Green Dot, Airmen taking care of Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Magen M. Reeves
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Malmstrom has begun to offer training to Airmen through Green Dot, a program which focuses on preventing and intervening as a bystander in situations of interpersonal violence.

"Green Dot focuses on interpersonal violence prevention," said 1st Lt. Kim Erskine, assigned to the 12th Missile Squadron and one of two Green Dot coordinators for the base. "The whole idea is that we want people to intervene at whatever level they are comfortable, with a focus on sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking."

The Green Dot program is structured into three phases of implementation.

The first phase of training is geared toward leadership and explains the importance of having the program in the Air Force.

For Airmen outside of the leadership tier, individuals can choose between the second and third phases to complete before Dec. 31 to meet mandatory training requirements.

The second phase is the influencer training phase, which teaches Airmen how to intervene in situations of interpersonal violence as a bystander, either directly or indirectly.

"That is the idea, that we are getting people on board," said Erskine. "We spend four hours doing interactive games, activities and providing information and resources so that the most influential people in the squadrons naturally, in a very organic way, share that information."

According to Erskine, influencers are generally Airmen who are charismatic. By providing those individuals with the Green Dot tools and resources, the goal is to have the information spread from peer to peer.

"Malmstrom's goal is to have 12 to 15 percent of the base become influencers," said Erskine.

For those Airmen who aren't the influencer type, or can't fit the four-hour training session into their schedules, phase three is also available.

"Phase three is a one-hour overview session for the general base population," said Staff Sgt. Delia Marchick, assigned to the 341st Missile Wing and one of 1,500 certified training implementers throughout the Air Force. "The overview covers the basics of the program but still includes interactive and skill-building activities where the participants demonstrate their understanding of the different intervention tools for high-risk situations."

Green Dot training is mandatory, and fulfills annual Sexual Assault Prevention and Response training requirements.

"Don't see it as just a mandatory training, but see it as a way to participate in some way or another to help bring the problem down," said Erskine. "Individuals can either chose the influencer training, or the overview. Those who can go in depth and be with other people who are really motivated to stopping interpersonal violence, then the influencer training is really the path to take. But for someone who maybe isn't interested in the influencer training, then the overview training is a good fit. The training is a requirement for everybody, but they can pick their path."

The Air Force is implementing the Green Dot training to supplement already existing Air Force programs.

"The Air Force has so many programs and resources," said Erskine. "SAPR focuses on sexual assault prevention and response. That's one area of interpersonal violence but for some people, they may not have experienced sexual assault but they know someone who has been affected by dating and domestic violence or stalking."

Green Dot focuses on all areas of interpersonal violence so that everyone can take something away from the material.

"This allows for more inclusivity for people to understand that violence just isn't sexual assault," said Erskine. "It's any way that another person has control over another in an unhealthy manner."

Dating and domestic violence comes in many different forms.

"Violence is usually about power and control," said Erskine. "People can be physically, psychologically and emotionally abusive, as well as verbally malicious, making another person feel degraded. It can also be financially. For example, if one spouse has control of all the finances then there's no way for the other person to seek a way out, that can be a form if dating and domestic violence."

Green Dot changes the discussion about interpersonal violence in the Air Force by acknowledging that most Airmen want to prevent violence but face barriers to taking action.

"The training addresses the barriers that people might face when they notice a high-risk situation," said Marchick. "We discuss the different types of barriers, give personal examples and then discuss the ways to get past those barriers. These tools provide Airmen with many ideas on how to intervene in the way that suits their personality, the situation and level of comfortability."

According to Erskine, Green Dot is very different from previous Air Force training.

"It's interactive and fun and we've heard so much positive feedback already from people saying that this is the best Air Force training they have ever had," said Erskine. "That's amazing. That's what we want to accomplish."

"The training goes to a level that people are comfortable with," she continued. "It's just to step in and check that a person is ok and if something dangerous is happening, to do something to stop it."