FORT JOHNSON, La. — In an effort to prevent and respond to harmful behavior, Fort Johnson’s 519th Military Police Battalion founded the Protect Program.
The Protect Program is a three-day training course that empowers Soldiers at the grassroots level to protect one another from the harmful behaviors that erode trust and destroy cohesive teams. The program, which brings awareness to everyday issues, gives Soldiers the incentive to volunteer as ambassadors for the Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention, Equal Opportunity and Suicide Prevention curriculums. Upon completion of the training course, Soldiers earn a special ‘PROTECT’ tab to wear on Fort Johnson.
“This tab represents a culture. A constant reminder that these acts are not tolerated,” said Sgt. 1st Class Erik Rostamo, a platoon sergeant at 16th Military Police Brigade, Fort Liberty, North Carolina, who was a key part in initiating the Protect Program while stationed at Fort Johnson.
“The program further empowers Soldiers to intervene on all issues. We can change the culture by changing the conversation. The Protect Program opens the Soldier’s eyes to the impact these harmful behaviors have on the Army, organizations, friends and Family members. When these issues happen in our organization, it’s not just subject/victim and that’s it. These things impact readiness, our warfighting capability and our trust in one another. “
Rostamo further explained in-depth about the training Soldiers do during their Protect Program tenure. During the first two days, classroom discussion is led by noncommissioned officers, who Rostamo specified were passionate about the topics being discussed.
“The program doesn’t take away from any existing established Army program regarding these topics,” Rostamo said. “Instead, the program has added discussion and facilitation about the impact that these topics have on families, organizations, and people. It gets the buy-in from our junior Soldiers, the target demographic for these issues. As SHARP representatives and company commanders are not always present in the case of a situation arising, those Soldiers can step up.”
The Protect Program was such a success that it will officially be facilitated by Fort Johnson’s SHARP program starting January 2024.
“The primary focus is to stop sexual violence before it happens. However, the program also aims to minimize the risk of suicide by utilizing postvention actions, encouraging fair treatment for all Soldiers based on merit, performance and potential and enhancing resiliency by reinforcing the Army’s Values,” Gustacia Gabriel, Fort Johnson’s SHARP program manager, said. “The endstate is for volunteer Soldiers to complete the Protect Program course and actively intervene. Utilizing approved methods to stop incidents of sexual harassment and sexual assault minimizes the risk of suicide before it happens.”
To date, the Protect Program has 100 graduates. The program is open to all Soldiers looking to protect one another in the event of harmful behaviors.
For more information about the Protect Program, please contact the Fort Johnson SHARP office at 337-531-1788.
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