Wednesday Jan. 4, 2017
What is it?
The Army Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Program’s Emergent Leader Immersive Training Environment (ELITE)-SHARP Prevention and Outreach Simulation Trainer (POST) is a new computer-based training application designed to train Army SHARP professionals (sexual assault response coordinators (SARCs) and victim advocates (VAs) on how to better support command teams and units through effective prevention and outreach programs.
ELITE-SHARP POST is an innovative alternative to the prepackaged slide decks, videos, and classroom discussions available for downloading from the Army MilGaming web portal. This application will enable SARCs and VAs to interact virtually with avatars to hone their sexual harassment and assault prevention and outreach skills.
What is the Army doing?
ELITE-SHARP POST is the latest program hosted on the ELITE Lite Counseling platform, which the Army introduced in September 2014 to train junior and noncommissioned officers to deal with a range of situations, from disagreements with superiors to sexual harassment. The Army also debuted ELITE-SHARP Command Team Trainer (CTT) in April to train new Army command teams on their unique roles and responsibilities in implementing the Army SHARP program within their units.
What continued efforts are planned for the future?
Five new practice scenarios for the ELITE-CTT are in development and will be delivered in an updated version of the CTT application in the summer of 2017. New content focusing on retaliation, bystander intervention and male sexual assault is under development. This work will be completed at the end of fiscal year 2017 and should be available for use Army-wide in early 2018.
Future ELITE modules will be designed for Department of Army (DA) Civilians, Army National Guard and Reserve, and specialty personnel such as chaplains, doctors, and lawyers. The ELITE platform may also be upgraded with conversation capability and artificial intelligence, providing leaders with a truly interactive training.
Why is this important to the Army?
Three intangibles drive the Army’s number one priority of readiness: good order and discipline, cohesion and trust. ELITE-SHARP POST directly supports these intangibles, fostering positive command climates by enhancing strong relationships between SHARP professionals and their command teams. ELITE-SHARP POST clearly communicates standards for local SHARP programs, ensuring consistent application of policies throughout the force.
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