. These principles and their associated tips are not panaceas. Much room exists for improvement in the Army’s programs on this topic, and we humbly submit our recommendations for discussion and feedback.

This study is from SSI website: "Getting to the left of SHARP" AWESOME! study with good recommendations to improve Army SHARP program. Retrieve from http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/ February 28, 2015

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Feb 28 at 2015 11:31 AM

2015-02-28T11:31:32-05:00

The amount of posts on RP related to SHARP is a mystery to me. When I was in (81-85) we didn't have any of this training. We trained for war, we trained in our particular MOS, we engaged in exercises etc. There was zero training in this area. I am not sure how much of this is done but it sounds like a lot. Based upon the amount that is done and the lack of success that appears to be occurring it might be time to rethink it.

The military draws from general population and in most cases screen for trouble makers, criminals, ne'r do wells etc. The question might be what is going on in the general population. I've read the stats on sexual assault and almost half of the victims are said to be men. Can anyone explain that to me? One of you SHARP experts, anyone? We talk a lot about men toward women the stats seem to indicate a large problem the other way too.

The entertainment industry is replete with the use of women as sexual objects. Movies, music, television, pornography etc. It is watched by the masses and I am sure has an impact.

Do we now have a military where a soldier/sailor/airman/Marine cannot protect themselves from another soldier/sailor/airman/Marine. Really!

There are decisions made by individuals that put them at risk. Drinking, drugs, unsafe establishments etc. That doesn't justify assault but it does drive the stats.

I think the only solution is aggressive prosecution of legitimate sexual assault. There in lies the problem. What is real sexual assault vs. I wish I hadn't done that.

I am glad I am not in now. What a shit show this appears to be.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2015 1:48 PM

2015-02-28T13:48:45-05:00

In my experience with the SHARP program, wrt sexual assaults, the biggest issue I have is that it is entirely possible that a person who commits a sexual assault, or abusive sexual contact, may be able to get away with it if the VA's aren't knowledgeable or experienced. Meaning, a victim may decide not to report it (restricted reporting) and the issue could drop (I don't know if that has happened, just a secondary effect that could happen). In most of my SHARP training the first question I ask "if you were to be assaulted or know somebody who was, what is the first thing that you would do?" Almost everybody says, "call the SHARP hotline/contact SHARP rep." That's great that the training is effective for response...or is it?

My opinion is that when a crime is committed or possibly committed law enforcement needs to be involved immediately. Going through additional parties could hinder a law enforcement investigation.

That being said, CMD's still have a responsibility to the victim. It's a tight-wire act that needs to be explored even more, but the bottom line, for me anyway, is if I have a sexual predator in my formation, I want them rooted out, punished, and moved out of the service.

I'm not sure that the SHARP program is as effective as it needs to be.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2015 8:51 PM

2015-02-28T20:51:32-05:00

Change the whole program, starting with the term SHARP. From the moment you arrive in basic training you become fully immersed in SHARP training to the point that no one wants to hear about it anymore and it doesn't slow down for a while. It's too much. It's to the point where people joke around about "sharping" one another. Maybe more realistic scenarios where they talk about the pain caused and the punishment. Some of the videos and scenarios seem unrealistic do to poor acting and poor people skills. People need to know they will be held accountable for their actions and not be drowned with info to the point that most see it as an annoying term that's only used as a play on words.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2015 11:25 PM

2015-02-28T23:25:18-05:00

I am kinda in both categories. Rape is a serious issue, but I also feel that the SHARP program has lost some of its focus.

First the positives. Some of the videos create relative awareness that can be beneficial in promoting awareness of potential scenarios leading to victimization. The program has led to some improvements in the command level with regards to awareness of both restricted and unrestricted reporting.

Second the negatives. I don't know how to fix it all, but I remember being "in the rank and file", and bitching about the never-ending briefings. Now, as a commander, I do understand some of where they come from...but I think that "over-briefing" leads this to becoming a joke. One of my unfortunate, but brutally honest comments pertaining to the suicide briefings also applies to Sexual Harassment training: "If we are briefing about this CONSTANTLY, we could potentially be making the problem worse. Why? Let's face it. It's hard to watch the same video 50 times and take it seriously. People are laughing and joking about this, but to that one or two Soldiers that has dealt with the issues...it alienates them, because they are thinking that they will never take a REAL scenario seriously either." By overbriefing, we are decreasing the severity of the problem.

How do we combat this? (As a leader, I tell people "If you're gonna bitch, offer a solution.")

