Photo By Sgt. Kenneth Bince | Brig. Gen. Peter Bayer, then MNC-I now USF-I Chief of Staff, stresses the importance ...... read more read more
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Fulfilling the continuing need for professional military development and awareness, Lt. Col. Barbara McPhail, 49th Military Police Brigade communications officer in charge and Lt. Col Paul Rogers, 49th Equal Opportunity Adviser, hosted a three-day combined Equal Opportunity and Army Sexual Harassment Assault and Response Program symposium Dec. 17-19.
The symposium that was held at the brigade's chapel served two purposes: one, to provided an opportunity for Soldiers at the battalion level to become certified Unit Victim Advocates; and, two, to give pre-EO training to selected Soldiers prior to attending the 10-day Equal Opportunity Leader's course at a later date.
"We had a total of 47 Soldiers that attended the symposium from the 4 battalions in the brigade," said McPhail, also the 49th Deployed Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. "For over half of the attendees, this was their initial certification, whereas the rest were recertifications."
"The first day was a combination of EO and UVA training, which also included an extraordinary block of instruction, cultural awareness classes," said Staff Sgt. Arlyce Baty, 49th retention non-commissioned officer and equal opportunity leader. "The cultural block was great. It gave the Soldiers an in depth understanding of the differences between cultures that we might encounter during this deployment."
Soldiers separated into the two areas for the second day. In the chapel, the majority of the attendees received UVA training. "This gave (Soldiers) the opportunity to participate in scenario based discussions, developing products which they were able to take back and use within their respective battalion and individual company level programs," said McPhail.
During the same period but in a different building, the EOLs covered important topics including inappropriate relationship, fraternization and sexual harassment. "My main goal here was to set these Soldiers up for success by providing the necessary resources required to accomplish their missions as EOLs," said Rogers. "I made sure that they had everything they needed on a (compact disk) to take a back with them to their units."
On the third and final day, the large group of Soldiers made their way to the 1st Cavalry Division dining facility. Separated from main area in a private room, the symposium wound down during a breakfast meal, which included speakers from Multi National Corps-Iraq (now United States Forces- Iraq).
Brig. Gen. Peter Bayer, MNC-I Chief of Staff, stressed the importance of the symposium and the awareness it creates. Bayer continued, "We have zero tolerance for sexual assault in the Army, and we need to continue the fight against sexual harassment."
The last and final speaker before the certificates were presented was the MNC-I Equal Opportunity Sgt. Maj. Alvin Newman saying, "NCOs are forefront of these issues." He concluded, "Education and awareness are the keys to solving these problems Army wide."
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| Date Taken: | 01.14.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.14.2010 17:42 |
| Story ID: | 43840 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 720 |
| Downloads: | 496 |
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