BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, July 22, 2015--Thirty-two civilians and military members are now SHARP certified after taking an 80-hour course that included lessons in victimology, victims' rights, sexual harassment intervention techniques, and complaint processing.
Department of Defense Sexual Assault Response Coordinators (SARCs) and Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocates (SAPR VAs) pursue certification through the DoD Sexual Assault Advocate Certification Program. This training is accredited through the National Organization for Victim Assistance.
Sgt. 1st Class Patricia Henry is the senior SARC at BAF. She's here temporarily as the Equal Opportunity Advisor (EOA)/SARC for USFOR-A. She's also the EOA and SARC for the 3rd Brigade Combat Team from the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky., and the EOA and SARC for TAAC-East at Tactical Base Gamberi, Afghanistan.
"This training is the first step of many to become SARCs and VAs," Henry said. "Now that the students have completed the class, they can work as advisors to their commanders to help enhance that unit's SHARP program."
There are approximately 28 SARCs and VAs here on BAF.
"Once this class gets credentialed, there will be a lot more," Henry said.
"This is the Secretary of the Army's number one priority," U.S. Forces Afghanistan Deputy Commander -- Support Maj. Gen. Mike Murray, said. "It really comes down to how you treat each other. And you're the first line of defense. When you have a victim, make that person your number one priority. This is about how we treat each other. And we treat each other as professionals. -- on and off duty, day and night, in and out of uniform. It's as simple as that."
"It's important that we have subject matter experts throughout Afghanistan to educate and help achieve the cultural change needed to end sexual harassment and assault," SHARP student Master Sgt. Bill Lear, 389th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, said.
Master Sgt. Russell Prupis, Sgt. 1st Class Floyd Wiltz, and Thomas White Jr. were the three instructors for this course.
White is a Department of the Army civilian and a command sergeant major in the Army Reserves stationed at Fort Jackson, S.C., with the 81st Regional Support Command. He's one of five instructors in the Army Reserves and this is his first time teaching a class.
"The training was very successful," he said. "We received a lot of good feedback from the students. A lot of things to take back and make this a better course."
The Army's SHARP Program's mission is to reduce with an aim toward eliminating sexual offenses within the Army through cultural change, prevention, intervention, investigation, accountability, advocacy/response, assessment, and training.
The Army provides informal and formal complaint process options for complainants. The SHARP Program is responsible for the Army's sexual harassment prevention efforts. The Army Equal Employment Opportunity Office provides assistance to civilian employee complainants, and SHARP personnel are responsible for military sexual harassment complaints.
"Once sexual harassment behavior has been identified, the behavior must stop," Henry said. "Soldiers and civilian employees have a responsibility to inform their supervisor or supervisor's chain of command. The main difference is that formal sexual harassment complaints are handled by SARC. There are several options available to address sexual harassment complaints."
"I've seen a lot," Phyllis King, DA civilian and student, said. "I've really seen an improvement in the culture and paradigm change between soldiers and civilians. Every year it gets better. I'm so thankful this (training) is happening. From my heart, this is excellent and I'm glad to be a part of it."
The class also included sexual harassment scenarios.
"The scenarios went well," Henry said. "It gave the students a chance to see how the intake process works. After the scenarios, we talked about different experiences and how no one situation will be like the last. So being as prepared as possible for anything is always the best approach."
Intervene, Act, and Motivate (I. A.M.) STRONG is the Army's campaign to combat sexual harassment and sexual assault by engaging all Soldiers in preventing sexual assault before they occur.
"All Soldiers and DA civilians should receive SHARP refresher training annually," Henry said. "The training is comprised of two distinct parts. The standard training time is three hours. A PowerPoint presentation and a training support package are located on the Army Training Network website. The online training entitled 'Standing Strong' is Part 2 of this training and located on the Army Learning Management System."
Henry said the training went very well and the training environment allowed students to open up and ask questions about things they didn't know or understand when it came to the SHARP Program. Plus, it was an eye opener for some.
"The SHARP Program is an ever-evolving program," she said. "I've had the pleasure of working as a unit victim advocate back when the program first kicked off in 2010, then as a victim advocate, and now a SARC. These leaders are now tasked with the responsibility to step up, model behaviors and attitudes that make a difference, ensure a safe reporting and response system, and make sure that they and their troops are fully trained and informed about sexual harassment and sexual assault. Lasting cultural change in the Army can be achieved only by leaders who drive such a change."
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