Alcohol Abuse - The Main Issue of Struggles in Sharp

The purpose of this essay is to explain why sexual assault cases continue to rise in the United States Army. The Sexual Harassment Assault Response and Prevention Program (SHARP) has been in place since 2008. Soldiers go through training every quarter and yet cases continue to rise. It is clear that the Army is constantly struggling to overcome SHARP incidents. Factors that play a part in the rising number is alcohol, mental health, and culture.

Alcohol use is the biggest contributor to sexual assault in the Army. A survey found that alcohol played a role in 62% of Department of Defense (DoD) sexual assault cases. Alcohol impairs the state of mind, making sound decisions difficult to make. Our military culture promotes drinking during off duty hours and even during some official events such as Army Balls. Different organizations in the Army are limiting alcohol at these events but has to ban the use altogether. The Army has taken strides to prevent alcohol abuse but more should be done.

Mental health also plays a role the rising cases especially when coupled with alcohol. Soldiers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) often will have drinking problems and Soldiers that have drinking problems often have PTSD. Combat deployments overseas are the main reason for soldiers to come home with PTSD. There is a stigma associated with PTSD in and out of the military. For soldiers to get through that stigma and ask for help with this mental condition the stigma must be gone. This will be accomplished by changing the culture and education on the subject of mental health.

“Culture is shared beliefs and values that leads to norms and expectations by members of the culture,” said a professor at Wayne State University. By having leaders in the Army that don’t represent a positive culture for new Soldiers to follow then those Soldiers “norm” will become a broken culture. The Army has recognized this and has integrated a new directive; Culture Change. By changing the way that we think about the mental health and sexual assault in the Army we can change the culture.

The purpose of this essay was to explain why sexual assault cases continue to rise in the United States Army. By accomplishing culture change and educating Soldiers on mental health within the ranks of the Army. By changing culture and how mental health is viewed in the Army: Soldiers can be more comfortable with getting help. Instead of turning to alcohol abuse, which is the primary reason for increased cases.