Category Archives: SHARP/Discrimination

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Slut Shaming

The Prelude of Sexual Violence Against Women in the Military

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“As a woman in the military you can either be a slut or a b****. Choose the latter.” This was the first piece of advice I received after arriving to my unit. If I appeared too friendly or smiled too often-particularly with males, I would be perceived as a “slut”. Someone who flirts (or more) her way to the top than earning it. Better to be a “b****'”- cold and aloof, than have a warm disposition misinterpreted.

A soldier crawls under barbed wire during assessment and selection at Camp Mackall, N.C., March 1, 2021. Women in uniform face obstacles a lot thornier and more dangerous than barbed wire. (U.S. Army photo by K. Kassens)
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Athena Thriving II

A Unit Guide to Leading Pregnant and Postpartum Soldiers

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The United States Army has come a long way since the days of the Women’s Army Corps, an era when regulations mandated involuntary separation for pregnant women, while reporting them as having a “sickness; not in the line of duty.” While progress has been encouraging since World War II, we can continue to do better. Frustrating incidents of ignorance, stigmatization, discrimination, and substandard leadership and care of pregnant and postpartum soldiers still occur. These incidents occur despite the success and grit of numerous Army women who have sacrificed for our nation and excelled in their duties while carrying and raising children. 

Photo courtesy of Julie Edler Photography
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Redefine SHARP – Redefine Culture

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What would you do to change SHARP? The question, and its answer, may seem daunting. But instead, ask: what would you do to prevent sexual harassment? What would you do to prevent sexual assault? After the release of the Report of the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee, we are able to see that the Army’s SHARP program is structurally flawed. So, let’s start there. What would we do to change SHARP? We’d start with culture. 

It’s time to send up a flare and illuminate how we can move the ball forward against this corrosive. (U.S. Army Reserve Photo by Sgt. Joseph Cathey)
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Athena Thriving

A Unit Guide to Combating Gender Discrimination in the Army

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A groundbreaking policy in 2016 opened every job, unit, and location in the Army to women. However, despite clear guidance from Army Senior Leadership, patterns of frustratingly pervasive sexism and gender discrimination remain within our ranks. A Government Accountability Office study earlier this year found that female soldiers, who make up 15% of the Army, are 28% more likely to leave service than their male counterparts. The similarly disproportionally high rates of sexual harassment and assault military women experience speak for themselves. The brutal murder of Specialist Vanessa Guillen earlier this spring at Fort Hood resulted in a flood of personal stories shared under the hashtag #IAmVanessaGuillen. This was a tipping point that reinforced the need for unit level leaders to drive significant cultural change for our Army to be more inclusive of women. It pushed us beyond ignoring longstanding problems of gender discrimination.

Our Army’s success depends on bringing talented soldiers together in teams built on competence, resilience, discipline, and trust; to ensure every soldier can say with confidence and pride, “This is My Squad.”-GEN James McConville, The 40th CSA, 14 October 2020

U.S. Army Spc. Tynina Williams applies face paint prior to mission during the U.S. Army Europe European Best Warrior Competition at U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, July 29, 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Austin Riel)