Active-component soldiers who serve full-time in support of the Army's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Prevention Program qualify for an array of assignment incentives under a directive issued March 11 by acting Secretary of the Army Patrick J. Murphy.
The incentives, consisting of assignment preferences and stabilization options, are designed to encourage soldiers to serve in SHARP positions as program managers, sexual assault response coordinators, victim advocates and trainers.
Information provided by the Office of the Army's G1 (human resources office) at the Pentagon indicates there are 188 authorizations openings for military authorizations for SHARP coordinators, and 46 for military victim advocates, although it is not clear how many of those have been filled. Officials G1 did not provide authorization any totals for the program managers who head SHARP efforts in large commands or , and the trainers who work with units.
"The initiatives captured in (Murphy’s directive) are reflective of Army efforts to professionalize the SHARP program, and to recruit the best talent possible to serve in these positions of significant trust," according to a March 17 statement from human resource officials released by G1 March 17.
Under the provisions of the directive, soldiers who serve in the designated positions may request a follow-on assignment location, or stabilization at their current location, but not both.
Assignment preference option
Full-time program managers, response coordinators, victim advocates and trainers may request assignment to one of three location preferences after successfully completing a two-year tour in a SHARP position.
If the requested locations do not have a valid requirement for the soldier's MOS, the assignment manager will provide the soldier with three location choices that can be supported.
To qualify, soldiers must:
• Request assignment to three locations with a valid manning requirement for their military occupational specialty and grade.
• Submit a DA Form 4187, personnel action request, through the first lieutenant colonel commander in their chain of command, to their assignment manager at the Human Resources Command.
• If serving stateside, requests should be submitted requests 12 months in advance of the end of their 24-month SHARP assignment.
• If serving overseas, submit requests 12 months requests should be submitted 12 months before the end of the SHARP assignment or their DEROS (date eligible for return from overseas), whichever occurs first.
• If serving in an overseas short-tour area, soldiers should use the Homebase/Advance Assignment Program to request a follow-on assignment location. Such requests should be submitted no later than nine months before the end of their 12-month tour or DEROS, whichever occurs first.
Stabilization option
Soldiers may request stabilization at their current location for 12 months following completion of a full-time 24-month SHARP assignment.
To qualify for the incentive program, soldiers must:
• Request stabilization in a position for their primary MOS and grade at their current location. Requests should be submitted on DA Form 4187, through their first lieutenant colonel commander, to their HRC assignment manager.
• Stabilization requests should be sSubmitted requests within the time lines described above for the assignment preference option
The new incentive policies will be incorporated into future revisions of Army Regulations 614-100 (Officer Assignment Policies, Details and Transfers) and 614-200 (Enlisted Assignments and Utilization Management).
