Directorate of Prevention, Resilience and Readiness

SAAPM 2022 Theme Announced: Prevention Starts With You

02/24/2022
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. This year’s theme is Prevention Starts With You. The theme was selected from approximately 30 entries submitted as part of the Army’s inaugural call out to the field to submit SAAPM theme and poster concept ideas. “It is said that Soldiers and Civilians can become primary drivers of change when given the opportunity, and the request for submissions was brought about to give voice to those in the SHARP community and throughout the Army,” said Jill Londagin, Director of the Army Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program.

Key Revisions to Deployment Cycle Resilience Training Enacted

02/24/2022
Deployment Cycle Resilience Training (DCRT) is a series of operational resilience training modules designed to prepare Soldiers, leaders, and Soldiers’ Circles of Support for the unique challenges at each stage of the deployment cycle to include pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment reintegration. The goal of DCRT is not to deepen knowledge about resilience but to promote productive, resilient behaviors and actions throughout the deployment cycle. The practical application-based training aims to enhance resilience and well-being of Soldiers and Circle of Support members, strengthen personal relationships and unit cohesion, and increase mission effectiveness. DCRT has been offered within the Army for over a decade but has recently undergone some key revisions.

Soldiers Who Respect Boundaries Build Stronger Teams

02/24/2022
A strong unit consists of Soldiers and leaders working together to establish trust and build cohesion. It is this united atmosphere that creates an environment where teams can communicate effectively, overcome adversity, and achieve the mission. These characteristics bond Soldiers together on and off the battlefield. However, there is additional work to be done alongside learning the core Army Values. Each Soldier also has a responsibility to respect and honor the boundaries of others. In all relationships, establishing and respecting boundaries means setting standards for and limits on daily interactions.

Sober Buddy–The Importance of Asking for Help

02/24/2022
What happens if you feel you’ve exhausted all the methods you can think of to stay sober and you’re feeling overwhelmed by the temptation to drink? Finding a sober buddy could help to hold you accountable. A sober buddy can be any responsible person you trust and who understands your struggles with substance abuse. They can provide support to Soldiers in several ways.

Soldiers Conquer EIB Challenges with Mental Performance Training

02/24/2022
Expert Infantryman Badge candidates stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, recently trained mental resilience skills to increase their confidence in preparation for warrior tasks and battle drills on their EIB test. Master Resilience Trainer – Performance Experts, Samantha Brown and Emily Thompson, from the Fort Stewart R2 Performance Center began a series of trainings with an initial meta-cognitive challenge course. The course combined mental skills with physical workouts and incorporated sport and performance psychology training into candidates’ EIB preparation.

Decreasing Learning Curves for Recently Promoted NCOs During PME

02/24/2022
Life in the Army is full of transitions, such as basic training, a permanent change of station, the deployment cycle, and promotions. Promotions in the Army occur progressively—a sergeant becomes a staff sergeant rather than a sergeant first class—and the Army has recognized that education is important at these transition points. Professional Military Education is an opportunity where all Soldiers who are promoted can learn about leadership and MOS-specific information in a cohort of their peers. From a Soldier life cycle perspective, PME provides an excellent opportunity to aid Soldiers in their transition to a new rank in hopes of decreasing the learning curve that a recently promoted NCO may experience.

New Handbooks Help Leaders Implement Suicide Prevention Program

02/24/2022
In support of the Service’s effort to mitigate the further rise in deaths by suicide, the Army recently started rolling out its new public health approach to Suicide Prevention, which includes two new handbooks to assist senior and unit commanders in implementing the program at local levels. The handbooks, “Senior Commander’s Guide to Suicide Prevention: Reducing Suicide in Army Formations” and “CALL to Action—Suicide Prevention: Reducing Suicide in Army Formations, Brigade and Battalion Commander’s Handbook” were produced as a result of a collaborative effort between the Army Resilience Directorate and Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Center for Army Lessons Learned.

