Sgt. Erik A. Thurman
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Public Affairs

Soldiers from across Fort Irwin braved unseasonably low-temperatures, wind and rain to come together for a Nov. 22, Post-wide run to showcase a day of Dignity and Respect Stand Down training aimed at combating a range of offenses inconsistent with the Army Values.
All units of Fort Irwin turned out for the run that began before sunrise. As their formations took to the streets, cadence echoed throughout the installation, reminding residents or passersby of the esprit de corps that exists in the ranks. However, there is an unfortunate reality that there are individuals who will fail to live up to the Army Values. It is for that reason that units halted normal day-to-day operations to discuss the importance of treating all Soldiers with dignity and respect – and that deviation from the Army Values will not be tolerated.

Troopers of the Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment participate is small group classes on topics such as SHARP training (Sexual Harassment/Assault Prevention and Response Program), how to overcome simply being a bystander in such situations, understanding the consequences of engaging in improper relationships and the crime and punishment associated with each of them, Nov. 22, Fort Irwin, Calif.
Following the run, units returned to their footprints where they broke into small groups. Each group received classes on a wide range of topics such as SHARP training (Sexual Harassment/Assault Prevention and Response Program), how to overcome simply being a bystander in such situations, understanding the consequences of engaging in improper relationships and the crime and punishment associated with each of them.

Troopers of the Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment participate is small group classes on topics such as SHARP training (Sexual Harassment/Assault Prevention and Response Program), how to overcome simply being a bystander in such situations, understanding the consequences of engaging in improper relationships and the crime and punishment associated with each of them, Nov. 22, Fort Irwin, Calif.
“I liked that we were in smaller groups,” said Spc. Veronica T. Davis, a supply clerk assigned to Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. “It gave us more of a chance to ask questions. Davis said that when she first joined the Army she felt that she may have been too frightened to tell someone if she were a victim of sexual harassment or even sexual assault but the more time she has spent in the Army the more she feels differently. “Nowadays, with all of the training the Army does, I think Soldiers can be braver with coming forward,” Davis said.
“If we learn how to have respect for one-another and we learn ways of preventing sexual assault or sexual harassment then I feel like we have an opportunity to cut down on those things taking place. The only way that we are going to do that is by having classes, by sitting down in small groups,” said Sgt. 1st Class Lee Wright, of Operations Group, National Training Center, Fort Irwin, one of the instructors for the Dignity and Respect Stand-Down Training. “Today we conducted role-playing scenarios. I think this kind of role playing gives a person the opportunity to sit back and look at some of these types of situations and see where they could have a chance to intervene,” Wright said.
“The Dignity and respect Stand-Down is important not just for a single day but for what we should be thinking about every day,” said Capt. Dustin Deperro, a Rotational Planner from RHHT, 11th ACR. “The Stand-Down is important in particular because we all need to take the time to re-center our organizational understanding and make sure everyone is on the same page about what we are not ever going to tolerate in the Army when it comes to sexual harassment and predatory behavior or inappropriate relationships such as fraternization,” Deperro said.
The Sexual Harassment/Assault Prevention and Response Program (SHARP) is an ongoing effort to address instances before they occur, educate victims on where help is available and to let perpetrators know that if they commit such crimes, they will be prosecuted. More importantly, the SHARP program is about prevention and cultivating an environment where every Soldier has not only the power to act but the responsibility to do so. By coming together as a team, it reinforces that Soldiers all stand together to as a team to combat the behaviors inconsistent with the Army Values and give Soldiers the tools they need to be Desert Strong.