TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- “Integrity First” can mean a lot of different things to different people, but in the Air Force it means doing what is right even when no one is looking. This concept extends into our personal lives and helps guide our actions on and off duty.
Green Dot training focuses on fortifying the existing principles of the core values and teaches Airmen how to apply them to difficult situations such as sexual assault.
“Before attending the Green Dot training, I never truly understood what sexual assault meant,” said Staff Sgt. Alethia Daniel, 325th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander support staff. “But now I have a better understanding. Regardless of the solution, never be the person who doesn’t interfere with what’s going on, because you could save someone from potential harm.”
The military has a history of situations involving its members being exposed to unwanted sexual advances and questionable hazing practices. Over the years, a variety of prevention programs were established by senior military leaders to change the environment of the work center and enforce a zero tolerance policy for sexual assault.
With each incident, the Air Force has sought better ways to re-emphasize the wingman concept using different training tools and concepts aimed at changing the atmosphere and stigma of sexual assault while providing channels for victims to seek medical and mental assistance.
"Green Dot training has provided me a fundamental view of the problems and solutions we have in terms of sexual assault and harassment. It has also equipped me with the knowledge and tools to be a better support system for my wingmen," said Senior Airman Jabari Guary, 325th Aerospace Medicine Squadron base operational medical clinic technician. "I've had many bystander training briefings in my Air Force career but this training has certainly been the most impactful."
A focus of the Green Dot training is bystander awareness. Changing the mindset of “not my business” to one of “Wingmen taking care of Wingmen” is the goal, especially for younger Airmen who are more likely to encounter incidents of sexual assault or situations that could lead to an assault. Tyndall Air Force Base used an opportunity during a recent Comprehensive Airman Fitness Day to bring Green Dot training closer to home.
“Green Dot is an initiative to bring awareness to interpersonal violence which is made up of domestic, dating, sexual assault and stalking,” said Master Sgt. Timothy Whitfield, 325th Maintenance Squadron munitions storage NCO in charge, a certified Green Dot trainer at Tyndall AFB. “This training is geared toward everyone, whether be it in the workplace, at a social gathering or a by chance encounter.”
First adopted by the Air Force in 2015, Green Dot training is designed toincrease awareness on the importance of bystander intervention and the consequences of not intervening.
“It’s always nice to know that there is a concrete system for handling unwarranted situations,” said Tech. Sgt. Marife Nichols, 325th Fighter Wing command chief executive assistant. “I believe everyone, not just in the armed forces, should know about this training as the scenarios discussed can happen anywhere at any time.”
The program itself incorporates both hypothetical and firsthand scenarios that an Airman may find themselves encountering. Instructors also explained different techniques to use should a member suddenly become involved in a potentially interpersonal violent situation.
“We are all either victims of interpersonal violence or know someone who has been a victim of interpersonal violence through the ‘Six Degrees of Separation,’” Whitfield said.
It is the Air Force’s goal to have all Department of Defense personnel Green Dot trained by Dec. 31, 2016. Tyndall plans to meet this goal by Nov. 30.
“Each and every one of us has the power to make a difference in someone else’s life,” Whitfield said.