Dragon Soldiers Get Realistic Training with SHARP 360

By Staff Sgt. Kelly CarltonJune 29, 2016

Dragon Soldiers Get Realistic Training with SHARP 360
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Tiffany Harrison, right, Brigade Victim Advocate, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, conducts an after-action report with Soldiers from C and D Batteries, 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Re... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Dragon Soldiers Get Realistic Training with SHARP 360
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Pfc. Sharon Parrott, standing, logistical administrative assistant, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, responds to inappropriate comments from Sgt. Tyler Wegman, Fire Control Section Leader, C Battery, 6th Batt... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea - Soldiers from C and D Batteries, 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, and Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 35th ADA Brigade, participated in Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Prevention 360 Degree Training hosted by U.S. Army Garrison-Camp Humphreys, June 23, 2016.

The SHARP 360 Degree program fulfills annual training requirements while helping Soldiers understand awareness through interactive modules where the participants are the role players.

Staff Sgt. Tiffany Harrison, 35th ADA Brigade Victim Advocate and Hyesuk White, 35th ADA Brigade Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, organized the training while having the flexibility to modify scenarios to better replicate incidents which are statistically trending at the unit level.

"We used a club scene in one of the scenarios," White said. "The Soldiers said the club scene seemed very real to them and they personally related to it."

Harrison was rewarded with her planning with how engaged the Soldiers became.

"They actually got to put themselves in that environment and see how it played out," she said. "After each scenario, we discussed how it correlated to the SHARP program and whether the actions were sexual harassment or sexual assault. We also talked about how the reporting process could be handled if it happened in real life."

Harrison also took the opportunity to show those involved the different stages throughout the scenario when the progression of events could have been stopped, preventing an incident all together.

"We started a scenario in the bar scene with two males who had been feeding two females a lot of drinks," she said. "The males then escorted the girls from the bar and headed for the barracks. I had another person sit in the hallway like a noncommissioned officer on duty. They were required to sign in as visitors of the girls before going to their room."

Harrison said this step-by-step process allowed the Soldiers to see how the whole night played out.

"Going from the bar, to the barracks to the actual room showed them where failures-to-act happened. Maybe that NCO could have intervened, or a bystander at the bar might have said something about the amount of drinks the girls had consumed," Harrison said. "Throughout the whole scenario, the Soldiers got to see just how many times someone could have intervened. Our message is always prevention."

White explained how this non-traditional training opens up different perspectives.

"We looked at three or four different ways to assess each scenario from both the victim and offender's perspective," White said. "We talked about if the action was intentional or unintentional, and how the bystander might have intervened. We wanted them to really think about their comfort level with taking action should they witness an incident in the future."

For one Soldier, this training helped her on a personal level.

"This training was a great experience," said Pfc. Sharon Parrott, logistical administrative assistant, HHB, 35th ADA Brigade. "Especially since I am a victim of sexual assault, I learned a lot of things I didn't know."

Both Harrison and White stated how most of the recent SHARP cases have alcohol as a factor.

"We are focused on showing them how the club scene is prominent in the potential for incidents. The Soldiers go to the local clubs and drink too much, and then they end up back at the barracks," White said. "I think it played out really well for those who observed and participated because they probably saw themselves during the exercise, or maybe saw their friends."

HHB, 35th ADA Brigade senior enlisted advisor, 1st Sgt. Melanie Scott, sees how this training will help with the message of prevention.

"The SHARP 360 program embeds the Soldiers into realistic scenarios and it gives them the opportunity to actually experience a SHARP related incident as it is happening," Scott said. "This is a training event that gives them the opportunity to practice what they may say to a potential predator before they are in an actual situation."

One main goal of SHARP 360 is to put Soldiers in situations so they can relate. Parrott can relate and now she has the power to help others.

"I have always been scared to talk about or tell anyone about my assault," Parrott said. "After being part of this program I feel a lot more comfortable in sharing my story. Knowing I might possibly help someone else to speak up makes it worth overcoming my fear."