From: bergman@AFPAN.PA.AF.MIL (CMSgt Mike Bergman)
Newsgroups: soc.veterans
Subject: Sexual Harassment - AFIS Press Package
Date: 27 Jul 92 15:25:40 GMT
Organization: Hq Air Force News Agency/SCC


Press Pack #33 for the Week of August 17, 1992

    This is the electronic edition of "Press Pack," which also is
published weekly in camera-ready form by the American Forces
Information Service, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense
22314-2007.  
     Material in "Press Pack" is intended for use by editors of
Department of Defense-sanctioned publications and news editors of
DoD electronic media.  Permission is not needed to reprint or
broadcast its contents, but please credit AFIS and individual
authors for material used. 
     Call 703-274-4849 (DSN 284-4849) for editorial matters and
703-274-4853 (DSN 284-4853) for graphics or distribution matters.
                 _________________________

Teaching Sexual
Harassment Prevention

By Evelyn D. Harris
American Forces Information Service

     Tales of the gantlet and alleged sexual crimes at the Tailhook
Association Convention in Las Vegas last year have greatly
increased the attention given to gender issues in the military
recently.
     At the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, DoD's
joint human relations training center at Patrick Air Force Base,
Fla., instructors and students have been dealing with the issue for
years.  Officially, two days of the institute's 16-week course in
human relations are devoted to sexual harassment issues.  But in
reality, the issue pervades throughout the course.
     Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Frank Bishop, Army Sgt. 1st
Class Debbie Hanson and Air Force SMSgt. Patricia Hall teach
service members to become equal opportunity advisers.  When the
students return to their bases and posts, they will advise their
commanders and train colleagues on human relations issues. 
     The three instructors agree that sexual harassment is the
human relations problem in the DoD workplace needing the most
improvement.
     "No service member in his or her right mind would tell a
racist joke in the work place," Hall said.  "But some people still
feel free to tell jokes and make comments demeaning to women."
     Sexual harassment and gender issues are also the most
difficult to deal with, because they are not cut and dried, they
said.  "There is no urinalysis test for sexual harassment," said Bishop.  
"It's possible to look at something that walks like a
duck, looks like a duck, swims and is waterproof and say it could
be a chicken."
     Because judgment calls are often involved, Hall said some
witnesses to sexual harassment are tempted to rationalize it. 
"After all, the official DoD definition says it involves unwelcomed
acts," she said.  "A supervisor could watch one employee harassing
another and say, `No one complained about it, so it must be
welcome.'  If that same person heard a racial slur, I'm sure he or
she would act even if the victim didn't complain."
     The instructors said their classes discuss case studies of
actual incidents.  In one, male colleagues of a female officer at
a training school nailed a condom to her door.  When she complained
to a superior, she was chided for having no sense of humor. 
Another case study looks at a promising enlisted female who was
repeatedly pressed for dates and otherwise harassed by her
commander -- but never with a witness present.  She left the
military.
     A third example used in the class involved a group of civilian
employees who shouted ratings from one to 10 -- and sometimes
negative numbers -- of every woman who came up and down the stairs. 
When authorities told them to stop, they started writing their
comments on index cards and held them up.
     In addition to these flagrant examples of sexual harassment,
the students discuss more subtle ones as well, said Hanson.
     "It's important not to go too far in sexual harassment
training," she said.  "We don't want people being afraid to be
friendly.  But there are clear differences between being friendly
and being abusive.  It's fine to tell a woman she looks sharp in
her uniform.  It's not OK to comment that she fills it out well."
     Bishop said he tells people a good test of a statement is
whether they would want it said to their wife, girlfriend or
daughter. 
     Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute students go
through an exercise to heighten their awareness of the problem. 
Called the "meat market," students take turns harassing each other. 
Institute officials hope going through the exercise will make equal
employment advisers more aware of the problem while doing their
jobs.
     "Even though it's just an exercise, people can get pretty
uncomfortable," said Hanson.  "The women who are harassing a man
will ask him to flex his muscles, bend over and touch his toes. 
They'll rate his appearance."
     "They ask him to sing `Wiggle it,' and he'll be expected to
wiggle it," Hall said.
     "Some guys claimed it didn't bother them, but from their
nonverbal signals I think they were pretty upset," Bishop said.
     Bishop said a person can be an excellent equal opportunity
adviser, but that counts for nothing if the leadership is not
firmly committed to the process.  He hopes today's focus on sexual
harassment will result in some positive changes. 
     "In the Navy, our top leaders have come out with strong
statements and tough punishments for sexual harassment," Bishop
said.  "That's what it takes.  As an equal opportunity adviser, you
advise the chain of command, but you aren't it.  Once the
leadership is committed to solving a problem, it gets solved." 
     Bishop sometimes teaches classes out in the field.  "I tell
people I'm not there to change attitudes," he said.  "I tell them
I'm there to keep their butts out of trouble.  If that means
changing behavior, they will change it."


What is Sexual Harassment? 

