Photo By Patrick Buffett | Command Sgt. Maj. Octavia Greaves-Egyinam, 244th Quartermaster Battalion CSM, leads...... read more read more
FORT LEE, Va. (March 31, 2016) -- More than 200 Soldiers from the 244th Quartermaster Battalion participated in a “Not in My Squad, Not in Our Army” pledge ceremony Friday where they vowed to eradicate sexual harassment and assault through peer-to-peer education and policing.
Ceremony attendees included Lt. Col. Stephen Collins and Command Sgt. Maj. Octavia Greaves-Egyinam, the battalion commander and CSM, and Sgt. Maj. Roslyn Floyd, deputy commandant of the Logisitics Noncommissioned Officer Academy, who was the event’s guest speaker.
“The emphasis today was on the obligation of these Soldiers to be trusted professionals of the United States Army,” Floyd said at the conclusion of the event. “They have to take this personally … not accepting conduct that brings shame to the uniform they wear or the oath of enlistment they recited when they joined the Army team.”
Reflecting on a closing statement of her remarks – “If we reached even one Soldier today, this ceremony was a success” – Floyd said it’s an indication of the mindset that’s becoming predominant across the force.
“Putting a stop to any type of misconduct is not a ‘we’ issue, it’s an ‘I’ issue,” she explained. “Am I brave enough to speak up and say ‘that’s not appropriate,’ or report another Soldier, even if he or she is a battle buddy, who is acting inappropriately? Those are the wheels we’re setting in motion at these events.”
Complementing the 244th’s leadership team and Sgt. 1st Class James Vardy, the battalion’s sexual assault response coordinator, Floyd said the ceremony is a reflection of their sense of caring for young service members.
“That’s another element of this; our obligation as trainers and leaders to empower Soldiers with knowledge and training. I know I don’t want to see any of these Soldiers standing here today sent home (dishonorably discharged) because we failed to engage them. And I want to set the unwavering Not in My Squad standard they will take to their first duty station so they’re less likely to be negatively influenced by others who haven’t gotten that message.”
It’s the same thought process Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey had in mind when he rolled out the NIMS-NIOA campaign last year.
“The campaign creates a sense of ownership,” the SMA commented in an article published by the Joint Base Lewis-McChord post newspaper in June. “We want our junior leaders to say, ‘These are my Soldiers. Nobody messes with (them). I take that personally.’”
Not in My Squad, Not in Our Army is a broad intiative to highlight the critical role noncommissioned officers play in leading and sustaining a values-based organization, Dailey also explained. Its focus is on the well-being, safety and dignity of Soldiers and civilians. The premise is that greatness spreads faster than indiscipline and Soldiers want to be part of a team that fosters greatness.
As the “first leg” of the campaign, NIMS is a call to action for junior leaders to take responsibility and own solutions for those in their care. NIOA encourages officers, senior NCOs and civilians to expand the initiative beyond the squad to every organization in the Army. The third part of the pledge, “We Are Trusted Professionals,” reminds Army personnel that wherever they are – at home or abroad – they represent the American people.
“I really think we’re hitting the heart of this issue,” noted Master Sgt. Tracey Grinstead, the 244th’s S-3 Operations NCOIC who helped with the coordination and setup for Friday’s ceremony. “When I was standing in the same shoes as these Soldiers (at the start of her Army career 26 years ago), there was no such thing as a SHARP program, SARC or victim advocate. Basically, everything was acceptable as far as jokes, innuendo and even some of the conduct that’s now considered inappropriate.
“The Army has truly evolved,” she said, “and I’m happy to see the progress we’ve made in the areas of sexual assault awareness and reporting. … The message we heard today was pretty clear. You have an obligation to not be a bystander; to stand up and say something if you see something wrong. Don’t let your brothers and sisters in arms go through the trauma of being harassed or being sexually assaulted. Don’t let them go through that. You have a voice. Use that voice.”
The event concluded with a cake-cutting in the Papa Company multi-purpose room. The ceremony was held at the 244th’s new battalion quad area across the street from the Post Field House on A Avenue.
| Date Taken: | 03.31.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 03.31.2016 19:13 |
| Story ID: | 194057 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 127 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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