The reality is, it involves a full-spectrum cultural shift. Briefing does not bring about change, it brings about awareness. Soldiers need to find the method of impacting that change. Those that have had experiences have a unique opportunity to help guide the reformation process, but ultimately it requires dedication on all levels of the Chain of Command. Unfortunately, I know of someone who was raped while on duty. She wasn't in my department, but pre-mob she was one of my Soldiers (so she's always one of my Soldiers)....and she is also one of my friends. I've watched the way it's altered her life, and there isn't one fucking funny thing about it. There's a vast difference between making a dirty joke and rape, but there is also the need to understand that if the joke is not welcomed/appreciated, then the behavior needs to stop immediately. Additionally, there are times and places that it is not appropriate at all. My Soldiers will never hear the jokes from me, because that is not befitting my role...and I expect the same of all leadership.

Additionally, the Army needs to quit trying to make everyone the same. We aren't carbon stamped "Stormtroopers", we are unique individuals wearing the same shell. Bring back the pride to the uniform. Bring back the tradition and the adherence to the concept that you, no matter WHAT level of leadership you are, YOU are the leader responsible for your troops. They are your boys and girls, your "kids" if you will. Their successes are your success, but ALSO their failures are partially yours as well in 99% of circumstances. We are great at rewarding good leadership, but TERRIBLE at mentoring junior leaders into the same situation. Furthermore, the Army has stripped most of the Esprit de Corps from individual units, favoring the "one team, one fight". Take pride in what you do. Let your troops brag a bit and give them something to be proud of. That pride will translate into a desire to raise the standards, which means anything that DETRACTS from that won't be tolerated. Ensure that the highest orders of discipline are maintained, but allow them the freedom to express (within reason) their individualism.

I'll talk more offline if you want, just add as a contact/drop a message or reply to this post if you'd like. Plenty of ideas.....and always looking for ways to make my own unit's training better as well.
v/r,
CPT Butler

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2015 10:01 AM

2015-03-01T10:01:51-05:00

I think it's impartial that enlisted soldiers can't represent or partake in sharp in a way other than being a bystander with influence, until they get promoted. Well my promotion has time and evaluations behind it. But, guess what. Those sharp incident aren't going to wait for me to get promoted. They are happening right now smh

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2015 3:34 PM

2015-03-01T15:34:58-05:00

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.-- Edmund Burke

I predicted two years ago that the Army's approach was more likely to support the "system" that has allowed this culture to grow and flourish than to dampen it and have experienced good, strong, courageous men not want to discuss it anymore as recently as last week...even you SSG Private RallyPoint Member had to use humor in your first sentence to elicit conversation for what many have "tired" of...

When we don't discuss it and expose it at every opportunity then we become perpetrators by supporting those who are willing to actually go through with the abhorrent behavior. No brother or sister in arms deserves the betrayal that inner service sexual assault and harassment represents, nor the shunning of peers for having the courage to speak out against it.

To answer your specific question: if I was in charge I would want to know if it is really better or not-
-I would ask for independent validating research - not an Army paid for RAND study which when I complained to the interviewer was creating a biased view ended the interview by giving me a phone number no one would answer.
-I would develop multiple training modules for different age groups and lifestyles--not the "one size fits all approach" targeted for bar hopping folks looking for sexual partners.
-I would develop curricula for all basic courses (delegated to Chaplains) on ethics, values, and morality. Force the discussion...what are the Army values again and what exactly do they mean? They mean different things to different people based on my research...is that what we can accept?
-I would focus more resources on the prevent and mitigate rather than the current victim blaming response focus in place.
-I would address Congress on the damage they have caused by throwing down a reactive vote and headline gathering gauntlet rather than a cooperative and collaborative approach to understand the system and the American SOCIAL structure that gives us young people already immune to sexual violence and predation.
-I would put a Tiger Team together to understand and come up with methodologies to destroy the "loyalty to each other" attitude over the "loyalty to what is right" culture in our Army that affects much more than just this issue.
-I would make General officers have a discussion with the victims as they go through their inculcation to GO course---if you can't honestly believe it is happening then you will never do anything to stop it.
-I would ask University's around military bases to survey the high schools and see if we are victimizing the communities we are a part of.
-I would ask every University hosting a ROTC program to conduct anonymous surveys of those inside the programs and outside the programs: my hypothesis is that the ROTC cadets are better off than the "civilian" population [report came out recently that 1/3 females are assaulted by the time they graduate college].
-I would hold bystanders and witnesses as guilty as the rapist, in the civilian world it is known as aiding and abetting.