By Evelyn D. Harris
American Forces Information Service 

     Then-Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci issued the official
DoD definition of sexual harassment on July 20, 1988. 
     DoD defines sexual harassment as a form of sex discrimination
involving unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors
and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
     DoD considers these acts sexual harassment when submitting to
or  rejecting them affects whether a person gets or keeps a job or
promotion or otherwise affects working conditions.  The conduct is
also considered harassment if it interferes with performance or
creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. 
     Any person in a supervisory or command position using sexual
behavior to affect the career, pay or job of a military member or
civilian employee is engaging in sexual harassment.    Similarly,
any military member or civilian employee who makes deliberate or
repeated unwelcomed verbal comments, gestures or physical contact of 
a sexual nature is also engaging in sexual harassment.
     All military services provide sexual harassment prevention
training.
      "Sexual harassment prevention awareness training is a high
priority in the Army," said Lt. Col. Marilla Kushman, an Army
public affairs officer.  "Personnel get (training) at basic
military training, officers training and professional military
education courses.  Officers are rated on their performance in the 
equal opportunity area, of which sexual harassment is a part."
     "The Air Force has been very aggressive in its efforts to make
its people aware of human relations issues, including sexual
harassment," Air Force public affairs officer Maj. Sylvia Freeman
said.  "From the early 1980s until recently, all personnel through
the rank of colonel were required to take a two-hour course
entitled Sexual Harassment Awareness Education.  Now, the course is
part of human relations training taught during basic military
training, officers training school, at the members' first duty
station and during professional courses, including the NCO academy
and the Air War College."  
     Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jim Vance also used the word
"aggressive" to describe the corps' approach to training.  He said
all supervisors, civilian and military, are required to take a
course every year that covers all interpersonal issues including
sexual harassment and gender discrimination.  Enlisted personnel
take a "Corps values" course covering all the behaviors, including
sexual harassment.  

Navy Steps Up Sexual Harassment Training

By Evelyn D. Harris
American Forces Information Service

     On July 1, then-acting Secretary of the Navy J. Daniel Howard
ordered everyone in the Navy to take a one-day course on
recognizing, preventing and reporting sexual harassment by Sept. 1,
1992.  Howard referred to the effort as a "stand-down," similar to
the safety stand-downs called for following serious accidents.
     This action followed the resignation of Secretary of the Navy
H. Lawrence Garrett III, amid the pressure of continuing
allegations and investigation regarding last year's Tailhook
Association convention. 
     Howard established a standing committee on women in the Navy
and Marine Corps to be headed by Barbara Pope, the Navy's assistant
secretary for manpower and reserve affairs.  He also proposed
making sexual harassment a specific part of the Uniform Code of
Military Justice.  Currently, sexual harassment offenses are
prosecuted under several statutes.  However, the code does not
specifically mention sexual harassment.
     On July 7, in his first speech as acting Secretary of the
Navy, former DoD comptroller Sean O'Keefe said, "I will follow
through exactly on all of the measures initiated ... .  The message
is this: Those who wear the uniform with pride will be treated with
respect.  Those who cannot will be driven from our ranks.  In the
Department of the Navy, gender is neither a qualification nor a
disability."  
     O'Keefe summed up his approach to his new job by quoting the
great British naval officer, Admiral Lord Nelson, who said, "I am
not come forth to find difficulties, but to remove them."   
     The Navy has had a "zero-tolerance" policy toward sexual
harassment since the early 1980s.  However, Navy officials said the
Tailhook allegations showed the need for redoubled efforts to stamp
out sexual harassment in the Navy.  Howard said he could foresee
"no conceivable circumstance under which the Department of the Navy
will ever renew its links with the Tailhook organization."
Tailhook is a private organization of former and active-duty naval
aviators.
     Most of the material to be taught in the stand-down had
already been sent to all commands in mid-June.  All military
members and civilian employees will be required to take the
training.  
     The package sent in June includes a videotape of ADM Frank
Kelso, chief of naval operations, calling for the Navy to repeat
its success in addressing the problems of racism and drug abuse
when addressing sexual harassment.  
     "Like all other kinds of discrimination, and like substance
abuse, sexual harassment affects our performance," he said on the
tape.  "It demeans its victims.  It denies some of our people the
chance to do their best.
     "It is time we deal with this issue in a way that lets
everyone know how serious it is.  And for those of you who can't or
won't get the message that we're serious about zero tolerance of
sexual harassment, we're going to discharge you."
     The training package includes a 28-page lesson guide to help
students understand their rights and responsibilities in regard to
sexual harassment.  The guide also covers Navy leaders'
responsibilities and the detrimental effects of sexual harassment. 
     Training materials include 16 case studies based on actual
incidents in the Navy.  Trainers will choose four or five that suit
the needs of their class and lead class discussions on the case
studies.
     Navy officials said commanders are encouraged to personalize
the training to meet the needs of their command.  Garrett earlier
took action in a Navy- and Marine Corps-wide message announcing
that repeated sexual harassment or the first substantiated incident
of certain "aggravated" acts of sexual harassment would mean
mandatory processing for separation.   The aggravated acts involve:
     o  Threats or attempts to influence another's career or job
for sexual favors;
     o  Offering rewards in exchange for sexual favors;
     o  Physical contact of a sexual nature which, if charged as a
violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, could result in
punitive discharge. 
     Civilian employees found guilty of harassment will be
disciplined as appropriate using existing Office of Personnel
Management guidelines.