LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Airmen dealing with bullying and hazing received a new advocate in the bid to end unfair treatment with a change to the Department of Defense Instruction 1020.03, Harassment Prevention and Response in the Armed Forces, effective Feb. 1, 2019, allowing them to submit an official complaint through the equal opportunity office.
The DoDI was amended to include two new passages specifically identifying and defining bullying and hazing:
- Bullying: A form of harassment that includes acts of aggression by Service members or DoD civilian employees, with a nexus to military service, with the intent of harming a Service member either physically or psychologically, without a proper military or other governmental purpose. Bullying may involve the singling out of an individual from his or her coworkers, or unit, for ridicule because he or she is considered different or weak. It often involves an imbalance of power between the aggressor and the victim. Bullying can be conducted through the use of electronic devices or communications, and by other means including social media, as well as in person.
- Hazing: A form of harassment that includes conduct through which Service members or DoD civilian employees, without a proper military or other governmental purpose but with a nexus to military service, physically or psychologically injures or creates a risk of physical or psychological injury to Service members for the purpose of: initiation into, admission into, affiliation with, change in status or position within, or a condition for continued membership in any military or DoD civilian organization. Hazing can be conducted through the use of electronic devices or communications, and by other means including social media, as well as in person.
“If someone came in for [bullying and hazing] before the change, we would have referred them to their chain of command,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joshua Wilson, 19th Airlift Wing equal opportunity advisor. “Now, someone can actually come in and file a complaint with us specifically for bullying and hazing.”
Airmen struggling with cases of bullying or hazing are still recommended to go through their chain of command first, but if that is unsuccessful, to go directly to the EO office with their complaint for further guidance and help.
“The Department of Defense and Air Force are taking their complaints of bullying and hazing seriously, so if it’s happening, you have that avenue in your chain of command and the Equal Opportunity office to file that complaint,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Wednesday Wilhite, 19th AW EO superintendent. “We report everything all the way up to the wing level and depending on who the complaint is it can go past that. The DoD is taking it seriously, so I definitely believe it’ll be for the better.”
For more information, contact the EO office at (501) 987-8629 or visit their new location in Bldg. 1240.