Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey met with 32 noncommissioned officers, June 17, in Arlington, Virginia, to hear their unique perspectives on and willingness to take ownership of issues affecting the Army during a "Not in My Squad" event. The fo...
Staff Sgt. Daniel R. Witt, a physical therapist at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, left; and Staff Sgt. Jonathan W. Miller, Army Drill Sergeant of the Year, Fort Eustis, Virginia, right; briefed Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey on their unique perspec...
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, June 22, 2015) -- Noncommissioned officers participating in an Army-wide leadership initiative known as "Not in My Squad" presented their ideas to lawmakers, June 18, on Capitol Hill.
The 32 NCOs, identified for their unique perspectives and willingness to take ownership of issues affecting the force, gathered in the nation's capital, June 16-18, for a three-day workshop to talk strategy and prepare to share their action plan with members of Congress.
Associated with the Army's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program or SHARP efforts, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey's "Not in My Squad" is about taking responsibility for everything that happens in a squad -- both good and bad -- not just prevention of sexual harassment and assault.
While "Not in My Squad" was born from a need to find innovative ways to address sexual assault and sexual harassment, Dailey said, he quickly realized that if all members of the profession lived the Army ethic, sexual assault and harassment, among other things, would not exist in the ranks.
The June workshop -- the first event under the Not in My Squad umbrella -- was designed to garner feedback from the Army's mid-grade leaders in an effort to understand their unique challenges and to examine solutions that have worked for them.
During the first two days of the workshop, the NCOs were organized into small focus groups where they discussed ways to steward an atmosphere of dignity, respect and inclusion in their organizations. Afterward, they shared their findings with Dailey during an informal briefing. On the last day of the workshop, they took their ideas to Capitol Hill to share with members of Congress.
"Congress likes to hear from you," Dailey told the squad leaders at a reception for them on Capitol Hill, "They hear from Army leadership all the time. They know Soldiers like you will tell them how things are from the ground-level and they love that."
The squad leaders conducted 57 Congressional office calls: 28 were with members of Congress and 29 were with personal staff members.
During the meetings, each squad leader shared their experience as participants in this first-of-its-kind initiative.
"She wanted to know what she could do for us," Staff Sgt. Cassandra Muschamp, a G-1 strength management NCO with the 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, said of her engagement with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.
"We told her that all we needed was the ability to spend time with our Soldiers, so we can lead them," Muschamp said. Muschamp also explained how she told Gabbard that the Army didn't need more requirements for training or tracking initiatives -- those things just get in the way of talking to Soldiers.
EMPOWERMENT
One of the main findings shared with members of Congress was the need for junior and mid-grade leaders to have the freedom to lead by example and not by computer screen.
Participants told lawmakers that squad leaders need face-to-face time with their Soldiers to conduct scenario-based training that supports Army policy requirements as opposed to the litany of computer-based training they have now.
Supervising the computer training programs, the staff sergeants observed Soldiers haphazardly clicking buttons to complete the task. To better disseminate value systems that prevent lapses of discipline, the NCOs recommended moving offline to allow more time for personal interaction.
Speaking personally with Soldiers about issues of intolerance and dissatisfaction helps reaffirm interpersonal bonds as well as reintroduce Army values, according to Staff Sgt. Jonathan Miller, of the 787th Military Police Battalion, 14th Military Police Brigade.
"When you tell that Army story you get a buy-in and it doesn't feel like a 9 to 5 [job,]" Miller said.
NEXT STEPS
Well-received by senior members of Congress and Army leaders, the inaugural group of squad leaders will now take "Not in My Squad" to the unit level and conduct similar workshops under the direction and support of the Center for the Army Profession and Ethic. Feedback from these sessions will be gathered and quarterly progress reports will be evaluated for ways to promote positive behavior Army-wide.
Senior career counselor for the 16th Sustainment Brigade, Staff Sgt. Efrain Garcia is looking forward to the future of the program. "It's not effective if it stops here," he said.
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