The Army will soon implement Phase II of the Integrated Prevention Advisory Group, or I-PAG, the Army’s prevention workforce. The I-PAG will assist commanders in identifying evidencebased policies, programs and practices that will increase protective factors, build positive peer environments and prevent harmful behaviors across the Army.
Approximately 80 individuals were hired in the first phase of I-PAG. Implementation of Phase II is scheduled to begin this quarter, with a goal of over 200 new hires by the end of the fiscal year, according to Dr. Beverly Fortson, the Army Resilience Directorate’s Integrated Prevention Division (IPD) director.
IPD provides technical oversight of the I-PAG and is one of five divisions within the Army Resilience Directorate.
The plan is for the I-PAG to be at full operating capacity by 2027. More than 1,200 individuals will be hired across the active-duty Army, Reserves and National Guard. The primary responsibility of the integrated prevention workforce is to work closely with leaders to build healthy climates and create environments free from abuse and harm. The workforce will work with leaders to identify risk and make informed, research-based decisions; use integrated resources to promote healthy command climates; and create sustainable, comprehensive prevention plans tailored to their specific installations.
Real change is data driven. The prevention workforce will empower leaders with data and research. They will interpret data to understand local needs and ensure that leaders understand the data and its implications so that they can make data-informed decisions.
According to Fortson, everyone has a role to play in prevention; it is not something one person can do. The prevention workforce will need to engage with the military community and outside communities to increase visibility of prevention efforts and integrate activities of different programs to ensure that messages are consistent.
“When it comes to prevention we have to share our data and resources and engage as many people as we can in the process so that we can reach our shared vision of a safe and inclusive military," says Fortson.
Fortson also notes, "We must also implement prevention activities that work. If we want to see change happen, we have to implement what works, and this means helping leaders shape and optimize local policies, programs and practices." Finally, according to Fortson, the last responsibility of prevention workforce personnel is sustaining progress over time. “Leaders must understand that change takes time,” Fortson says. “We have to make sure we are measuring the impact of our prevention activities and helping our leaders understand it’s going to take time to see the type of changes they want to see.” Prevention workforce positions range from GS11 to GS-14 and will be at locations around the world, at different commands.
Jobs will be listed on the Civilian Human Resources Agency’s Army Prevention Workforce portal, https://portal.chra.army. mil/hr_public?id=apwf_public_jobs, and the USAJobs website. There are also internship opportunities.
For more information go to https://www. armyresilience.army.mil/IPAG/.
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