Photo By Jason Ragucci | USAG Fort Bragg held an important briefing on anti-harassment and No Fear training on...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT BRAGG, N.C. – United States Army Garrison Fort Bragg held an important briefing on anti-harassment and No Fear training on March 13 at Pope Theater. The purpose of this event was to educate garrison DOD civilians about the No Fear Act of 2002 and the importance of maintaining a respectful and accountable work environment. The training, hosted by the Fort Bragg Equal Employment Opportunity office was designed to be interactive, with participants encouraged to ask questions and provide feedback.
The No Fear Act of 2002 is a U.S. law that aims to reduce workplace discrimination and retaliation. It requires federal agencies to be accountable for violations of anti-discrimination and whistleblower protection laws. The act mandates training on these laws and requires agencies to report on the status of complaints and the outcomes of cases. This law helps create an environment where employees can report misconduct without fear of retaliation.
The training brief addressed discrimination in hiring and promotions, focusing on biases based on race, gender, and other protected categories. The audience were reminded that discrimination can occur based on these factors, and that it is important to ensure hiring and promotion processes are free from biases.
“When I was in the military, I was right down the street, 2nd Brigade, 325th, Airborne Infantry Regiment,” said Dr. Major Bryant, Director of Fort Bragg EEO. “We said three things change twice in five minutes and that has carried me a long way: it’s about accountability. Now as a neutral, I can’t enforce that, but what I can do is tell you what the law says.”
The training brief continued with the nine protected categories under EEO complaints, which include race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, and reprisal. Understanding these categories is crucial for filing complaints, and discrimination based on these categories is prohibited.
Reasonable accommodations are adjustments provided to enable people with disabilities to perform essential job functions. These accommodations must be reasonable and not cause undue hardship to the organization. The brief emphasized the importance of accommodating people with disabilities and ensuring that requests for accommodations are handled appropriately.
Harassment policies were also discussed. Harassment must be reported to leadership or EEO and an initial inquiry must start within 24 hours of notification. The process is separate from EEO complaints. It is important to notify leadership within 24 hours of harassment and to follow the proper procedures for reporting and addressing it.
Key staff members involved in the training included Barry White, the disability program manager, Thomas Johnson, the complaints manager, and Kevin Shepard, the EEO specialist and training coordinator. They emphasized respectful communication and the importance of preparing participants for future roles as supervisors.
This training brief is an essential step towards creating a respectful and accountable work environment supporting the U.S. Army and Fort Bragg. By understanding and following these principles, everyone can contribute to a positive workplace culture.
“You’ve got to communicate and listen,” said Shepard. “Just give everybody a chance. There are over 11,000 civilians on post and they all need to be heard."
| Date Taken: | 03.20.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.20.2025 13:45 |
| Story ID: | 493349 |
| Location: | NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 98 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fort Bragg’s Commitment to Equal Opportunity, by Jason Ragucci, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
