302, SPC Leahy Reid
SHARP
SHARP has been a program implemented into the U.S. Army to deter Soldiers
from harassing and assaulting other Soldiers since 2008. The program has been a
positive influence on Soldiers who experience these situations since the implementation
for preventing, reporting, and overcoming personally traumatic encounters. The
purpose of this essay is to relay the ongoing issues and continuing decline of
effectiveness of the SHARP program the Army leadership is allowing to happen.
Sexual assault is present in the U.S. Army for a number of reasons, including
religion, culture, beliefs, and simply because Soldiers believe they can get away with
committing these crimes. According to Statistics from the 2016–2020 DoD SAPRO
Reports and their appendices/annexes unless otherwise noted, “In FY18, 20,500
service members were sexually assaulted or raped including 13,000 women and 7,500
men. The rate of sexual assault and rape jumped by almost 40% from FY16 to FY18,
and for women the rate increased by over 50% to the highest level since 2006”. SHARP
cases are increasing because the leadership enforcing it struggles to stand in the way
of these crimes before they are committed.
Army leadership is failing Soldiers concerning sexual assault and sexual
harassment. Essential information and knowledge of the program is not communicated
enough among the ranks, and therefore is not becoming a topic of conversation often
enough. Soldiers also worry of superiors not taking the issue seriously and refuse to
come forward to report the crimes committed to them because of this. Matt Kelly, of
Radical Compliance, states “This dearth of command emphasis on the SHARP Program
allowed form to pervasively supersede substance across the installation… The end
result has been a SHARP Program that appeared to be compliant on the surface, but
was hollow and lacking in leadership attention, day-to-day implementation, broad
acceptance by the enlisted soldiers, and full inculcation into the culture and character of
the Fort Hood community.”
SHARP is a tool that is effective, yet the Army is not using it to the best of its
ability. Leadership within the ranks need to make this concern just as important as other
training that is conducted within each unit. This will ensure Soldiers understand it is a
priority to their superiors and chain of command, and will be present in everyday work,
including briefings, posters, conversations, and reminders from chain of commands.
When this is established, SHARP cases will decline after the program is placed as an
extremely high priority in the Army, at smaller levels throughout the organization,
reaching every Soldier serving the U.S. Army.
Jennifer. (2021). Facts on United States Military Sexual Violence.
Www.protectourdefenders.com. Protect Our Defenders.
https://www.protectourdefenders.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/MSA-Fact-Sheet2021.pdf
Kelly, M. (2020, December 10). Leadership Failures at Fort Hood. Radical Compliance.
https://www.radicalcompliance.com/2020/12/10/leadership-failures-at-fort-hood/