JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --
The Air Force Green Dot program seeks to decrease interpersonal violence across the service.
The interactive training program helps Airmen and civilians intervene in and prevent violence such as sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, child abuse, elder abuse, and bullying.
Green Dot
The Green Dot program can be explained using the primary colors of light.
RED-
A red dot designates unprofessional and inappropriate acts of violence, not people.
"Red dots are a problem at every level," said Master Sgt. Robert Cisco, 15th Wing Suicide and Violence Prevention Integration superintendent. "Red dots isolate, alienate, and hurt people. As leaders, we have to ask ourselves one question, ‘What percentage are we willing to accept as a loss?’ To me, that percentage is zero.”
GREEN-
A green dot helps Airmen develop critical skills to address the underlying common risks and protective factors for multiple forms of violence.
Relating Green Dot to the Core Values
Tech. Sgt. Erica Edwards, U.S. Pacific Forces unit training manager, explains what the Green Dot program and the Air Force core values have in common.
Integrity-Doing the right thing when no is looking and owning up to mistakes. By doing this, it produces good behaviors and attitudes that are welcoming and allow people to know they’re valued and included.
Service before self- Focusing on service first means doing what suits the team best.
“Just thinking about the Green Dot ideology is putting the service before yourself and ideals,” Edwards said. “Asking yourself the question, how do I lead people toward the mission in a positive way, is service before self.”
Excellence-Fostering a Green Dot approach and encouraging others to be excellent in everything they do keeps everyone performing at their best.
Creating a culture of change is a multilayered process. However, it's an active process to foster an Air Force culture that values people and remains inclusive.
“If you want to be part of the change, first look at yourself,” said Edwards. “Do you have any unconscious bias that you might need to address? Are there things you do that can be improved?”
Direct, Delegate, Distract
Within the Air Force, there are known barriers that prevent Airmen from speaking out against red dot acts; for some, it is the rank structure.
To overcome the rank barrier, members can use the 3 D’s model: Direct, Delegate, or Distract.
Direct: Personally address the individual who was involved in the red dot.
Delegate: Get someone else involved such as a wingman, supervisor, friend, or chain of command.
Distract: Create a distraction that will momentarily interrupt the situation or diffuse it slightly.
“Be the person to foster a hostile free work environment,” said Tech. Sgt. Amber Wheeler, 647th Air Base Group Equal Opportunity Office noncommissioned officer in charge. “One way to foster a hostile free work environment is to address concerns at the lowest level first.”
Wheeler also suggests that it’s critically important for military personnel to understand that there are several helping agencies such as the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, Equal opportunity Office, Staff Judge Advocate, and Inspector General.
The "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign originally implemented and trademarked by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, isn’t just a catchy saying that refers to operational security. The slogan applies to red dot acts as well.