Luke Air Force Base will begin Phase II of Green Dot’s strategy to prevent interpersonal violence starting this month.
“Green Dot is a civilian initiative the Air Force is adopting with a tiered approach to outreach and prevention,” said Maj. Daphne Brewton, 56th Medical Operations Squadron ADAPT program manager and Luke Air Force Base Green Dot coordinator. “It is a research-based movement that focuses on empowering individuals to take small steps in prevention efforts.”
The Green Dot initiative to prevent violence includes three phases of training. Phase I is leadership training, Phase II is bystander training and Phase III is overview training. Luke has more than 50 percent of its leadership trained and is on schedule to begin Phase II training.
Nine Airmen from Luke, including Brewton, started the process in January when they attended the Green Dot prep session.
“When we initially went to training we had no idea what to expect,” Thompson said. “We left absolutely excited that there’s a real potential for change.”
While the Air Force currently uses Sexual Assault Prevention Response to help victims, Green Dot’s program is designed for prevention with a scope beyond the SAPR program.
The program will start with prevention strategies for stalking, sexual assault, domestic violence and later evolve to cover additional types of violence including child abuse, suicide prevention, bullying and alcohol-related incidences.
“The ultimate goal is the reduction of power-based interpersonal violence and having Airmen understand what he or she can do to stop it,” Brewton said. “Green Dot engages all Airmen through awareness, education and skills to establish an intolerance of interpersonal violence.”
Green Dot’s strategy is proactive, not reactive. The program focuses on behaviors of Airmen in high-risk situations and what they can do to prevent a situation from escalating.
“We teach Airmen techniques that empower them,” Brewton said. “Some people believe you need to be direct or assertive to make a difference and prevent a situation from escalating, but that’s not always the case.”
Green Dot’s strategy of violence prevention is unlike anything the Air Force has done before.
“I’m really excited about the initiative,” Thompson said. “If we can soak it up, take it in and take action, not just Luke, but the entire Air Force, we can really make a difference.”
56th Medical Operations Squadron