All Things Soldier: Putting A Halt To Hate

These days, it is easy to feel more than just a little bit like speaking up rarely makes a difference, here is one of them, providing us with another reason to celebrate! For the last several editions, the All Things Soldier column of Athens Now has tracked untenable government crack downs on our soldiers, particularly those who are Christians. Apparently our voices were heard, and for those of you who saw the danger and got involved, I thank you. An effective “cease and desist” mandate has been issued to the EO (Equal Opportunity) part of the armed forces, in this case the Army, and if you can wade through the Armyspeak contained in the following memo, you’ll get the reason why this is such a victory.

SITUATION. Due to recurring Equal Opportunity (EO) challenges, the FORSCOM DCG has
directed an Equal Opportunity Training Stand-down. All units will immediately suspend all
Unit EO training to include the Equal Opportunity Leader’s Course (EOLC).

TASKS TO COMMANDERS:
1. Retrain your EO Advisors (EOAs) and EO Representatives (EORs) NLT 31 October 2013 on
three primary training objectives:
a. Emphasize that neither DoD nor the Army maintain or publish any centralized list of
specific organizations considered to be extremist in nature or in opposition to the Army’s
core values. (The American Family Association had been described as a “hate group” from which soldiers had been warned to stay away.)
b. Reinforce the importance of conducting unit EO training consistent with HQDA policy and
command needs, using only approved Army training aids and materials.
c. Encourage EOAs and EORs to use their chain of command to answer questions and resolve
issues.
2. Restart unit EO training NLT 01 NOV 13 and ensure that leaders at all levels are directly
involved in the conduct of EO training.
3. Task your IG to inspect unit EO training on a routine basis IAW AR 1- 201, Army Inspection
Policy.
4. Ensure all commanders understand their responsibility to provide command direction and
oversight for their EO program.
5. Commanders will use their EO Program Managers to lead the refresher training to the EOAs.
EOAs will then lead the refresher training to the unit EORs/EOLs.
6. III Corps EO Office will conduct the refresher training to Corps Separate Brigades EOAs and
Separate Battalions EORs/EOLs.
7. Upon completion of retraining, Program Managers will receive, consolidate, track, and staff
results through the III Corps EO Office NLT

28 October 2013
When I was in Iraq, a standard joke that was made in response to goofy stuff which was considered to be political correctness run amok was, “What EO think tank did you just come from?” What that meant was that the liberal party line that had just been touted obviously didn’t wash with most soldiers, and was often ignored because of its lack of common sense.
Now, however we see that the EO trainers that were guilty of targeting Christians have actually been reprimanded, held accountable, and I hope, dressed down. Oh, to have been a fly on that wall…. But I’ll happily settle for celebrating!
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner