Photo By Sgt. Andrew Winchell | The newest graduating class of the EOLC stands together after receiving their...... read more read more
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The U.S. Army is always looking to educate its Soldiers and impart the importance of treating everyone with respect and dignity. The Equal Opportunity Leaders Course is one way they use to accomplish this.
In EOLC, Soldiers learn how to talk with Soldiers in their commands about bias they may be facing or recognize bias they may have and do not even know they have.
“The EOLC is a 60-hour course designed to teach company and battalion, equal opportunity leaders, the function of an EOL,” said Staff Sgt. Christine Ross, an equal opportunity advocate for the 42nd Infantry Division. “We focus on the socialization process, values added to belief, making sure they understand what the six biases of discrimination are and understanding how that fits into fairly viewing a Soldier.”
Many Soldiers never realize they even have certain biases toward others.
“I know I’m guilty of thinking of certain stereotypes that may or not be true,” said 1st Lt. Nia Farmer with the 408th Human Resources Company. “With first impressions, because someone dresses a certain way or acts a certain way, I would make a judgment without knowing them, this class has shown me not to do that.”
The EOLC is a four-phase course that helps Soldiers to identify and eliminate biases they or other Soldiers may have.
“The course shows Soldiers how biases are formed from a young age, through their Army career right up to where they are now, showing them how EO complainants can happen,” said Ross. “We show these new EOLs how to have discussions with Soldiers and how to inform them of things they might not realize they are doing.”
The course goes over how to handle formal and informal complainants as an EOL.
“We show them how to work with both Soldiers and commands to work through issues and how to educate those around them,” said Ross. “It’s funny to see those that said they have no bias at the beginning learn that they do, we call this the “Ah-Ha moment” when they pause and title their head.”
Many people have biases and do not even realize it.
“Through this course, people become more cognizant of what they say and do, thinking about others and how things may be perceived,” said Ross.
| Date Taken: | 08.10.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.11.2020 09:15 |
| Story ID: | 375707 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 32 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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