FORT SILL, Oklahoma (Oct. 29, 2020) -- The Soldiers in 3rd Battalion, 13th Field Artillery are standing up for each other as part of Diamond Action Week. They are having open dialogue, listening sessions, and mentoring the Army’s newest leaders in taking care of Soldiers.
“What we’re doing is we’re putting together a lot of the best practices specifically from the past that have gotten first-line leaders closer to their Soldiers,” said Lt. Col. Corrie Brice, 3-13th FA commander.
“We’ve lost step with knowing who our Soldiers are, and knowing a lot of the things that make them who they are.”
Diamond Action Week is a 75th Field Artillery Brigade, the "Diamond Brigade," effort that follows suit with III Corps’ Phantom Action Week at Fort Hood, Texas. The call for leaders to find out what is happening in their formations rang out after the loss of Spc. Vanessa Guillan at Fort Hood.
“That was really the crux of everything that started peeling the onion back in III Corps and across our Army. We’ve taken active measures to increase the security, to increase the awareness for our Soldiers,” said Brice.
The chief of staff of the Army and sergeant major of the Army recently called for action against the three corrosives to cohesive teams: suicides, extremism and racism, and sexual assault and harassment.
“We stand up against all those corrosive activities. And we dialogue with the next of kin, so we can have that open discussion with them to say ‘we’re watching out for your loved one,’” said the commander.
Brice said they are building leader books at every echelon which contain important information about a Soldier. During that process, they’re going to have open dialogue.
“When I say dialogue, I mean having the uncomfortable conversations with a Soldier. Difficult conversations of how are you living? What is your family life like? How can I help you as a leader to get through the difficult trials and tribulations of life as a junior Soldier in the Army?”
Diamond Action Week is closing with a Soldier and Family Readiness Group assembly in Sheridan Theater.
Brice said the goal is to have that open dialogue with the entire formation, including those who help support the Soldiers and help keep them resilient.
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