Stand-to! update Beginning May 2022, STAND-TO! will no longer be published on Army.mil and/or distributed to its subscribers. Please continue to learn about the U.S. Army on www.army.mil and follow @USArmy on our social media platforms. Thank you for your continued interest in learning about the U.S. Army.

SHARP Readiness Executive Order

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

What is it?

The Headquarters, Department of the Army’s Executive Order (EXORD) on Sexual Harassment and Assault Readiness effort will aid leadership efforts to eliminate sexual harassment and sexual assault occurrence by capitalizing on effective preventative practices. The SHARP EXORD provides a framework for commands to tailor their prevention efforts to their specific unit conditions and environments.

The U.S. Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program exists to help prevent sexual harassment and sexual assaults before they occur. The Army’s goal is to eliminate sexual assaults and sexual harassment by creating a climate that respects the dignity of every member of the Army Family.

What has the Army done?

All Army Commands (ACOM), Army Service Component Commands (ASCC), and Direct Reporting Units (DRU), U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard commanders have been directed by the Chief of Staff of the Army to implement active prevention measures to reduce the prevalence of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and retaliation through innovations addressing key vulnerabilities such as Soldier transition and alcohol use. Commanders and leaders will identify program weaknesses, develop mitigation action plans, empower and educate leaders, and modify programs as necessary. Moreover, sharing best practices among commands will be critical to success.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

The SHARP EXORD will be accomplished in three phases over a period of 15 months.

  • Phase 1 (Jun. 15, 2016 - Sept. 30, 2016): Commands shall assess their levels of effectiveness in the prevention of sexual harassment, sexual assault and retaliation. Commands will identify vulnerabilities in their organizations and then develop mitigation action plans to counter those vulnerabilities.
  • Phase 2 (Oct. 1, 2016- Dec. 8, 2016): Commands will monitor effectiveness and share best practices. This phase begins once the subordinate commander has received CSA concurrence and begins executing their mitigation action plan.
  • Phase 3 (Dec. 9, 2016 - Sept. 30, 2017): Commands will assess and revise mitigation action plans as necessary. This phase begins after the completion of the Army Profession Forum and ends with an annual assessment of the SHARP program.

Why is this important to the Army?

Sexual harassment and sexual assault are inconsistent with Army Values. These incidents in the ranks erode organizational trust and degrade unit integrity and decrease Army Readiness. These are an internal threat that erodes good order and discipline, unit cohesion, and trust within the units. Reducing sexual assault incidents, as well as building cohesive teams where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, will help to enhance the readiness in the Army.

Resources:

Subscribe to STAND-TO! to learn about the U.S. Army initiatives.