Wednesday, June 22, 2016
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.
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.
The SHARP EXORD will be accomplished in three phases over a period of 15 months.
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.
Subscribe to STAND-TO! to learn about the U.S. Army initiatives.