R2 Skills Help Focus the Mind to Optimize Physical Achievement

02/24/2022
Although you may be aware of how your physical health can impact your mental health, your ability to focus your mind can also have the same impact on your physical capabilities. To many Soldiers, performance enhancement may correlate with achieving milestones such as qualifying at the range, earning the Expert Infantryman Badge, or passing the Army Combat Fitness Test. Individuals hoping to improve upon areas of their physical performance may invest time in obstacle courses, running timed miles, or pumping iron at the gym, but overlook mental agility training or stress regulation. Performance training can be utilized as personal training for the mind, which in turn, impacts the performance of the body.

What to Do When a Friend Expresses Suicidal Ideation on Social Media

02/24/2022
It’s important to recognize the warning signs when a fellow Soldier is struggling. You can help prevent suicide by actively intervening when a battle buddy shares suicidal ideation (thinking about, considering, or planning suicide) on social media. When someone shares feelings of hopelessness, emotional pain, and self-harm on social media, take the posts seriously by acting quickly and responding compassionately.

DoD Releases Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies

02/17/2022
The Department of Defense has released the annual report on sexual harassment and violence at the Military Service Academies. This year's Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies (MSA), Academic Program Year (APY) 2020 – 2021 consists of data on sexual assault and sexual harassment reporting; a new effort to identify cadet and midshipman peer influencers and social networks; an assessment of ongoing prevention and response initiatives; and the Academies’ compliance with Department of Defense and Military Department policy.

Unique Program Designed to Instill Resiliency, Positive Mindset has Far Reaching Potential

02/14/2022
An Army program instituted more than a decade ago continues to improve its processes and scope, providing attendees with valuable coping skills for life’s hardships. Initially created just for Soldiers, once the Army began implementing the program, adjustments were made to improve it to make it applicable to not only Soldiers, but also Civilians and spouses according to Ready and Resilient Program manager Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Gilpin.

Public Health Officials Warn About Unregulated E-Cigarette Risks

02/14/2022
Public health officials are warning service members of the risks of using e-cigarette or vaping products from unregulated sources, due to the increased danger of vaping-related lung injuries. E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air, and come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid. Washington says an estimated 200,000–300,000 active-duty service members are diagnosed with acute respiratory issues annually.

3rd Infantry Division Implements New Army Suicide Prevention Efforts

02/14/2022
The Marne Division is implementing the Army’s new suicide prevention chain teach initiative across its units at Fort Stewart, Fort Benning and Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. The intent of this chain teach is for in-person training of every leader in the active Army by March 1, while reserve components will finish by Sept. 1, 2022. The new initiative focuses on ensuring Soldiers know that they matter. The training format enables leaders to tailor the discussions with their Soldiers to what they feel will be most effective. It includes dialogue about leader visibility tools and processes for recognizing risk and protective factors, identifying available resources, engaging in targeted prevention, implementing early intervention strategies, and accomplishing post prevention actions.

Military Personnel Chiefs Discuss People Issues Before HASC Panel

02/08/2022
Lt. Gen. Army Gary M. Brito recently spoke at a House Armed Services Committee military personnel panel and said personnel readiness is critical to Army readiness. "New technology, programs, policy, innovation and management models are transforming the Army's personnel systems and will provide our Soldiers [with] more opportunities to excel and improve our ability to compete for and retain talent."

Significant Changes Ahead for the Army Based on the SECDEF’s 90-Day IRC

02/08/2022
The Army is in the process of making the most significant changes to how the Service prevents and responds to sexual harassment, sexual assault, retaliation, and other harmful behaviors due to the recommendations of an independent commission established to examine current Department of Defense programs and policies.

Southern Hospitality, Faith Inspire NCO to Positively Impact Others

02/03/2022
Sgt. Jennifer Jackson of Georgia has embodied hard work and responsibility since she was a child. In her current role, she ensures medical equipment is safe across the Pacific region from hazardous amounts of radiation through training and testing. She volunteers as the president of the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers, or BOSS, program at Camp Zama. She also trained to be a Victim Advocate for the Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program. “I thrive on giving to others rather than receiving,” Jackson said. “That’s just who I am to my core. I think that our lives here are supposed to be a selfless journey, and that is what I dedicate myself to each and every day – selflessness and service.”